The problem of drugs and sports starts in the schools

Drugs and sports.

A combination that has become a source of controversy, embarrassment, and destruction. Together, they have disgraced athletes and turned heroes into outcasts. And in the midst of all of the shock, finger pointing, and debates, have you ever asked yourself one simple question: why?

As an athlete who has been on both sides of the equation, I ask that very question all the time. I've been accused of taking drugs as an athlete, although I never did.   And I've also been very outspoken about this dilemma and have been widely criticized during my career for that.

Now, we are in the midst of drama. It has been a messy month for Track and Field with the court trial and conviction of Trevor Graham (Marion Jones coach) for lying to federal agents, the sentencing and indictment of Tim Montgomery, and six months ago Jones herself went to jail for lying and taking drugs. And while many will argue that they chose to do what they did, I have to say that it's bigger than just taking drugs to win. I want to get to the root of the problem and see how we all play a role in these athletes' fall from grace.

It's our fault too!

It's our fault because we have allowed our government to take away the fundamental basis of which every athlete first learns the true rules of play: Physical Education. You see, it does not start when you sign that first big contract. It starts when a child is running and jumping simply for fun. And within that, you find your voice (or rhythm) to take you to the next level. Before the cars, the posses, and sold-out stadiums...there was Physical Education in schools.

Remember when Physical Education was a required subject in every school?  Not anymore.  Not in most schools.  Hell, there are schools where you do not have to participate at all.  And what happened to the President's Council on Physical Fitness?  What happened to that system saddens and frightens me.  Why is it that our kids have to make decisions on what sport they must play as teenagers? 

While growing up, I played many sports and was a much better soccer player than I was at track and field. I was small, undeveloped, and not very fast. Seriously!  However, I was encouraged to explore all of my options and interests and finally Track and Field chose ME as I started to grow and develop in high school. 

If I were raised now, I would have been told to concentrate on soccer, and you may not even know me. The truth is there is absolutely no correlation between childhood success and adult success. Some people are fast as kids and just average as adults, and some adults were just average as kids -- as was the case with me.  But at least I was given the opportunity to go through the complete cycle to see what worked best for me.  When was it that sports for kids became a business decision?

My point in this is that kids today are not given those options. They are simply told what it is (or is not) and for what, to make it the pros? That can be somewhat detrimental to their mental development as an athlete and a person. Remember, athletic success is just as mental as it is physical. And that mental development can undoubtedly spill into the actions and decisions they make in adulthood: such as hard work, discipline, fair play, and following the rules ... And not taking drugs.

Recently, someone asked me this question: "Are we going to have a clean track team in Beijing?" The mere fact that someone would even ask lets me know that this problem is bigger than just taking drugs to win. It's a state of mind, a life choice.

The solution is not just doing more drug testing, it's about getting at the root before the very thought of taking drugs is even made.  And those seeds are planted in the minds of childhood athletes BEFORE they become adults! But without a solid foundation in something as basic as a Physical Education class, a child may never learn.

So we need to invest in our children's lives and put Physical Education back in schools. Years ago, it was just as important as any other class in school; now it is just a mere elective. A generation of today's athletes is suffering from the government's cuts and disregard of Physical Education.  And that's not their fault! But what we do about it now will affect the choices and decisions made by tomorrow's athletes.