Coach's Leadership Includes Big-League Advice Against Steroids

March 31, 2006

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Amid investigations into alleged steroid use among professional athletes, one local high school coach hopes to stop the drug abuse before it happens.

Along with making sure his team defends their 16-1 record, Coach Joe Russo has the realities of the baseball world to teach to teach the Gardens Gators, especially the climate of steroids that's sparked a major-league investigation.

"You try to teach them the right things and tell then the right things. Our kids are pretty smart. They're good kids, so you feel confident they're going to make a good decision," Russo said.

Senior Anthony Sconzo knows how to move a runner, but he also knows about the dangers of steroids.

"It increases muscles mass, but it also can do so much to you psychologically and physically," he said.

There's no formal curriculum for Russo to turn to when teaching his student-athletes to stay away from the performance enhancer. Instead, he turns to his own days in college ball, and gets some help from former players who have made it big.

"(The team) thinks of me as ancient. So it's good to bring those other guys in and let them tell them what it's really like right now. They'll listen more to them right now," Russo said.