There is no refuting the fact that a high school steroid testing program will deter usage of dangerous, muscle-building chemicals.
The argument, however, is that testing athletes for steroids could be the equiv-alent of using sunscreen in a blizzard. Sure, the chances of sunburn are greatly decreased. But in the meantime, the deadlier problem keeps accumulating.
In accordance with Texas Senate Bill 8, the University Interscholastic League - governing body of athletics for the state’s 1,332 public high schools - in the coming months will implement a steroid testing program that many feel is unnecessary.
“We are going to implement it,” said Dr. Bill Farney, executive director of the UIL, “because it is state law.”
By random sample, every sport at 400 high schools will be tested annually. Certified collection teams from a drug testing company - to be chosen in the next few weeks - will make unannounced visits to schools, collect the samples and produce a one-week turnaround on the results. In all, approximately 23,000 samples will be collected each year.
“These drug testing companies are telling us that this will be the largest athletic drug testing program in the world, even more than the Olympics or any other group,” said Dr. Charles Breithaupt, athletic director of the UIL. “It is a monumental task.”
The biggest question is whether it’s a necessary task. The state has budgeted $6 million dollars to pay for the program, which will run for two years before being re-evaluated.
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (on the edge of Houston) and Mesquite ISD have already been testing athletes for steroids through a grant. Of the 8,700 tests conducted by Cy-Fair last year, zero came back positive. Mesquite had one positive test among its 6,000 samples.
“I think by having our testing program, it’s helped keep steroid usage out,” Cy-Springs football coach Robert Blackshear said. “But I don’t think we had any kids using steroids to begin with.
“Now if we weren’t testing kids, would steroids have become a problem here? You can’t say either way for sure, but I don’t think so.”
An independent study conducted by Texas A&M University showed that steroid usage among Texas high school students has decreased in recent years from 2.5 percent to 1.5 percent, ranking behind alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and even heroin.
“I think superintendents would tell you that steroids are not the issue in our schools,” Breithaupt said. “They have bigger issues with the recreational drugs.
“I think our schools feel that the money would be better spent trying to deter the other drugs, which would be much cheaper. You can do a recreational drug test for $15, compared to $115 for a steroid test.”
Dr. Vivian Baker, superintendent of Belton ISD, concurred.
“I agree that steroids are not the biggest problem,” Baker said. “But I guess it’s a start, and we will comply as we need to.”
But regardless of statewide opinions, Senate Bill 8 ensures the program will be implemented.
“A lot of people feel a lot of different ways about it,” Breithaupt said. “But the bottom line is that it’s state law. So our concern right now is implementing the program.
“There are those who would like us to roll this thing out tomorrow. But we think we need to be cautious. We have to make sure we do it right. We don’t want any slipups.”
The UIL hopes to have the program in place before football season is over “because the perception is that’s where the problem lies,” according to Breithaupt.
Percentages in a random sample dictate that more students will be tested in Class 5A - home to the state’s largest schools - than Class A.
While the schools and its athletes will be chosen randomly, the selection process will be such so that more athletes in the so-called “strength” sports of football, wrestling and baseball are likely to be tested.
“Not as many athletes will be tested in tennis because we want a legitimate program,” Breithaupt said. “We don’t want to test 50 swimmers and two football players, because that wouldn’t be legitimate.”
A student who tests positive can request to have his/her B sample tested, then make an appeal that will be heard by the drug testing company’s medical review officer. The UIL has no role in the appeals process.
A first positive test will result in a 30-day penalty, during which the athlete can practice but not participate in games. A second positive test will result in a one-year penalty, and the penalty of a third positive test would be a lifetime ban.
Students can be tested during their sport’s offseason portion of the school year, but positive tests will not result in the forfeiture of past games or state titles.
“Our biggest concern right now is making sure parents are aware of the program and aware of the dangers of unregulated supplements,” Breithaupt said. “Parents must make sure they know what their child is taking.”
Many nutritional supplements sold over the counter contain trace amounts of steroids or steroid-like chemicals that will cause a positive test.
“Many of these supplements are not regulated by the FDA because they’re not a food and they’re not a drug. They fall in between,” Breithaupt said. “We have a form to be signed by athletes and their parents saying that if your kid is taking something that is unregulated and contains steroids, it will cause them to test positive.
“And we have to have a zero-tolerance policy. That’s just the way it is.”
A final concern for some in the education field centers on what happens if the program is halted. Studies have shown that in places where testing was implemented then done away with, steroid usage returned at a higher level than it was before testing began.
“I know this: I have never seen or heard of any of our kids or any kids we compete against in any sport ever using steroids,” said Wimberley football coach Weldon Nelms, who guided the South squad to victory in last month’s high school all-star game.
“We are all products of our environment, so my opinions are just based on what I have seen,” he said. “And what I have seen is that we don’t have a steroid problem.”
edrennan@temple-telegram.com
