Student-athletes are also subject to steroid testing to ensure their safety from the abuse of these illegal substances to gain a competitive edge on their particular sports. And just recently, the authorities who manage the largest steroids testing program in the nation have conducted the testing at Lake Travis High, searching for student-athletes who are guilty of using any form of performance-enhancing drugs as stated by American-Statesman staff Rick Cantu in his featured story for the Monday Morning Quarterback.

Sixty-five Cavaliers were randomly chosen to be tested out of 620 student-athletes to compete in school athletics. The same test was conducted throughout Texas by an independent contractor chosen and approved by the University Interscholastic League last year, which is The National Center for Drug Free Sport. Last year’s test found out only two out of 10,000 student-athletes to be positive for steroids.

Just recently, Drug Free Sport also went to Bowie High to conduct steroid testing to 95 student-athletes who were randomly tested. But athletic coordinator and football coach Jeff Ables confirmed that no one was tested positive for the illegal drugs.

Basing on the achieved results, many have claimed that the use of performance-enhancing drugs is not really a big problem in the public schools of Texas. Because of this claim, there is also a budding issue wherein the idea of drug testing to student-athletes are being opposed to, claiming that it is only a waste of time and money. The fact that each steroid test for one student costs $120, some people argue that there are better ways to spend such expensive cost.

This issue was addressed by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst by saying that the two years $6 million program was approved by lawmakers a year ago to serve as a “deterrent” for student-athletes in taking the illegal substance.

However, the featured story released by Cantu expresses his view concerning the drug testing program. According to him this program is somewhat vain. He said that the steroid testing last September 26 in Lake Travis is a good example to support the flaw of the program.

Some football players along with other players in tennis, basketball, cross country, golf, swimming, and volleyball teams were particularly gathered to be tested for steroid. Cantu mentioned in ridicule that both girls and boys were tested for steroids; one girl who belongs in the varsity volleyball team was tested like a 250-pound offensive lineman in the football team. He also added that there were also some basketball players whose built were comparable to string beans were also included in the test as though they were tested like a cleanup hitter in baseball team.

The featured story of Cantu raises the issue of the missing point in steroid testing. He explained that the demand of many coaches to equalize the delivery of steroid testing for the student-athletes from all sports ignores the fact that steroids are more rampant in other circles of athletics. Of course, football is on top of the list said by Cantu. He also uttered that athletes who weigh somewhere 260 pounds and above are the ones who are more appropriate to be tested for steroid use. Cantu claimed that steroid testing is better to be reserved to sports that need great vigor to play.

Nevertheless, Texas is determined to implement the steroid testing for the student-athletes. This time, more than 40,000 student-athletes are expected to undergo steroid test in the state for the present academic year. So far, no other state conducts a drug-testing that is as broad as the scope of Texas. Because of this, Cantu said as his final words that since this program is somehow flawed, the public can just hope for the deterrence it serves.

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