First steroid tests return two positive results
Coaches feel outcome may not be worth the cost
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Area coaches are not surprised only two high school athletes tested positive for steroids.
The state-wide program randomly tested 10,117 student athletes this fall, included visits to Memorial, Cuero, Calhoun and El Campo. The athletes who tested positive were not identified in the report released by the University Interscholastic League on Wednesday.
“I think our kids are on the up and up,” said Calhoun head football coach Richard Whitaker. “It shows that high school coaches are doing a good job convincing the kids that it’s not the way to go. Coaching staffs don’t get enough credit in directing the kids the right way. We don’t want them to cheat and it’s showing.”
The program is costing Texas taxpayers $6 million for the first two years of testing. El Campo athletic director and Texas High School Coaches Association president Bob Gillis said he doesn’t disagree with testing but results show there may not be a need for steroids testing.
“I don’t think anybody is really against it, but I think most coaches think the money could be spent more wisely,” Gillis said. “I understand that there are kids out there who take steroids, but I never thought it was rampant like some people were saying.”
Whitaker said Calhoun conducts it’s own test every month for drugs and that he believes the state should adjust its program.
“I think the testing was good, but it may be a every other year program,” he said. “I don’t think it needs to be done every year. It’s pretty costly so we may need to look at an alternative.”
Mike Pierce, who is entering his first year as the head football coach at Edna agrees with the assertion that funds could be spent differently.
“I really just think it’s a waste of the taxpayer’s money,” Pierce said. “It shows that the kids in Texas who play sports are great kids and they are not going to go out and hurt themselves. They work hard and do things the right way.”
UIL spokeswoman Kim Rogers says the two students who tested postitive are multi-sport athletes, but that the sports they play are unknown. The UIL didn’t release the names of the students, who according to documents obtained by The Associated Press are a senior and a 10th-grader.
Four tests came back unresolved and three students refused to be tested, according to the report.
Supporters say the tests serve as a deterrent. Critics, including some lawmakers, say the program is an overreaction and waste of taxpayer dollars.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Or my favorite kind of free money - grant money.
July 24, 2008 at 9:17 a.m.Bundy...Don't be too concerned about resources. Remember, that six million wasn't real money. It was that other kind of money -- you know-- TAX money.
July 24, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.I kinda wonder if that was the ONLY thing they tested for. Because fact is, that does not accurately represent the average of how many kids are doing illegal drugs these days. I'm not as certain about steroid usage. So I'm really not certain on that...but if they are saying only 2 out of 10K tested positive for ANY illegal substances, hell no, don't believe it.
July 24, 2008 at 8:23 a.m.Do y'all actually believe those results?
My son used to wrestle for Memorial high school. He's a big ol' boy, wrestled in the heavyweight class. The young men he wrestled in the Houston tournaments were obviously on steroids. You don't have to test them to see it. No one can get that size and definition naturally.
I think the athletes and coaches knew when the "random" testing was going to happen and "cleaned up" their players.
Statistically speaking (and that is what I do for a living), it is almost impossible for that many students to be "clean". Maybe they warned, maybe they got clean, maybe they aren't testing for the substance that the players are using, maybe the substance clears out of the system quickly.
At any rate, that only 2 of 10k would be positive - doesn't anyone else think that's really hard to believe?
July 24, 2008 at 8:19 a.m.Further evidence to support the idea that one should have atleast some success in the private sector before handling the taxpayers' money. What a horrible waste of resources. Every time our state legislature meets, they pass ridiculous laws that make no sense. When they reconvene in January, they need to pass a law that no athletics budget can be more than 10% of the total expenditures.
July 24, 2008 at 7:50 a.m.Let's see...more than 10,000 kids tested, six million dollars spent and two kids found to have violated the policies. YES!!!!! LARD WE'VE GOTTA PERTEC THE CHILREN!! Keep up the good work. That six million would have just been wasted on something silly like teacher salaries or academics or even worse, facilities upgrades.
July 24, 2008 at 7:43 a.m.Just 2 caught in steroids tests at Texas high schools By PAUL J. WEBER First-year results in the nation's largest steroid-testing program caught only two Texas high school athletes cheating. Just 2 caught in steroids tests at Texas high schools 07/23/2008
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July 24, 2008 at 2:43 a.m.$6 million! I'm going to agree with coach on this one, let's spend the money WISELY.
July 24, 2008 at 12:56 a.m.