Mom vs. Steroids (page 2 of 4)

The Pressure to Be the Best

Bryan stared, unable to speak. "Mom," he said finally, "the majority of the team is on them." Bryan explained that he had hoped to make varsity. His coaches and his father urged him to bulk up. Creatine and protein shakes didn't help. So using money he had earned working at Applebee's, he purchased a $200 vial of "Deca" -- nandrolone decanoate -- from a senior on the team. For five weeks he injected himself in the hip.

Lewis broke in. "What were you thinking?"

"Mom," he said, "coaches tell us to get bigger, stronger, faster. They don't tell us how. They just tell us to do it."

Like many parents of teenagers, Lewis was well-versed in the dangers of alcohol, inhalants, pot -- even Ecstasy. All she knew about anabolic steroids was that they were illegal. Later, she went online, quickly learning that regular use can lead to liver damage, cancer, heart disease and other physical problems, plus emotional effects like depression and "roid rage."

Bryan stopped the injections when his back broke out in acne, another common side effect. By the time his mother found the vial, he had been steroid-free for months. But, Lewis wondered, how many other kids out there were taking the stuff?

"I'm calling the school!" she said.

"You can't!" Bryan insisted. "I'll be screwed!"

"Don't worry," his mother assured him. "Nobody will know it's you." To understand what happened next, it's important to appreciate the huge role played by high school football in Texas. The state's football teams are regularly among the country's best. It's not unusual for 20,000 people to jam stadiums on Friday nights, while TV cameras roll. These arenas, rivaling some colleges', can cost $20 million, heavily funded by boosters who want to see their teams win. Successful coaches can earn six-figure salaries, and competition for these coveted positions is fierce.

From hardscrabble towns like Odessa, the setting for Friday Night Lights, the memorable exposé of high school sports, to the affluent Dallas suburbs, teen football heroes have rock star status. The pressure is highest at schools like Colleyville, which plays in one of the state's toughest districts. Two years ago, rival Southlake Carroll finished first not only in Texas -- but in the nation. Many of the team's players got scholarships to play at powerhouse colleges.

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“ Bring on the vitamin C! In addition to citrus, good sources include broccoli, green and red peppers, and cantaloupe. ”

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