Two Texas high schoolers test positive for steroids

DALLAS - Only two high school athletes were caught taking unauthorized substances in the nation's largest steroids testing program that screened more than 10,000 students, according to results released by the state Wednesday.

Athletes tested played sports ranging from football to women's golf, and the results renewed criticism about the two-year $6 million program approved by lawmakers last year.

"The positive part of it is hopefully it will get those two kids off the steroids, which is positive," McAllen High football coach Tony Harris said. "But they spent an awful lot of money doing it. If they're going to spend all that money, we could use it on all the population to check them and get them going in the right direction."

The students weren't identified by name, school or sport. Documents obtained by The Associated Press showed that a senior tested positive for the anabolic steroid boldenone, and a 10th grader was found using a steroid called methylandrostandiol.

Four tests came back unresolved and three students refused to be tested, according to figures released by the University Interscholastic League. One athlete left the testing area without cause or approval, and 18 missed the mandatory testing without an excused absence.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, one of the key figures in pushing the plan through the Legislature, has said the program is meant to serve as a deterrent. Dewhurst spokesman Mike Wintemute said the lieutenant governor was "encouraged" by the results, and that success should be measured by the number of students who never began using steroids.

Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston, a critic of the steroids testing, said he wasn't surprised by the results. He described the initiative as a "feel good" program that is not acting as a deterrent.

"This program should be abolished moving forward. It's turned out to be a colossal waste of taxpayer money," said Patrick, who said he would rather spend the money every year battling alcohol abuse among teens because it's a much bigger problem.

Asked whether the program should be scaled down, Wintemute said it was an issue lawmakers will consider when the Legislature reconvenes next year.

"But the lieutenant governor believes it's prudent to receive the results of this next round of tests before making any final determination about the need for continued funding," Wintemute said.

UIL spokeswoman Kim Rogers said the two students who tested positive are multi-sport athletes, but that the sports they play are unknown. Rogers said she did not know when conclusive results from the four unresolved tests would be ready.

Testing was conducted at 195 schools, testing 6,455 boys and 3,662 girls.

More than 3,300 football players were tested, more than three times the number of any other sport. Seven of those athletes either tested positive, missed testing because of an unexecused absence, refused testing or left the testing area.

Harris, though, felt the positive tests will send a message to other athletes but wasn't exactly praising aspects of the program.

"There are going to be some positives out of it, to encourage kids to do the right thing all the time," Harris said. "My belief is still that we have a lot bigger problems in our society than kids doing steroids, especially at the high school level. I think they could use that money more wisely and cover a larger population of our schools and help a larger population of our schools, than just the athletes."

Only one male powerlifter was tested, compared with 277 male tennis players.

Testing began in February after the program was stalled by creating guidelines and finding a company to implement the program.

The contract was awarded to the National Center for Drug Free Sport, which also handles testing for the NCAA.

In submitting its results to the UIL, the company wrote, "we must steer clear of the temptation to use the number of positive cases generated by this short period of testing to draw any conclusions about the success, or lack thereof, of this testing initiative."

Port Isabel football coach Monty Stumbaugh said the results of the test accurately reflect the state's high school athletes.

"I think most coaches through the state talk to their kids about taking care of their bodies and doing the right thing," Stumbaugh said. "If you want to get ahead, you do it through hard work. I think most do that. "

Random testing resumes in the fall, and state officials say between 40,000 and 50,000 student-athletes will be screened during the school year.

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Monitor sports reporter Brian Sandalow contributed to this report.