Louisiana keeps eye on Texas steroid bill, By: Brian Vernellis

May 30, 2007

A high school steroids testing bill headed for Texas Gov. Rick Perry's desk could have ramifications across the state line in Louisiana.

"I truly believe that's a step in the right direction and level the playing field for everybody," Marshall (Texas) High School head football coach and athletic director Thedrick Harris said.

"I don't really have a lot of experience with it, but from reading coaching articles and talking with other coaches, they have had experience with it. If it is widespread, it needs to be rooted out."

Texas' move could have repercussions in Louisiana.

"It's something that people would be very interested in doing," said Airline principal Kim Gaspard, a member of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's executive committee.

"Inevitably, you're talking about the safety of student-athletes and their health."

The Texas House of Representatives voted 140-4 to send the bill to Perry. It requires the state to pay for testing, rather than force schools to raise ticket prices to cover the cost.

Texas' original plan called for the testing of 22,000 students, about 3 percent of the state's 730,000 student-athletes, at $4 million a year. Budget planners set aside $3 million per year for the program.

The biggest problem facing Louisiana legislators and high school officials is funding.

"We would have to alter some rules in our high school athletic association, but that would be doable," Gaspard said. "If these monies came down from the state, I'd be all for it.

"It gives you a starting point and sends out a message that we're not going to tolerate kids using types of drugs that could actually harm them."

Bossier Parish student-athletes already undergo random drug testing for marijuana, barbiturates, and other types of hallucinogenic drugs. Caddo Parish high schools perform drug tests if there is suspicion.

"Normally we follow suit with what happens in Texas, maybe a couple of years after," said Caddo parish athletic director Alan Carter.

"Steroids cost more to test than any other drug. Without state help financially, it'd be almost impossible to do that."

New Jersey became the first state in the nation to start a statewide testing policy for high school athletics last year.

Two weeks ago, Florida lawmakers approved a 1-year pilot program to test one percent of high school athletes who compete in football, baseball and weightlifting.

"I'm sure (testing) is something that will hit everywhere, especially with everything going on in professional athletics," Huntington head football coach Mike Green said. "I think it will filter down, and I'm sure it will hit Louisiana eventually.

"I'm not sure that (steroids) are out of control, but I'm sure there are probably some kids using performance enhancing drugs. I'm sure if they looked they would find some cases in Caddo and in the state as well."

The Associated Press contributed to the report.