The Nutrition and Performance Web section of the Web site has come to fruition due to the efforts of a planning committee composed of national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members, athletics administrators and NCAA staff. As an original member of that group, I am proud to be viewing such a complete Web site, one I know will help any and all student-athletes who visit it.

The main page consists of a character with five subtitles surrounding it. Those subtitles are coach, athletic trainer, student-athlete, parent and athletics administrator. Clicking on the titles makes the character take on the appearance of that person -- a hat and whistle for the coach, a bullhorn and banner for the parent, an ice bag and tape for the athletic trainer, a pencil and ball for the student-athlete, and a suit jacket and briefcase for the administrator. Secondary pages contain checklists, information and links to specific programs that will improve student-athlete nutrition.

The coaches' page contains information on feeding the team while on the road and staying within proper nutritional limits. It will provide basic tips on pre- and postgame meals, as well as links to 19 fast-food chains that teams may visit while traveling.

The parents' page contains links to a mental health screening Web site and a link to the Big Ten Conference's "Dream Big" nutrition guide.

The athletic trainer's contains a seven-step action plan to follow for at-risk athletes with eating disorders, a nutrition analysis tool from the University of Illinois, Champaign, and a link to a basic nutrition site from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The student-athlete page contains information about eating on the go and preparing for peak performance, including a link to a site from ESPN. And the administrator page contains information on the CHAMPS/Life Skills program and guidelines on creating a positive competitive environment for athletes.

The NCAA project team that created the nutrition and performance section was very thorough in seeking out valid sites that would offer both credible information and catch the interest of the student-athletes. All who visit will be encouraged to look on the other pages that do not fit their profile. This will allow them to see what is being offered as information to each of the other four areas of people who may visit the site.

The Nutrition and Performance Web section can be accessed at http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/ed_outreach/nutrition-performance/index.html.

Dewayne Barnes is a student-athlete at Whittier College and a member of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He also is a member of the drug-education and drug-testing subcommittee of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.

... while professionals embrace it with open arms

BY ROBERTA SHERMAN AND RON THOMPSON
BLOOMINGTON HOSPITAL

We recently had the opportunity to preview the NCAA's new Web section on nutrition and performance. Information on topics such as nutrition, performance, mental health and eating disorders will be available, either directly on the site or through numerous links to other established and credible sites. In addition, "checklists" for student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, administrators and parents have been developed to provide guidance in dealing with "issues to consider in creating a positive, competitive environment regarding optimal nutrition, a positive body image and peak performance."

The inclusion of coaches, athletic trainers, administrators, and parents is significant for several reasons. As powerful influences on the athlete, well-informed parents and coaches can play significant roles in providing information and promoting the physical and psychological well-being of student-athletes. Additional support and encouragement from administrators can further facilitate this process. The importance of including athletic trainers in this process resides in the fact that the athletic trainer is often the first person a student-athlete goes to when in need of assistance. The checklists are informative, timely, and accurate, but more important, contain information that is practical and in most cases can be implemented with relative ease.

Sometimes, with Web sites providing information related to eating and body image, there is a tendency to be negatively or "symptom" focused. The new nutrition and performance section, however, will have a postive health focus. In addition, the checklists and related links will make it easy for individuals to obtain the information they need privately and anonymously. This could prove to be particularly important for individuals with concerns that relate to more sensitive areas such as disordered eating or other mental health issues.

As psychologists who work with athletes, sports personnel and organizations involved in sport, we are reasonably aware of the educational and preventive efforts by sport governing bodies to promote the health and well-being of their athletes. With this new section devoted to nutrition, body image and performance, the NCAA continues to be ahead of the curve in this regard. We wholeheartedly endorse this new section and strongly encourage its use by all who work or participate in the sport environment.

Roberta Sherman, Ph.D., and Ron Thompson, Ph.D., are co-directors of Bloomington (Indiana) Hospital's Eating Disorders Program and have served as consultants to the department of intercollegiate athletics at Indiana University, Bloomington, for the past 15 years. They also are co-chairs of the Athlete Special Interest Group of the Academy for Eating Disorders and have authored numerous publications on athletes and disordered eating, including the book, "Helping Athletes with Eating Disorders."