The state of steroids, By: Dan DeLuca and Mark DeCotis

Florida's new program has both doubters and supporters

In May, the Legislature gave the Florida High School Athletic Association $100,000 for the nation's second statewide random steroid testing program and directed the organization to start it this fall.

But that's $35,000 short of what's necessary to test the maximum number of athletes allowed by the new law.

Rep. Marcelo Llorente,
R-Miami, the driving force behind the one-year pilot program, has said the steroid bill "was a huge step in the right direction."

Many on the front lines, however -- the state's athletes, coaches and athletic administrators -- believe that step wasn't nearly big enough.

"I think the program's long overdue, but the scope of it is so narrow in two different things," said Astronaut High athletic director Tim Sparkman. "Number one, they should be doing a drug test across the board and number two, to pick five high schools in the state to do a random sampling . . . I don't think that's a deterrent."

Sparkman said he was told 600 students would be tested.