Steroid Use in High School
Steroids Used in High School Sociology of Sports
Steroids Used in High School Protect Our Nation’s Youth (Pony) is the mantra of a competitive baseball league that says it prepares young baseball players for high school. Parents are placing them in this league as an investment to their child’s future. Their investment may create the next Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Melky Cabrera. These names are just a few players who have been accused by Major League Baseball to use performance-enhancing drugs (PED). Their successes and others in professional sports have been influencing children to try steroids at a young age, to enhance their performance in high school sports. The pressures of peers, parents, and coaches are leading them to believe in the use of steroids. “Among students in grades 8 through 12 who admitted to using anabolic steroids in a confidential survey, 57% said professional athletes influenced their decision to use the drugs…” (Stenson, 2008). Teens are using performance enhancing drugs (PED) to reach their goals. It is easy to see why kids want to emulate the athletes they idolize. Higher education, fame, and image are the driving force of the use of steroids. Parents put a large amount of pressure on their high school students. They do this because they want the student to do the best they can so they can earn a scholarship to pay for a higher education. Parents are paying for their child to play elite youth sports because they believe that their dedication to a more competitive league will result in recruiters finding the next phenomenon to play at a Division I college with a full scholarship. Unfortunately, there are just not enough scholarships given out to every high school athlete.
Steroids Used in High School Protect Our Nation’s Youth (Pony) is the mantra of a competitive baseball league that says it prepares young baseball players for high school. Parents are placing them in this league as an investment to their child’s future. Their investment may create the next Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Melky Cabrera. These names are just a few players who have been accused by Major League Baseball to use performance-enhancing drugs (PED). Their successes and others in professional sports have been influencing children to try steroids at a young age, to enhance their performance in high school sports. The pressures of peers, parents, and coaches are leading them to believe in the use of steroids. “Among students in grades 8 through 12 who admitted to using anabolic steroids in a confidential survey, 57% said professional athletes influenced their decision to use the drugs…” (Stenson, 2008). Teens are using performance enhancing drugs (PED) to reach their goals. It is easy to see why kids want to emulate the athletes they idolize. Higher education, fame, and image are the driving force of the use of steroids. Parents put a large amount of pressure on their high school students. They do this because they want the student to do the best they can so they can earn a scholarship to pay for a higher education. Parents are paying for their child to play elite youth sports because they believe that their dedication to a more competitive league will result in recruiters finding the next phenomenon to play at a Division I college with a full scholarship. Unfortunately, there are just not enough scholarships given out to every high school athlete.
Cited: Avila, J. (2008, Feb 20). Girls and Steroids: Anything to Be Thin. Retrieved from abc News: http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=4311720&page=1 Ruseski, B. H. (2011). Adolescent Steroid Use and Intercollegiate Athletic Incentives. IASE/ESEA Conference, (p. 11). Prague. unkown. (2008, Feb 20). SimpleToRemember.com. Retrieved from judaism online: http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/steroidgirls/