WHERE IDAHO FITS WITH STEROIDS IN SPORTS, By: Doug Andersen

November 16, 2006

In the decade leading up to 2002, four percent of high school seniors reported using steroids. The Center for Disease Control and prevention says that number has grown to six percent. Taking a statistical sample in Pocatello, that's the equivalent of 54 seniors at Pocatello, Century and Highland High schools.

But what's the real number? Here's Olympic specialist, Doug Andersen.

Stacy Dragila: "Sometimes I'm like what is this world coming to. I mean, we can't even play sports clean."

Two-time Olympic pole vaulter Stacy Dragila is disheartened by what she calls cheating in sports.

"It's amazing how far people want to go to have that couple minutes of fame."

Last month, Bob Costas was asked about the single biggest story in sports. Without hesitating, he said, "It took the media and public a while to catch on, but the over-riding story in sports is the influence of performance-enhancing drugs."

Even at the high school level.

John Raukar, School District 25: "We have to look at the overall effect not only the health and well-being of these student athletes, but how it's going to affect them later in life."

I asked the athletic coordinator for School District 25 if he's aware of any illegal steroid usage in his schools.

"I haven't heard of one, I've talked with the coaches, talked with the athletic directors and so forth."

Over 3500 students and not one problem has come to his desk. A Gold Medal for behavior.

Stacy Dragila: "They need heroes and they need clean heroes."

Track and field athletes, including Stacy, are tested more than any other group of athletes.

"Is it really worth me losing sleep over?"

But for Stacy it's not about getting caught.

"It's not because at end of day I know I can go look myself in the mirror and know I've done it the right way."

An example for those who compete clean.

Nationally, less than one percent of high school athletes are drug tested.

In Idaho, only students in the Lakeland School District are randomly tested before they're allowed to compete in any extracurricular activity.