1st Place Volleyball — July 2010
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Youth and Steroids
I had an issue of Volleyball Magazine out on the table that profiled some collegiate players in a recent beach championship. Some young teenagers took a look at a very fit player and asked, “I wonder how many steroids she takes to look that buff?” That statement alarmed me.What does a 14-year-old know about steroids?Well, I was shocked to find out plenty!
Upon further research, I was startled to find out that many young female athletes are falling prey to a drug that is polluting their bodies and their minds and robbing them of their youth. It’s a chilling problem that has been largely ignored (as far as young women go) by medical professionals, coaches, school personnel, and even the media.
Steroids are a national concern, and not just in Major League Baseball! These drugs are in the hands of many teenagers and student athletes just like you!
On the Street
As a young female athlete, you may have heard the following types of phrases. Consider these “slang” terms for groups of drugs that fall under the category of steroids and human growth hormones or HGH: S-Parties, juice, ’roids, primo, thai, Arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, and stackers.Some of the processes (of taking the steroids) are referred to as cycles, shot-gunning, pyramiding, squeezing the juice or stacking.
Some Startling Statistics/Information
Some studies have been done on the issue of steroids, and some of the statistics are eyeopening.Here are a few:
• Seven percent of high school girls and fi vepercent of middle school girls admit to trying steroids…some as young as age nine.
• Two-thirds of those that admitted trying them are not athletes or are not necessarily using them for athletic purposes. They use them to develop “cut bodies” and to look attractive in their clothes.
• Operation Raw Deal closed 56 drug labs… more than one per state. The drug of choice was anabolic steroids and HGH.
The fastest growing market was teenage girls in the 14-15 year old age bracket.
• The reason the steroid ring had 56 labs was simple: One lab per state will ensure that every high school is adequately serviced!
• Multi-million dollar athletes have gained popularity, made it in to the record books, and advanced their career to the tune of millions and millions of dollars in just about every sport. Kids might think, “Look what they did!”
• Disgraced Olympic athletes who have won individual and team medals have been forced, or are in the process of being forced, to give back their medals.
Some have even served prison time.
• Steroids and HGH are readily available via the internet, as well as through “dealers” who are willing to come to them at any time, and anywhere. “Cycles” are available via the internet for $69 and promise “hard core” results.
• HGH cannot be accurately detected via drug tests and is being marketed to teens.
We Need to Learn the “Why’s” To try and prevent the use of steroids, as an athlete, you must fi rst understand some of the reasons why young people, maybe even some of your friends or teammates, take them.
Why do youth turn to steroids?
Some of the reasons youth begin using steroids include:
• They see the quick results. They look to“idols” who openly use them.
• They are looking for an easy way to get that “killer body.”
• can get the “toned” look in tablet form! Take some pills, then see the results.
• They are looking for an “easy fi x.”
• Some are considered “supplements,” and kids view them as they view vitamins or “energy drinks.”
• They look for that extra “edge” that some kids feel they need to compete in sports (at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels). They seek out a way to compete with other kids that are stronger, have a higher vertical leap, or have that extra competitive edge. Many feel that the pressure to get bigger, better and stronger is a reason to search out quick fi xes.
• The constant pressure to look good comes from all aspects of society, from the top athletes to models from their Cosmo magazines, to magazine covers at every corner.
The pressures are real and coming from every angle Some college volleyball players report that they have received indirect and direct pressure to use performance enhancing drugs from family, friends, teammates, and even their strength trainers and head coaches! The scary results:
• If teenagers take these during puberty, they can permanently stunt their growth.
• Steroids can lead to infertility and can throw hormonal and adrenal cycles into turmoil.
• They can lead to other dangerous body image issues like anorexia and other eating disorders.
• Abuse can cause deformities of the skull, facial bones, as well as cause severe damage to the heart and other organs.
• They are used to lose weight, to tone, to shape. However, they can lead to seizures, strokes, heart attack and death.
• Perhaps the most dangerous effect is “coming down.” The psychological effects include aggression, hostility, paranoia and even delusions or hallucinations. The range of emotions also includes sadness, hopelessness and depression. It has led to suicides.
• Other effects include irregular menstrual cycles, jaundice, aching joints and muscles, mood swings, trembling, other injection related infections, as well as a host of other items.
Using steroids is cheating and it is prevalent at the highest level of sports! The more alarming trend is that some young female athletes are taking it for a variety of reasons and believe “it is no big deal!
The Solution
This is a CALL TO ACTION. As teenage athletes, it is important to be aware of this issue.You need to start with a grass roots effort!You can get the message out to your personal families, to your volleyball families, to your high school and college families, and eventually reach many others with the message. It begins with you! Here are some messages that you, as an athlete, must begin to communicate:
• You need to attack it one player at a time – one team at a time. Start a dialog.
• Spread the word to your friends and teammates that “no” is not a viable option. You need to support each other to make the right decisions. As young athletes, you need to have a vision, a mission and a set of goals to work toward. These concepts are needed now more than ever to develop the mind, the body, and the spirit.
• You need to instill in yourself and your friends the value of clean, wholesome living.Learn to respect yourself and focus on reaching your goals. It’s cool to work hard! If you want that toned body, they you achieve the results on your own – without cheating.
The bottom line is that if you don’t develop the tools as a young athlete and don’t know how to approach life’s decisions, the consequences could be great.
Upon further research, I was startled to find out that many young female athletes are falling prey to a drug that is polluting their bodies and their minds and robbing them of their youth. It’s a chilling problem that has been largely ignored (as far as young women go) by medical professionals, coaches, school personnel, and even the media.
Steroids are a national concern, and not just in Major League Baseball! These drugs are in the hands of many teenagers and student athletes just like you!
On the Street
As a young female athlete, you may have heard the following types of phrases. Consider these “slang” terms for groups of drugs that fall under the category of steroids and human growth hormones or HGH: S-Parties, juice, ’roids, primo, thai, Arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, and stackers.Some of the processes (of taking the steroids) are referred to as cycles, shot-gunning, pyramiding, squeezing the juice or stacking.
Some Startling Statistics/Information
Some studies have been done on the issue of steroids, and some of the statistics are eyeopening.Here are a few:
• Seven percent of high school girls and fi vepercent of middle school girls admit to trying steroids…some as young as age nine.
• Two-thirds of those that admitted trying them are not athletes or are not necessarily using them for athletic purposes. They use them to develop “cut bodies” and to look attractive in their clothes.
• Operation Raw Deal closed 56 drug labs… more than one per state. The drug of choice was anabolic steroids and HGH.
The fastest growing market was teenage girls in the 14-15 year old age bracket.
• The reason the steroid ring had 56 labs was simple: One lab per state will ensure that every high school is adequately serviced!
• Multi-million dollar athletes have gained popularity, made it in to the record books, and advanced their career to the tune of millions and millions of dollars in just about every sport. Kids might think, “Look what they did!”
• Disgraced Olympic athletes who have won individual and team medals have been forced, or are in the process of being forced, to give back their medals.
Some have even served prison time.
• Steroids and HGH are readily available via the internet, as well as through “dealers” who are willing to come to them at any time, and anywhere. “Cycles” are available via the internet for $69 and promise “hard core” results.
• HGH cannot be accurately detected via drug tests and is being marketed to teens.
We Need to Learn the “Why’s” To try and prevent the use of steroids, as an athlete, you must fi rst understand some of the reasons why young people, maybe even some of your friends or teammates, take them.
Why do youth turn to steroids?
Some of the reasons youth begin using steroids include:
• They see the quick results. They look to“idols” who openly use them.
• They are looking for an easy way to get that “killer body.”
• can get the “toned” look in tablet form! Take some pills, then see the results.
• They are looking for an “easy fi x.”
• Some are considered “supplements,” and kids view them as they view vitamins or “energy drinks.”
• They look for that extra “edge” that some kids feel they need to compete in sports (at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels). They seek out a way to compete with other kids that are stronger, have a higher vertical leap, or have that extra competitive edge. Many feel that the pressure to get bigger, better and stronger is a reason to search out quick fi xes.
• The constant pressure to look good comes from all aspects of society, from the top athletes to models from their Cosmo magazines, to magazine covers at every corner.
The pressures are real and coming from every angle Some college volleyball players report that they have received indirect and direct pressure to use performance enhancing drugs from family, friends, teammates, and even their strength trainers and head coaches! The scary results:
• If teenagers take these during puberty, they can permanently stunt their growth.
• Steroids can lead to infertility and can throw hormonal and adrenal cycles into turmoil.
• They can lead to other dangerous body image issues like anorexia and other eating disorders.
• Abuse can cause deformities of the skull, facial bones, as well as cause severe damage to the heart and other organs.
• They are used to lose weight, to tone, to shape. However, they can lead to seizures, strokes, heart attack and death.
• Perhaps the most dangerous effect is “coming down.” The psychological effects include aggression, hostility, paranoia and even delusions or hallucinations. The range of emotions also includes sadness, hopelessness and depression. It has led to suicides.
• Other effects include irregular menstrual cycles, jaundice, aching joints and muscles, mood swings, trembling, other injection related infections, as well as a host of other items.
Using steroids is cheating and it is prevalent at the highest level of sports! The more alarming trend is that some young female athletes are taking it for a variety of reasons and believe “it is no big deal!
The Solution
This is a CALL TO ACTION. As teenage athletes, it is important to be aware of this issue.You need to start with a grass roots effort!You can get the message out to your personal families, to your volleyball families, to your high school and college families, and eventually reach many others with the message. It begins with you! Here are some messages that you, as an athlete, must begin to communicate:
• You need to attack it one player at a time – one team at a time. Start a dialog.
• Spread the word to your friends and teammates that “no” is not a viable option. You need to support each other to make the right decisions. As young athletes, you need to have a vision, a mission and a set of goals to work toward. These concepts are needed now more than ever to develop the mind, the body, and the spirit.
• You need to instill in yourself and your friends the value of clean, wholesome living.Learn to respect yourself and focus on reaching your goals. It’s cool to work hard! If you want that toned body, they you achieve the results on your own – without cheating.
The bottom line is that if you don’t develop the tools as a young athlete and don’t know how to approach life’s decisions, the consequences could be great.
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