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Pass to play: Steroid testing moves on to fall sports
  
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By JOSEPH MUSARRA
On July 23, the University Interscholastic League released results from its first semester of state mandated steroid testing.
Out of more than 10,000 athletes tested from February through June 2008, only two tests came back positive, neither of which came from the Humble area.
For Humble Independent School District Co-Athletic Directors Troy Kite and Krista Malmstrom, the results were not surprising.
In addition, both agreed that the number of positive tests will increase during the fall on a statewide level, but not within the district.
“Because they will test during football season, we’ll see the numbers increase a little with all the fall sports,” Malmstrom said, “but I don’t think they will increase dramatically.”
Kite believes numbers will increase due to the sheer amount of football participants.
“There will most likely be more positive tests because instead of 10,000 there will be at least double that tested,” Kite said.
Out of the 195 schools selected at random, only one, Kingwood Park High School, was chosen for testing from the Greater Humble area.
Out of more than 500 athletes who participated in UIL athletics last year at Kingwood Park, which only housed freshman and sophomore students, 30 were selected for the double blind testing.
“The testing went real smoothly,” Malmstrom said. “We are not the liaisons, but from what we heard from Kingwood Park, it went really smoothly and was very well organized.”
Head football coach and athletic coordinator Jim Holley was encouraged by the way the testing was handled.
“We had no problems or glitches,” Holley said. “Everything was very detailed and outlined and the officials involved were very professional.”
A BIGGER ISSUE
While only two tests were confirmed positive, four more tests were ruled unresolved.
According to the UIL, when testing for testosterone, a positive test must show that the testosterone found in urine samples is of exogenous origin, or that the testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio in the urine is greater than 6-to-1.
The only exception is if the ratio is due to a physiological or pathological condition.
In all four unresolved tests, the athletes’ T-to-E ratios were greater than the UIL’s limit of 6-to-1.
The UIL is currently conducting further tests on the four cases to determine whether they will be ruled positive or negative tests.
In addition to the two positive and four unresolved tests, the UIL reported 22 protocol positive tests, where athletes fail on account of violating testing protocol.
Of the 22 protocol positive tests, 18 were the result of unexcused absences, while three were given to athletes who refused to participate in the collection process. One more was due to a student leaving a testing area without cause or approval.
All positive and protocol positive athletes will receive the UIL’s first strike: a 30-day suspension from competition in all UIL athletic activities.
While UIL athletes from across the state will face suspensions in the event of a steroids violation, Humble ISD athletes will be held up to an even greater standard.
All Humble ISD students, not just athletes, will be held to a new standard where they will be subject to a 30-day suspension from extracurricular activities upon a first drug or alcohol violation.
Similar to the UIL’s punishment for violation of its steroid policy, students in the Humble ISD will be subject to a year-long suspension from extracurriculars for a second offense and a lifetime ban in the event of a third strike.
“I personally believe that the percentage of our youth who have tried alcohol or other recreational drugs is much higher than those who have tried steroids,” Kite said. “If the state legislators truly want to help our youth, they would fund overall drug testing that included all illegal substances instead of testing for only steroids.”
REMEDYING THE PROBLEMS
While coaches and athletic directors believe that testing is a step in the right direction in deterring student-athletes from harmful substances, most agree that education is still the best way to combat the problems.
“In our advanced media society there is always accessibility to not only steroids but many other choices that are detrimental to our youth; communication is the key,” Kite said. “Parents, schools and coaches all have a huge responsibility in making sure that our youth understand the ramifications of the decisions they make on a daily basis.”
For Holley, education is something that he and the rest of the coaching staff at Kingwood Park embrace.
“We try to educate the best we can,” Holley said. “We try to sit them down, help them make the best decisions for not only the immediate, but in the future as well. If we can help one kid, then it’s all worth it.”
UIL Anabolic Steroid Testing Report
The UIL tested a total number of 10,117 athletes from February to June 2008. In all, 195 schools were tested with 6,455 boys being tested, representing 12 sports, and 3,662 girls being tested, also representing 12 sports.
Total Number of Positives: 2
Total Number of Unresolved: 4*
*The four unresolved cases were reported from the laboratory with testosterone:
Epitestosterone (T-to-E) ratios greater than 6-to-1. These four T-to-E cases require further investigation, collection and/or laboratory analysis before a final resolution can be reached.
Total Number of Protocol Positives: 22
A protocol positive results when a student-athlete violates UIL steroid-testing protocol. Eighteen were the result of unexcused absences, three refused to participate in the collection process and one violated protocol by leaving the testing location without cause or approval.
BREAKDOWN BY GRADE, GENDER AND SPORT
9th grade Females: 1,280 Males: 2,174
10th gradeFemales: 1,104 Males: 1,809
11th gradeFemales: 751 Males: 1,441
12th gradeFemales: 527 Males: 1,031
BOYS ATHLETICS
Baseball: 894 (411 multi-sport athletes)
Basketball: 1,072 (530 multi-sport athletes)
Cross Country: 292 (209 multi-sport athletes)
Football: 3,380 (1,210 multi-sport athletes
Golf: 288 (90 multi-sport athletes)
Powerlifting: 1
Soccer: 830 (134 multi-sport athletes)
Swimming: 125 (2 multi-sport athletes)
Tennis: 377 (73 multi-sport athletes)
Track & Field: 1,044 (852 multi-sport athletes)
Volleyball: 3 (2 multi-sport athletes)
Wrestling: 154 (54 multi-sport athletes)
Total Males: 6,455
GIRLS ATHLETICS
Basketball: 817 (404 multi-sport athletes)
Cross County: 291 (195 multi-sport athletes)
Golf: 131 (22 multi-sport athletes)
Powerlifting: 2
Soccer: 607 (94 multi-sport athletes)
Softball: 695 (234 multi-sport athletes)
Swimming: 125 (4 multi-sport athletes)
Tennis: 372 (53 multi-sport athletes)
Track & Field: 762 (398 multi-sport athletes)
Volleyball: 835 (431 multi-sport athletes)
Football: 17 (2 multi-sport athletes)
Wrestling: 32 (5 multi-sport athletes)
Total Females: 3,662
Out of more than 10,000 athletes tested from February through June 2008, only two tests came back positive, neither of which came from the Humble area.
For Humble Independent School District Co-Athletic Directors Troy Kite and Krista Malmstrom, the results were not surprising.
In addition, both agreed that the number of positive tests will increase during the fall on a statewide level, but not within the district.
“Because they will test during football season, we’ll see the numbers increase a little with all the fall sports,” Malmstrom said, “but I don’t think they will increase dramatically.”
Kite believes numbers will increase due to the sheer amount of football participants.
“There will most likely be more positive tests because instead of 10,000 there will be at least double that tested,” Kite said.
Out of the 195 schools selected at random, only one, Kingwood Park High School, was chosen for testing from the Greater Humble area.
Out of more than 500 athletes who participated in UIL athletics last year at Kingwood Park, which only housed freshman and sophomore students, 30 were selected for the double blind testing.
“The testing went real smoothly,” Malmstrom said. “We are not the liaisons, but from what we heard from Kingwood Park, it went really smoothly and was very well organized.”
Head football coach and athletic coordinator Jim Holley was encouraged by the way the testing was handled.
“We had no problems or glitches,” Holley said. “Everything was very detailed and outlined and the officials involved were very professional.”
A BIGGER ISSUE
While only two tests were confirmed positive, four more tests were ruled unresolved.
According to the UIL, when testing for testosterone, a positive test must show that the testosterone found in urine samples is of exogenous origin, or that the testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio in the urine is greater than 6-to-1.
The only exception is if the ratio is due to a physiological or pathological condition.
In all four unresolved tests, the athletes’ T-to-E ratios were greater than the UIL’s limit of 6-to-1.
The UIL is currently conducting further tests on the four cases to determine whether they will be ruled positive or negative tests.
In addition to the two positive and four unresolved tests, the UIL reported 22 protocol positive tests, where athletes fail on account of violating testing protocol.
Of the 22 protocol positive tests, 18 were the result of unexcused absences, while three were given to athletes who refused to participate in the collection process. One more was due to a student leaving a testing area without cause or approval.
All positive and protocol positive athletes will receive the UIL’s first strike: a 30-day suspension from competition in all UIL athletic activities.
While UIL athletes from across the state will face suspensions in the event of a steroids violation, Humble ISD athletes will be held up to an even greater standard.
All Humble ISD students, not just athletes, will be held to a new standard where they will be subject to a 30-day suspension from extracurricular activities upon a first drug or alcohol violation.
Similar to the UIL’s punishment for violation of its steroid policy, students in the Humble ISD will be subject to a year-long suspension from extracurriculars for a second offense and a lifetime ban in the event of a third strike.
“I personally believe that the percentage of our youth who have tried alcohol or other recreational drugs is much higher than those who have tried steroids,” Kite said. “If the state legislators truly want to help our youth, they would fund overall drug testing that included all illegal substances instead of testing for only steroids.”
REMEDYING THE PROBLEMS
While coaches and athletic directors believe that testing is a step in the right direction in deterring student-athletes from harmful substances, most agree that education is still the best way to combat the problems.
“In our advanced media society there is always accessibility to not only steroids but many other choices that are detrimental to our youth; communication is the key,” Kite said. “Parents, schools and coaches all have a huge responsibility in making sure that our youth understand the ramifications of the decisions they make on a daily basis.”
For Holley, education is something that he and the rest of the coaching staff at Kingwood Park embrace.
“We try to educate the best we can,” Holley said. “We try to sit them down, help them make the best decisions for not only the immediate, but in the future as well. If we can help one kid, then it’s all worth it.”
UIL Anabolic Steroid Testing Report
The UIL tested a total number of 10,117 athletes from February to June 2008. In all, 195 schools were tested with 6,455 boys being tested, representing 12 sports, and 3,662 girls being tested, also representing 12 sports.
Total Number of Positives: 2
Total Number of Unresolved: 4*
*The four unresolved cases were reported from the laboratory with testosterone:
Epitestosterone (T-to-E) ratios greater than 6-to-1. These four T-to-E cases require further investigation, collection and/or laboratory analysis before a final resolution can be reached.
Total Number of Protocol Positives: 22
A protocol positive results when a student-athlete violates UIL steroid-testing protocol. Eighteen were the result of unexcused absences, three refused to participate in the collection process and one violated protocol by leaving the testing location without cause or approval.
BREAKDOWN BY GRADE, GENDER AND SPORT
9th grade Females: 1,280 Males: 2,174
10th gradeFemales: 1,104 Males: 1,809
11th gradeFemales: 751 Males: 1,441
12th gradeFemales: 527 Males: 1,031
BOYS ATHLETICS
Baseball: 894 (411 multi-sport athletes)
Basketball: 1,072 (530 multi-sport athletes)
Cross Country: 292 (209 multi-sport athletes)
Football: 3,380 (1,210 multi-sport athletes
Golf: 288 (90 multi-sport athletes)
Powerlifting: 1
Soccer: 830 (134 multi-sport athletes)
Swimming: 125 (2 multi-sport athletes)
Tennis: 377 (73 multi-sport athletes)
Track & Field: 1,044 (852 multi-sport athletes)
Volleyball: 3 (2 multi-sport athletes)
Wrestling: 154 (54 multi-sport athletes)
Total Males: 6,455
GIRLS ATHLETICS
Basketball: 817 (404 multi-sport athletes)
Cross County: 291 (195 multi-sport athletes)
Golf: 131 (22 multi-sport athletes)
Powerlifting: 2
Soccer: 607 (94 multi-sport athletes)
Softball: 695 (234 multi-sport athletes)
Swimming: 125 (4 multi-sport athletes)
Tennis: 372 (53 multi-sport athletes)
Track & Field: 762 (398 multi-sport athletes)
Volleyball: 835 (431 multi-sport athletes)
Football: 17 (2 multi-sport athletes)
Wrestling: 32 (5 multi-sport athletes)
Total Females: 3,662
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