Pubdate: 20 Dec 1998 Source: Charlotte Observer (NC) Contact: http://www.charlotte.com/observer/ Copyright: 1998 The Charlotte Observer Author: Chip Wilson and Joe Wojciechowski DRUG TESTS PROPOSED FOR GASTON ATHLETES GASTONIA -- Gaston County's high school athletes could lose their right to play if they test positive for the kind of drugs that make them high or make them hallucinate. But they won't be tested at all for substances that make muscles grow big and strong. The countywide drug-testing program the Gaston County School Board will consider Monday night will focus only on illegal street drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and LSD. The randomly administered urine tests won't cover prescription steroids or "performance enhancers" such as creatine and androstenedione. "Cost is a real factor," said Reeves McGlohan, the deputy Gaston schools superintendent who helped formulate the policy. He said a urine test for steroids would cost $80, compared to the $20 per-student cost of the one for drugs and marijuana. McGlohan said the school board committee that formulated the policy kicked around the idea of steroid testing but decided not to include it initially. That could happen later, however. "This is what we came up with, and we feel like it's adequate at this time," said Don Saine, the schools' county athletic director. He said he tells his coaches to discourage supplement use, but doesn't think it's a big enough problem to include it in the new testing program. Coaches agree. "The ideal situation is that you would test for everything, but financially it isn't possible" said Mickey Lineberger, athletic director at South Point High School. "This is a step in the right direction." If the policy survives a first vote Monday and final approval in January, Gaston will become one of only five N.C. school systems with a districtwide drug-testing program for high school athletes. The proposal first emerged last summer when Gaston County commissioners were considering the schools' local budget. That board voted unanimously to encourage schools to test as many Please see POLICY / page 6L This goes on page 6L School board will consider drug tests for school athletes POLICY from 1L students as legally possible, and pledged to pay for the tests. The idea is slowly gaining acceptance in school circles, especially as federal courts have ruled drug testing legal for students involved in extracurricular activities. Lincoln County launched a more comprehensive pilot program earlier this year at East Lincoln High School. Using donated money, about 10 percent of the school's male and female athletes have been tested, and so far all have turned up negative for drugs and steroids. Though Lincoln's policy targets "performance enhancers," East Lincoln athletic director Bruce Bolick said he's not sure it would apply to supplements such as creatine or "andro" because both are legal. Indeed, some Gaston student athletes are taking advantage of the supplements' easy availability. Ashbrook senior John Woody, a guard on his school's football team, said he has friends and teammates who have taken creatine during school hours. And andro and creatine have been big sellers at Gastonia's General Nutrition Center and Gold's Gym, sales clerks said Friday. Both stores try to sell only to adults, but the clerks concede some of the supplements end up with teen-agers. Andro, in particular, gained popularity as a supplement because baseball player Mark McGwire used it during his 70-home run season this year. Baseball doesn't ban andro, though the NFL, the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee do. Still, the Olympic Committee stopped short last week of applying a similar ban to creatine because it's more of a protein supplement, according to ESPN's Internet site. The controversy over McGwire's use helped spur the N.C. High School Athletic Association to strengthen its opposition to all supplements. It is sending a resolution to all the state's coaches and athletic directors next month. Though Gaston's proposed policy doesn't address legal performance enhancers, Saine said he expects all his coaches to abide by the NCHSAA guidelines. Even the association's leaders admit an outright ban would be hard to enforce. "One of the things you have to be careful of with andro and creatine is they are dietary supplements," said Que Tucker, the NCHSSA's deputy director. "You can go into any GNC or gym to buy them. There's no minimum age." Woody said he'd like to see illegal steroids included in athletes' drug tests, though he questions the fairness and legality of testing for legal supplements. He said he doesn't take supplements because he questions their safety and effectiveness. Among students, Woody said, the only opposition to drug testing has come from those worried their own recreational use might be found out. "Most people -- once they sit back, think about and see that the intentions are good -- agree with it," Woody said. Saine stressed that the proposal the school board will consider Monday is not intended to punish drug use as much as prevent it. A positive test won't go on a student's academic record and students will be allowed three failed tests before being totally banned from sports. The policy rewards nontested students who first tell coaches that they've used drugs by giving them a shorter suspension than those who test positive. It also encourages early involvement of parents and drug-abuse experts. The best thing the new policy does for coaches, they say, is give them a uniform set of rules. Up to now, different coaches had different ideas about drug enforcement. "I've always had a policy that anybody caught with drugs or drinking is automatically gone," Lineberger said. "It's lighter than the policy I've used and the policy most coaches have used." Another coach said the testing reduces the possibility that drug users will evade detection by officials who don't know the signs. "Coaches out there who turn the other cheek and say they didn't know anything might not have that option any more," said Lloyd White, Ashbrook's athletic director. WANT TO GO? The drug-testing policy will be considered at a 5:30 p.m. work session Monday. The vote is scheduled for the board's regular 7 p.m. meeting. Both will take place at the Gaston schools' office at 943 Osceola St., Gastonia. - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski