AIA unlikely to implement steroids tests, By: Richard Obert

N.J. state high school policy stirs debate of costs, privacy

July 3, 2006, The Arizona Republic

Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Director Harold Slemmer said he doesn't expect to follow New Jersey's lead in testing high school athletes for steroids.

In the fall, New Jersey will become the first state to begin conducting random steroids testing of athletes who qualify for individual and team state championships.

In Arizona, the Paradise Valley district has done random testing for recreational and performance-enhancing drugs for more than a decade, Queen Creek since 2002 and the Chandler district began testing in January.

But no state has enacted statewide testing as New Jersey will employ in the 2006-07 academic year.

"I think individual school districts is much more efficient than the state association," Slemmer said. "You're taking a small random number of state championship (qualifiers). You're leaving out 99 percent of your population.

"Some of our schools, they'd know they'd never be tested."

Mesa Public Schools Athletic Director Steve Hogen said he believes what New Jersey will do could act as a deterrent.

"It puts fears and concerns into every kid's mind," Hogen said.

Costs prohibit most districts from enacting drug testing, Hogen said. The cost of a drug test is between $150 and $200.

Buckeye football coach Bobby Barnes, who three months after taking the job in 2003, kicked 10 players off the team for admitting to steroids use, is active on a Washington, D.C., panel that looks at ways to clean up the peformance-enhancing epidemic that threatens all levels, from pro to youth sports.

"So far the answer given back on why there isn't more drug testing in high schools is, 'We just don't have the funds,' " Barnes said. "Whether that's a cop-out or not, we all know that financing in school systems is not what they want it to be. It's not a priority. They're so concerned about people fighting it with privacy rights. If they do test, you can't just point out athletics. If a system is in, it has to be for overall (student population). That's what gets the blockade. They don't want to test every student in every school and they don't want to test every teacher. It's the same old story. Where do we put our priorities?"

New Jersey will receive $50,000 from state government to test.

Those who test positive in New Jersey will receive a one-year ban from competing in athletics.

"You should be kicked out of school if you take steroids," said Avondale Agua Fria senior-to-be Everson Griffen, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive end/fullback who is considered the state's top football prospect. "You should just work harder. The more you lift, the bigger you're going to get."

Studies suggest that more high school athletes are taking performance-enhancing drugs. According to a 2003 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 300,000 high school students took steroids without a prescription. That prompted then New Jersey Gov. Richard Codey last December to order a testing program.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association voted for the program.

"Anyone that follows sports, it's a big issue," Slemmer said.

Slemmer believes the bad publicity former Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley got for his admission to taking steroids and human growth hormones should serve as a deterrent.

"Seeing that Jason Grimsley has become an outcast, people disappointed in his behavior, that's getting the message that it's socially not acceptable," Slemmer said.

Former pro football quarterback Tom Porras, who works with Valley high school quarterbacks and has two sons who play football, said that people are cutting corners.

"How is that going to help you when have more surgeries than stats?" said Porras, whose son Paul will be a sophomore at Scottsdale Saguaro.

Chandler football coach Jim Ewan said that he has heard no complaints from parents or athletes about the district's new testing policy. A grant is paying for the district to test the first three years.

"I think unfortunately all of this is going to come back to money and finances," Ewan said. "As a district, we feel this is worthwhile to help kids. I'm just worried that in three years where we're going to come up with the funding to come up with it."