Canadian sports authorities vowed they will not allow another Waterloo scandal. Last week, they conducted unannounced drug test on the entire Wilfrid Laurier football team and more universities should expect that drug testers will be coming to their campuses soon. However, steroid testing is not enough to deter student athletes from taking performance enhancing drugs. Canadian universities in cooperation with the CIS and CCES are also trying to help curtail steroid use by these young athletes.

The common problem for both CCES and CIS is on how to increase the number of student athletes to be tested in a particular school year since their budget is limited. Steroid education is a good alternative. Conducting trainings and symposium is a low cost strategy which is also considered as an effective deterrent. But sending the message to these students should only be done by experts or people who are considered an authority in the subject matter.

Canadian universities are right in choosing one of the leading anti-steroid groups in the US. The Taylor Hooton Foundation has been educating young American teens on the dangers of abusing anabolic steroids. The foundation’s head, Don Hooton, established it in memory of his son who committed suicide after suffering from depression. Doctors believe that Taylor’s use of steroids caused his emotional problem.

It is time to intensify the campaign against steroids in colleges and universities in the country. According to Wilfrid Laurier athletic director Peter Baxter, it is estimated that 60% of young Canadian adults have experimented with recreational and performance enhancing drugs. Though, there is no exact number on the actual number of student athletes taking steroids, it is still a major concern by the sports authorities. The athletic director urged students to make good decisions. Anabolic steroids are tempting but it could also end their career.

The first stop of the Taylor Hooton Foundation is at the Wilfred Laurier University. According to The Record, Don Hooton Jr. talked to at least 500 student athletes of the university. The message was focused on the dangers of taking steroids and how his brother, Taylor, became a victim of the drug.

Hooton Jr. discussed the possible side effects of abusing the drug like organ damage, mood swings and premature death. PED’s would also put their promising athletic careers into waste. He warned the students about the quality of the steroids being sold in the North American black market. Most of these came from China which are believed contaminated with hazardous chemicals. These are usually in powder form and contain toxic heavy metals like zinc, tin, lead and mercury. Hooton Jr. told the students that there are some local dealers and distributors that mix these anabolic steroids with baby oil, cooking oil, and even motor oil.

Gary Jeffries, football coach of the Golden Hawks said that the presentation of the Taylor Hooton Foundation is a good start. “I know it made a difference. Without this, the kids are going to make bad choices. In this age group, 18 to 24, kids are hot-wired to make bad decisions. We were all there,” he said.

The recent activity at Wilfrid may not be the last according to Baxter. They are now planning to get the foundation’s help in training student leaders from Wilfred Laurier and university of Waterloo. After the training, they will be educating their peers, students from local high schools and community sports club.

Hooton’s second stop: the University of Western Ontario.

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