Tony Renda, a shortstop who just graduated from Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, admits that he owes some of his success to Barry Bonds’ weight trainer—BALCO steroid dealer Greg Anderson. Renda, who will play at California, said in an interview that he has been working out with Anderson since eight grade. Renda also said that a “close knit” group of other high school and college ballplayers also trained with Anderson this past baseball season. Renda, 18, describes Anderson as the best trainer in the area and the “best in California and the best in baseball.” “He understands the game and what muscles you need,” he added. “You can lift with him a lot and talk about a lot. He’s young enough where he can relate.”

Anderson, 43, became the slugger’s weight trainer in 1999 and is a boyhood friend of Bonds. In 2005, the same year he was training Renda, he pleaded guilty to giving athletes with steroids from Burlingame’s Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative and served three months in prison. He also served an additional year for contempt of court after his refusal to cooperate with the Bonds perjury probe.

Renda’s father on the other hand said that Anderson is a “good guy” and served as a good influence on young athletes who deserved a second chance after BALCO. He is also certain that Anderson would not provide steroids to young athletes. “He loves kids and he’s absolutely great for kids,” says Frank. But not everyone agrees with this statement. Travis Tygart, the chief executive of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, told a Chronicle reporter that he is “dumbfounded” of the situation. “I can’t imagine, as a parent, having my son or daughter trained by a person who has been convicted of a felony for providing performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.” Tygart also describes the situation as a “shocking glimpse into the sad state of our youth sports.”

Aspiring athletes risk their own reputations when they work out with a convicted steroid dealer, says Richard Lapchick, a sports ethicist at the University of Central Florida. “I am a big believer in second chances, and I have faith people can change,” Lapchick said. “But there is absolutely no upside to this.” He also said the arrangement reflected “incredibly poor judgment, on the part of the boy and his father.”In Anderson’s defense, his lawyer Mark Geragos said that his client’s critics are “small-minded people.” “Is he supposed to be banished to oblivion?” Geragos said of Anderson.

When Anderson was in prison, Renda said that he wrote to the trainer and Anderson even wrote back, enclosing workout schedules he had devised for his young client. His Serra teammates even have “juicing” jokes about Anderson. Rival West Catholic Athletic League baseball team also spread rumors that he was using performance-enhancing drugs. “Because I’m a little guy and I hit the ball along the way.” “Look at me. I’m 5-8, 150 pounds,” Renda said. “Can’t anyone accept that I work hard and get the most out of myself?”

Renda is considered as the latest elite baseball player to come out of Serra, the same school where Bonds graduated in 1982. In his junior year, he batted .486 with seven home runs. And as a senior, he batted .405, even breaking former big leaguer Gregg Jefferies’ school record for hits with 139. Renda was also named the West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year.

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