Sep 29 2009
NJSIAA Wants To Expand Steroid Testing of Student Athletes
A University of Michigan study in 2008 revealed that the percentage of high school athletes using steroid is from 3 to 4 percent. If the assumptions were accurate, that would translate to an approximately 10,000 student athletes taking performance enhancing drugs in New Jersey alone. This is one of the bases why the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) wants to expand their current steroid testing program despite the financial crisis. Their plans may not concur with other states who decided to abolish or reduce the funding for this kind of program but the association is hoping that they can implement it early next year. The athletic association would like to conduct tests even on preseason.
New Jersey is one of the few states with mandatory random testing program for high school athletes. The biggest budget allocated for steroid testing was made by Texas with an initial funding of $3 million but was reduced this year due to some questions on its effectiveness by other lawmakers. The state of Florida also decided to suspend the implementation of the program due to budgetary constraint. In Illinois, however, lawmakers are still serious in preventing student from using steroids to enhance performance during competitions. They also expanded the steroid testing program by conducting steroid test anytime of the school year.
New Jersey’s budget for mandatory drug testing is $100,000 a year. Half of the budget comes from the state while the other half is shouldered by the NJSIAA from its own revenue and excess funds. In an article of Chuck Gormley on Courier Post Online, executive director of the NJSIAA Steve Timko said that they want to maintain a clean sport in high schools. “We’re the last pure form of sports and we want to keep it that way. There are some kids who feel if they’re not going to qualify for the state tournament, they are free to abuse steroids because they won’t be tested,” he said.
There are high school athletes who want to become bigger and stronger just to be noticed by colleges. “Let’s face it, there are good athletes on bad teams and some may try to get bigger, quicker and stronger so that the colleges take a closer look at them,” Timko added. He also believed that with the expanded steroid testing program, it will create a more level playing field and help maintain the integrity of high school sports.
Funding is one of the problems of NJSIAA. According to its executive director, they had tried to get funding from NFL and MLB but they were not interested in extending support to the athletic association. They are still hoping that they can get some financial support from other professional sports bodies in New Jersey, as well as in other states like New York and Pennsylvania.
The NJSIAA is confident that their proposal would be approved since they have the support of most athletic directors and high school coaches in New Jersey. Timko said that they have been 100 percent supportive on eliminating the use of performance enhancing substances in high schools. NJSIAA assistant director Bob Baly said that the purpose of the program is not just catching those offenders. “We’re trying to raise awareness and educate coaches and athletes of the health risks,” Baly said. Although anabolic steroids can give great muscles, stamina and strength, it can also pose health risk especially to young athletes.
A high school coach from Lenape High agrees with the proposed expansion of the steroid testing program. He believes that it can prevent high school athletes from using any performance enhancing drug. “It’s important we get a jump on it before it becomes a major, major issue,” he said. The athletic director of Collingswood high school on the other hand, does not believe that steroid use is rampant among student athletes.
According to the NJSIAA director, the program acts as a deterrent for student athletes rather than catching those who are using anabolic steroids and other performance enhancers. “Hopefully, the message we’re getting out to the 257,860 student-athletes in New Jersey is that if there is a problem we’re pro-active in changing it. If we stop one kid from using steroids, it’s absolutely worth it,” Timko said.
[...] bill proposes a program for random steroid testing of student athletes who qualify to compete in championship tournament authorized by NJSIAA. The state Department of [...]