High School Athletic Drug Testing

Here is from a recent interview with the head of High School sports in Illinois. Marty Hickman's thoughts about random drug testing are pretty clear and it is going to be interesting to view the effects these states have on students and athletic scholarships.

He says, "New Jersey, Texas and Florida currently have random drug testing and California is near acquiring it as well. Not to mention that Illinois is also very close. We feel it is a topic that needs to be addressed this year and we believe that the IHSA board is in agreement. Personally, I feel it is a great thing to get involved with our kids as it is really a community health topic. Current research shows that six percent of children have been involved with drugs and there are more benefits than negatives in testing."

Sounds like more states are going to follow the lead of the big three, Calif, Texas and Florida. It seems as though it is a fair assessment to randomly test schools and athletes in the ultra competitive world of high school sports.

Yet, let's be realistic about the criteria for testing and the safeguards regarding the testing process that must be in place. You have high school athletes competing for state titles and athletic scholarships that can't afford to be caught. Not to mention coaches, teachers and athletic directors that can't face that embarrassment.

Schools both public and private are already flagrantly recruiting the top athletes to pad their record and sports scholarship stats. So, what is a little more slight of hand to curb the drug policy going to matter.It should be clear that the guidelines are set just to test for athletic performance drugs. To randomly test athletes for conventional party drugs would eliminate most every water polo player around.