June 17, 2007: State's steroid testing bill meets with positive reaction, By: Len Hayward

 06/17/2007

It's not hard to turn on a sports television program, whether it's a news program or a game, and hear talk about steroids and performance enhancing drugs and how it's affected all sports, especially at the professional level.

It's been an issue that will continue to be a hot button one, and recently that issue has trickled down to the high school level. The Texas Legislature passed a bill, Senate Bill 8, last month that will require public high school athletes in Texas to submit to random steroid testing.

Gov. Rick Perry has yet to sign the bill, even though he is expected to, and the law will likely take effect at the start of next school year.

The University Interscholastic League's Legislative Council last week set penalties for athletes that fail those tests. An athlete who tests positive the first time will receive a 30-day suspension. A second positive test will result in a one-year suspension, and third positive test will result in disqualification for the rest of their high school career.

The new law has been met with positive reaction from area coaches, administrators in Midland and the area.

"No. 1 it's real important but I don't think it's enough," Midland High head football coach Craig Yenzer said. "Why are we not drug and alcohol testing? The steroid thing, the drug and alcohol thing can eventually tear down a program.

"Anything we have to help monitor kids is important because there are just too many temptations out there."

Recent news reports from across the state have indicated that as many as 22,000 athletes will be tested of the more than 700,000 that participate in sports. Texas will be the third state to test for steroids, as New Jersey and Florida have also adopted testing plans.

Midland High girls track coach Tekeira Strambler is like a lot of area coaches who say they are thinking about steroid use but said that they don't think it is a big problem in this area. She did add, though, that she knows it is out there and it is something they have to be aware of.

"I haven't seen any reason to suspect any use just by the performances and the results," Strambler said. "I've been around athletes a long time and (the testing) is a positive. They are just trying to look out for the best interest of the athletes so that everyone has a fair chance."

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in a story about two weeks ago that a 2006 Texas A&M study revealed steroid use dropped from 2 percent to 1.5 percent among the 141,000 students they polled.

Lee football quarterback Jason Nash said he has not seen indications that steroid use is rampant among area high school football players and athletes. He added, though, that the chance of being tested will be one more deterrent.

"I think it will be a (deterrent)," said Nash, who will be a senior next fall. "At first it probably won't be a big deal, but until someone gets caught and once it happens it's going to make more sense to a player that they shouldn't do it."

Some of the area's smaller schools already test students who participate in extracurricular for recreational drugs and alcohol. McCamey head football coach and athletic director Jay McWilliams said his district does drug and alcohol testing, and said earlier this year that many smaller districts don't see steroids as a major problem.

But he said if the state does test, it will be welcome.

"Do I think there are kids that might be doing it? There could be," McWilliams said. "But alcohol is our biggest concern and we try to preach against it. We know (steroids) are out there and we hope it's not a huge problem where we are at. We just have to educate our kids."

The nagging question facing both the UIL and school districts, though, is funding for the testing. Midland ISD Superintendent Sylvester Perez, who is part of the legislative council, said the state has given the UIL enough money ($3 million) to fund the program through next year. But beyond next year is still a question, meaning that cash-strapped districts could be called on to foot the bill.

"We realize we have the funding for this first year, but we are not sure what is going to happen as far as the long term," Perez said.

Funding aside, though, coaches and administrators know this is something that was coming and they will do all they can to make sure steroids does not become a problem.

"I think it's a good plan," Perez said. "If it's one student we save, it's been worthwhile."