The recently adopted rules by the California Interscholastic
Federation to discourage steroid use is a good first step in
controlling a serious health risk, but doesn’t go far enough to
protect impressionable youths with big-league dreams.
The recently adopted rules by the California Interscholastic Federation to discourage steroid use is a good first step in controlling a serious health risk, but doesn’t go far enough to protect impressionable youths with big-league dreams.
In early May, the CIF adopted a policy requiring all student athletes and their parents sign a statement promising the student will not use steroids and that coaches pass a steroid education class before 2009.
However, the measure falls short of what is truly needed to protect kids in an era of extremely competitive high school athletics. It doesn’t require drug testing and though coaches are educated, parents are not.
It’s funny that people will debate drug-testing for student athletes, but have no issues with testing other athletes – like race horses for example.
Though California is the first state to tackle steroids in schools, we should further be a pioneer on the issue and instate mandatory drug testing during the physicals students take prior to participating in athletics.
Likewise, the state should create education classes for parents of student athletes to teach them how to recognize warning signs that their kids may be using the dangerous drugs.
Granted mandatory drug testing and classes for parents would increase costs, but it would also keep children safer without infringing on privacy rights of the individuals.
Let’s remember that athletics are state-sanctioned extracurricular activities where participation is a choice. No one forces students to compete in athletics and any student who doesn’t wish to subject themselves to a test doesn’t have to go out for a team.
Regardless of privacy issues, we must not lose sight of the ultimate goal: keeping kids away from dangerous drugs that provide quick results with long-term consequences.
Considering the idealistic nature of youth, steroids have an obvious appeal for kids who would rather be on the field than in the classroom and dream of a professional career making millions to play a game they love.
A simple statement promising they won’t use the drugs means very little, especially when kids constantly hear of professional athletes using steroids and see the exorbitant rewards.
Although drug testing during physicals would only ensure students avoid the substances immediately before the season begins, educating parents would allow someone to keep an eye on the students the rest of the time. Such a program could teach parents the signs and behaviors to look for while showing the proven dangerous of steroid use.
Ultimately, schools must get parents involved in the lives of their student athletes and supplement those efforts with a mandatory drug test during physicals to make a significant impact.
It’s foolish to think schools alone can keep kids off steroids. It’s equally as futile to believe a simple signed statement will end a potential problem.
The best way to keep students safe is to make them risk the one thing they’re striving for – success in their athletic endeavors.
