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Steroid Testing /
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High school coaches told of need for steroid testing
High school coaches told of need for steroid testing, By: Sharon Robb
August 14, 2007
WEST PALM BEACH - Lincoln Knowles never thought high school sports would come to this.
The veteran Dwyer High track coach, with more than 50 years experience, listened intently to several experts in the field of drug testing, eating disorders, sports psychology and former athletes Monday during the Gaining the Competitive Edge Conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
"None of this ever crossed my mind before," Knowles said. "When I was growing up, I never even thought about taking drugs or anything to enhance my ability to run. We never heard of this marijuana or steroid stuff in the 1950s and 1960s. Smoking and drinking were the big concerns back then."
Smoking and alcohol abuse are still major concerns of high school coaches and administrators. Performance-enhancing drugs and eating disorders have been added to the growing list of health issues.
In high school sports, where college scholarships and multimillion-dollar pro contracts are dangling carrots, the need for random drug testing has never been more apparent, experts said.
"Getting through to them that cheating doesn't work is key," said Karen Casey, U.S. Doping Association director of education Programs. "It starts here with prevention."
Experts during the seven-hour conference told the 150 coaches, athletic directors and parents in the audience to be aware of the warning signs and not to be afraid to intervene when they suspect something isn't right with their children or athletes.
Said keynote speaker and former Cincinnati Reds and Marlins pitcher Jack Armstrong: "I am glad we are finally trying to do something ... I am right here with you in the trenches because I have kids in sports. It's percolating at the high school level ... it's got to get cleaned up for the sake of the kids."
Former pro cyclist Joe Papp, 32, now serving a two-year suspension for testing positive for steroids, spoke publicly for the first time about his steroid abuse. He showed a film of himself and former teammates purchasing drugs in their hotel room before a race.
"So this is what a bunch of guys doping looks like," Papp said, pausing and taking a deep breath. "We allowed ourselves to become a bunch of lying, cheating animals arguing over who got what doping product.
"I did steroids under the guidance of a medical professional and on my own," Papp said. "Why did I do this? To get to the top of my sport. In retrospect it was devastating. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't.
"I am disgusted with myself for doing it. I followed this path of deceit and lies. I ended my cycling career lying on my back for seven days in the hospital. I am here today because I am a face and name to go with the story of drug use in sport."
For the first time this year, steroid testing is mandatory in high schools. Florida is the third state in the nation where 1 percent of high school athletes in grades nine through 12 participating in football, flag football, girls' and boys' weightlifting, baseball and softball will undergo random drug testing.
"Random drug testing is a powerful prevention tool," said Sebastian River Athletic Director Michael Stutzke. His high school was one of the first to institute random drug testing in Florida in 1996 in every sport. Stutzke said he has tested more than 1,000 students.
The Florida High School Activities Association, which has worked with the Hanley Center, a treatment and prevention program that hosted the conference, is facilitating the one-year program that had $100,000 earmarked to test 1 percent of the sports' athletes. Each test costs between $150 and $175 to administer.
The Kansas City, Mo.-based National Center for Drug Free Sport will administer the in-season state drug testing at individual high schools. Urine specimens will be sent to the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, the only drug-testing facility in the United States accredited by the International Olympic Committee.
Cindy Thomas, the center's director of education and training, said if an athlete is not available for the random drug testing, that athlete will be ineligible in his or her sport until the test is administered. Test results will be sent to the FHSAA within 10 to 14 days.
"We truly believe that testing alone is not the answer. ... We can help deter through testing but we can prevent through educating the athletes," Thomas said.
Terry Allen, Hanley Center CEO, is optimistic that conferences such as Monday's will help motivate more coaches to get involved with their athletes.
"You impact people's lives," Hanley said. "There are no shortcuts. Discipline is the key. You need to find time for these kids. There is only one way to win and that's to make the right choices.
"You guys and gals have more leverage with those kids and have a better shot at being on the inside than anyone else within the system, including law enforcement. We know you can make a huge difference."
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