Steroid Report a Revelation to CIF Hierarchy : ‘Epidemic’ Surprises Administrators, Coaches

The heads of 2 commissions that oversee athletics in all public high schools in Southern California said that they were surprised by the findings of a recent national survey indicating that 1 of every 15 boys in 12th grade has used anabolic steroids. Both said that they have never received a report of a student using the muscle-building drug.

But a national expert on drug abuse said that steroid use among high school students is rising sharply and is at epidemic levels in some Southern California communities.

“It’s a frightening situation,” said Dr. Forest S. Tennant of West Covina, a leader in the treatment of substance abuse. Tennant has treated many professional athletes for cocaine dependency, including former Dodger pitcher Steve Howe and NBA star Walter Davis. “I have seen blood-test results from users of anabolic steroids. I have been shocked to see the dramatic effects they have on the human body.”

Tennant, who operates a drug abuse treatment center in Van Nuys, said that his studies have shown steroids to have a dramatic impact on the adrenal gland and the immune system and to cause cholesterol levels to soar in most users.

A study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., purported to be the first nationwide survey of steroid use among high school boys, found that of the 3,403 seniors interviewed at 46 schools, 6.6% of them said that they were using or had used steroids. Most said that they took the drug to enhance their athletic performance, but 26.7% were non-athletes who said that they used steroids to build muscles and improve their physical appearance.

Stan Thomas, the commissioner of the of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section--which oversees more than 500 schools--said that his organization has never had a report of steroid use by a local high school athlete.

“None. Not a single report,” Thomas said. “But I am certain it goes on. It’s like marijuana use in your high school. You’d be crazy to say it doesn’t go on. It’s the same thing with steroids.

“But I am just overwhelmed to hear those numbers. The numbers are scary.”

Hal Harkness, the director of interscholastic athletics for the City Section--which oversees 49 Los Angeles School District programs--said that he knows of no incidents involving steroid use by athletes in city schools.

“I have had no calls about it, ever,” he said. “I have heard absolutely no comments in over two years in this position from anyone in our schools regarding steroids.”

Tennant said that the reason for the lack of reports on steroid use by students is that coaches and administrators don’t know what they’re looking for.

“If they are waiting to get reports on steroid use like they get reports of kids using marijuana or cocaine, then they will never get any reports,” Tennant said.

“Steroids are not taken in that manner, at lunchtime or at smoke break at school. Steroids are taken in a very programmed way, at a very intentional time and place, most likely away from the school. Users of cocaine and marijuana take those drugs when they are passed to them.”

The study reported that more than one-third of the seniors who said they have taken steroids took them both orally and by injection. Only one-fifth of those who claimed to use steroids said they got the drugs from a health-care professional. The majority obtained the steroids from other athletes, coaches and people who frequent gyms, the study said.

Tennant said that he began to see widespread steroid use among adolescents 4 years ago.

“The figures in the national study just released are not only believable, but in Southern California I think they are higher than that,” he said. “It is spotty. In some communities people have never seen or heard about anabolic steroids. In others, it’s an epidemic. As long as four years ago, I had substantiated reports of parents and coaches giving steroids to Little League baseball players and Pop Warner football players.

“This study is a validation of something I have seen for the last four years. I support what it said and I agree with its findings.”

Tennant was especially alarmed at the reasons some steroid users gave for taking the drug.

“The most frightening aspect of steroid use is that adolescents are using them to alter their basic physical appearance,” he said. “They perceive that doing that will make them more sexually attractive or give them some success in life that they can’t achieve otherwise. It symbolizes something that has gone sour in our society, that our natural body and our natural talents are not worthy anymore.”

Bill Redell, a veteran high school football coach who recently resigned from his post at Crespi High, said that he encountered only 1 player at Crespi whom he suspected of using steroids. But he said that the results of the national study are not unexpected.

“It didn’t surprise me a bit to see those numbers,” said Redell, who also played and coached in the defunct U. S. Football League. “The pressure on the kids today to win, and to perform well, is greater than ever. There are parents who pressure their own kids into taking steroids, not only not condemning steroid use but actually encouraging it. The pressure is to gain major college scholarships.”

Canyon High Coach Harry Welch, who has run the Valley-area’s most successful football program for the past 7 years, said that he has never encountered steroid use among his players.

“We discuss drugs but I haven’t discussed steroids because I’ve never seen the need,” he said.

Welch added that he condemns steroid use, equating it with so-called recreational drugs.

“It really scares me,” he said. “I’ve read that it affects the reproductive system. To even flirt with using something that could affect your sexual identity or the future of your children . . . I would condemn it in the harshest way.”

Cleveland High Coach Steve Landress found it difficult to believe the statistics, saying that he has never heard of high school athletes--or students--using steroids during his 13 years of coaching.

He especially ruled out athletes, saying top players have no need for such drugs at the high school level.

“Guys who are Division I-type players are so much better than other players they don’t need it,” he said. “Even a few years ago when it wasn’t such a big thing to say you used steroids, I never heard anyone talk about it.”

Thomas said that the Southern Section has never discussed the issue of steroids with coaches and has never sent memos to coaches informing them of indications of steroid use by players.

“I guess we felt it should be common sense,” Thomas said. “If a kid goes from 165 pounds to 205 pounds in six months, a coach should have a clue that steroids might be involved. I guess we assumed they would know. But I’m not satisfied anymore with where we are with this issue. We have to do more.”

Thomas, however, said that the Southern Section has no firm plan to deal with steroid use. He said that the organization is involved in an educational program sponsored by the Los Angeles Amateur Athletic Foundation and is participating in another steroid awareness program sponsored by the Orange County Sheriff’s Deparment.

“We have run articles about steroid use in our football game programs,” Thomas said.

Testing players for steroids has never been seriously considered, he said.

“I honestly have to admit we have been remiss in the world of drug abuse,” Thomas said. “Drugs are a problem in our high schools in general, but the CIF Southern Section should take a leadership role (against) drug abuse, including the use of steroids.”

Harkness said that the City Section may implement a steroid awareness program early next year. There will be no drug testing, however.

“We will not even consider voluntary drug testing,” he said. “To begin with, voluntary testing is not effective. Those individuals who even think they might test positively for steroids simply won’t volunteer for the testing. And mandatory testing is absolutely out of the question. We just don’t have the right to do that and it wouldn’t even be considered.”

Tennant said that the solution is a massive and immediate educational program.

“The educational pitch is simple,” he said. “No. 1, sports are here only to spend a little time in your young years competing, learning team spirit and discipline and fitness and competition. Anabolic steroids just don’t have a place in that. They don’t belong, and don’t use them. Ever. They will hurt you.

“And we have to repeat that message to our kids, over and over. Repetition. That’s how we got people to wear seat belts and to brush their teeth and to lose weight. You keep giving them this message, again and again: Don’t use steroids.”