Recently, Mississippi State Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Performance Mary McLendon asked a current Bulldog football student-athlete to describe Pamela Bartz. His reply spoke volumes about the dedication Bartz, MSU鈥檚 Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Nutrition, 聽brings with her to work every single day.
鈥淪he loves her job more than anyone in the world,鈥 McLendon said was the player鈥檚 response. 鈥淎ll of us listening were like, 鈥榊ep. That sounds right.鈥欌
Bartz鈥檚 passion shines through in all she does.
She has overseen the nutrition needs for the student-athletes of all 16 State sports since 2018. Bartz is a behind-the-scenes hero that helps make sure the Bulldogs are ready to go, whether it鈥檚 for a gameday or for offseason workouts and recovery.
She pours her all into not just instructing student-athletes on what to eat, but why.
鈥淣o one is going to do something just because you say to do it,鈥 Bartz explained. 鈥淭hey need to know the why鈥t鈥檚 helping them know, 鈥榃hy do I want to eat X, Y or Z before practice, and why do I want to eat this after?鈥欌
It鈥檚 a detailed, individualized process, all with the goal of keeping all Dawgs in tip-top shape.
鈥淣o. 1 in our job as dieticians is health and well-being,鈥 Bartz said. 鈥淎nd what鈥檚 big about my job is learning every individual and what works best for one may not work for someone else.鈥
Very few in the country are as experienced and knowledgeable about the process as Bartz. A national champion powerlifter in her college days at LSU, Bartz earned both exercise science, as well as nutrition and dietetics degrees a little over a decade ago in Baton Rouge. The Cleveland, Ohio, native has since gone on to work in a number of athletic departments, including Tennessee, Samford and Colorado State.
Along the way, Bartz has developed nutritional plans for virtually every sport you could imagine, from rowing, to wrestling to football 鈥 which is her primary focus in Starkville.
Bartz is also a bit of a trailblazer as she鈥檚 grown MSU鈥檚 sports nutrition department tremendously.
鈥淲hen I first got here, it was just myself and a graduate assistant,鈥 she said. 鈥淣ow we have two directors of Olympic sport nutrition, along with two sports nutrition fellows. It鈥檚 all expanded a lot.鈥
But what鈥檚 her proudest accomplishment?
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 honestly the relationships built with the student-athletes,鈥 Bartz said. 鈥淭hey trust me enough to know I鈥檓 not just telling them things, but that they will feel energized and explosive enough to do what the coaches tell them to do. They can use the fuel I鈥檓 providing them to allow them to be more successful than they thought they could be.鈥
It鈥檚 obvious the players appreciate Bartz鈥檚 care. Several months back, a player actually chose his groom鈥檚 cake flavor at his wedding because he knew it was one she would approve of.
It spoke to how special Bartz is at what she does and how lucky Mississippi State is to have her.
鈥淪he is amazing,鈥 McLendon said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l find anyone in any career more passionate about the job they do. It鈥檚 amazing the passion she has for the welfare of the student-athletes, not only as competitors, but also keeping them healthy and preparing them for life after graduation, too.鈥