Steroids: They're all the rage, By: Brian Linder

July 11, 2007

What is irony?

Without giving an answer straight from Webster's, a good example of irony can be found by looking at the current steroid situation as it pertains to South Carolina's schools. It seems the same thing -- money or the lack thereof -- that can push a young athlete into using the illegal substances in hope of obtaining a college scholarship or future professional contract is also the thing that is keeping schools from being on the forefront in the fight against the potentially emerging epidemic.

"The initial thing is cost," said South Carolina High School League commissioner Jerome Singleton. "At the same time, you don't want to place cost above safety. Some schools do drug testing, but for the most part, the states that have moved forward ... I think they have gotten some funding that was delegated to them from the legislature. It's a very big expense, but the challenge is, is it really an expense?"

The funding to begin a program could come to an astounding number. Three states -- Texas, New Jersey and Florida -- have implemented plans. But, with steroid tests costing between $100 and $175 each, those states' governments have helped secure the money needed to feed the programs. And, although the latest data -- released in 2005 -- from the South Carolina Centers for Disease Control suggests that steroid use may be at an all-time high amongst the state's high school athletes -- 7.1 percent have admitted to experimenting compared to just 4.3 percent in Texas and 4.0 in Florida -- Singleton said he doesn't believe it's a problem that necessarily warrants a testing program ... yet.

"I don't have too many reports (of steroid use)," he said. "But, I'm not going to put my head in the sand and pretend it doesn't exist. If it's in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina -- and we are the state between Georgia and North Carolina -- we would be foolish to think it doesn't exist here. The state between is not immune to it."

Orangeburg-Wilkinson athletic director and head football coach Reggie Kennedy agrees with Singleton. Kennedy said he explains the dangers of steroids to his players, but has rarely been confronted with the problem.

"Once in 17 years of coaching, actually it was back when I first started, a kid came up to me and asked me about steroids," Kennedy said. "And, when I got through explaining the side effects he wasn't interested anymore.

"Yeah, the numbers (7.1 percent) surprise me," he added. "I've never actually dealt with a kid that was on steroids."

The idea, according to Singleton, is to head the problem off at the pass -- to stomp it out before it catches on. And, the SCHSL tries to do that by providing its coaches with educational DVD's, posters and other literature.

"To address these types of things we are trying to make schools aware," he said. "The issues are out there. We give out the stuff that speaks against (steroids), and we encourage the coaches to share with parents in the area and take a very active role. What can you do when you see there is a problem? Go back and educate."

That's the same route that SCISAA athletic secretary Mike Fanning has taken in trying to address the problem. In fact, Fanning said he met with Singleton several weeks ago to talk about that and many other issues involving high school athletics. The schools in Fanning's league -- for the most part -- attempt to dissuade their students on steroid usage by teaching the hazards of using the drugs.

"Our young people are always impressionable," Fanning said. "(Steroid use) is not something you can turn a blind eye to. Some of our coaches have very good programs in place that cover athletic-enhancement type drugs when they discuss nutrition. But, most of it comes down to the close relationship between our coaches and our kids. If our coaches see something that looks too remarkable or something that is too good to be true, then they will address that.

"Right now, (SCISAA) does not have a dedicated program," he added. "But, it is something we have our eye on."

In Bamberg, Corey Crosby, the Bamberg-Ehrhardt Red Raiders' strength and conditioning coach, keeps his players in the weightroom. He's on the front line when it comes to addressing the issue. He's had the job now for four years, and serves a key role in helping the school turn out a competitive team that has produced athletes such as Ricky Sapp and Daquan Bowers. Crosby and his players don't talk about steroids much, but they have discussed them.

"Yeah," he said. "We've talked about it, and you just try to stress the importance of not using things that will hurt you in the long run. It's a conversation that comes up once in a while for us."

At 30-years-old, Crosby said much has changed since he was in high school.

"There are a lot of things that kids can get their hands on now, with the internet situation, more than when I was in high school," he said. "They see a lot of the NFL players getting faster and bigger, and there are a lot of things they are reading about."

And, although coaches are doing their best to educate their athletes, the temptations remain.

"I think a lot of times, most athletes want to play D-1," Kennedy said. "And, a lot of times that comes down to measurements. They think they can do that by using steroids to be bigger, stronger and faster."

But, the key -- testing or no testing -- according to Singleton, is opening young athletes' minds to what the future can hold.

"You have the issue of steroids, and it's good to expose it, but it's how it's perceived," he said. "Yeah, kids hear they get you bigger, stronger and faster, but sometimes they don't hear that you die in the end."