Kids and “Juice”
Jimmy PorterKids and “juice” is one of the fastest growing problems among young “wannabe” athletes in America. “Juice” is not about apples, oranges or grapes but anabolic steroids used illegally by athletes to enhance their playing skills. In the 1990s major league baseball players were hitting so many homeruns everybody thought the ball had been altered or “juiced” up to go farther. What we have learned recently is that it was the players who were “juiced” and not the baseball.
The homerun record is the most revered statistic in baseball. In 1927 Babe Ruth hit 60 homeruns which stood for 34 years until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. Mark McGuire broke Maris’ 37-year-old record in 1998 with 70 dingers. Three years later Barry Bonds walloped 73 homeruns. Consider this: in the 1980s not one time did a player hit 50 or more homeruns in a season, but in the 1990s players hit 50 or more homeruns 17 times. Something drastic happened in the 1990s. Baseballs hurtled into outer space when they left the bats of the major league hitters.
The 30 million kids under age 18 who play organized sports aren’t dumb. They discovered the secret to professional athletes’ success: steroids. They surmised that to be a winner you must use performance enhancing drugs to gain an advantage, whether legal or not. The risks to their health never enter their thought processes.
Steroids can be taken by pills, injection or applied to the skin as a cream. Some of the steroids can stunt the height of growing adolescents, masculinize women and alter the sex characteristics of men. Anabolic steroids can lead to premature heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure, and serious psychiatric problems. Teens on steroids may have angry outbursts known as “roid rage” or show signs of paranoia, hallucinations, and psychosis (National Institute of Drug Abuse).
Steve Watterson, strength and rehabilitation coordinator for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, suggests that parents need to monitor their teenagers to insure they are not taking anabolic steroids. Some things to watch for are: sudden physiological changes in their bodies, pronounced mood swings, disrupted sleep patterns and restlessness, acne, yellowing of the eyes and skin, and the use of words such as “juice,” “roids” or “gym candy” (Faith & Family Values, Jan./Feb. 2005).
As a parent there are some things you can do to assist your child in making the right decisions about drugs and steroids. Do not allow undue pressure to be placed on your child to succeed athletically. Assure them of your love and support even if they don’t make it to the “Big Leagues.” Know school and state policies about performance enhancing drugs and state clearly expectations to your teen about competing fairly and honorably. Discuss with your student athlete the risks and dangers of steroid use. Help them to understand that a balanced diet and good training habits will be sufficient for them to develop as athletes. Also, monitor your teen’s purchases. Read the labels and check the ingredients to see if they pose a health risk to your child, even if they are legal and can be purchased over-the-counter.
It is a sad time in sports history as we learn more and more have used and are using steroids to compete unfairly. The man who holds the homerun record now is Barry Bonds who allegedly has used steroids. He is arguably the best hitter in the history of baseball, but now he is blaming the media for trying to bring him down.
Mr. Bonds misses the point. The point is that there are thousands of kids who want to be just like him, and some will turn to steroids to try and make it happen. Mr. Bonds, it is not about you but all the kids who idolize you, and if it’s okay for you, then they believe it is okay for them.
The Bible teaches us that our “bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit” (I Corinthians 6:19), and they should not be destroyed or defiled with steroids or any other performance enhancing drugs. As one mother told her Olympic gymnast daughter, “God does not expect us to be the best but to do our best.” Parents, if that is good enough for God, it should be good enough for you. Have fun and play ball!