ADS MONITOR RIVAL SCHOOLS

Looking For Policies That Work

It's hard not to notice when a neighbor gets a new car or begins
building an addition to the house.

The proximity to the situation leads to curiosity and can trigger a
look into one's own personal inventory.

It can be the same way for high school athletic directors, who look to
surrounding school districts to see if they are keeping up with the
Chandlers and Mesas.

"A lot of our biggest decisions come after we watch what the neighbors
are doing, so to speak," Mesquite High Athletic Director Matt O'Neill
said. "It's a great way to see how things work before actually
undertaking them yourselves."

The Gilbert district has an eye on bordering districts that have a
couple of interesting policies in random drug testing and last-hour
physical education classes.

"Both are interesting policies," Gilbert District Athletic Director
Mark Cisterna said. "They have their positives and negatives."

The Chandler and Mesa school districts use the last hour PE class,
which allows athletes to prepare for practice about an hour earlier or
leave for a road trip without missing an academic class. Gilbert
schools have weight-lifting classes throughout the day, but not a
last-period PE class per se. Neither does Queen Creek nor Higley,
which also offer some form of weight lifting.

Gilbert High had last-hour PE until a couple of years ago when
Athletic Director Steve McDowell thought it became too much.

"We have 500 to 600 athletes and facilities that cannot support that,
so I talked to the coaches and decided it was a better fit for us to
build it within our school day," McDowell said.

"We have some kids who have (last-hour) academic classes, and they
miss class for road games so there are benefits for it and against it.
Especially in a sport like basketball where there are six teams (three
for each gender) trying to practice on the same day and they are
getting home later and later."

Mesquite offers its class as an alternative to corporate gyms that
come with contracts and monthly bills.

"We're just getting in on it," O'Neill said. "It's taught by PE
teachers throughout the day. We're selling it as they can do it during
the school day for free, get credit for it and it is
supervised."

The Queen Creek district has had random drug testing since 2002, and
the Chandler Unified School District will begin testing in January for
athletes and other students involved in extracurricular activities
governed by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

Cisterna said the Gilbert district is not considering drug testing
right now mainly because of costs.

"There are a lot of factors," Cisterna said. "In this day and age, we
seem to be turning the corner. Baseball is cracking down, and it seems
there is a better awareness across the nation."

Proponents of drug testing say the possibility of getting caught is a
strong deterrent. Besides losing athletic eligibility, potential
college scholarships would be on the line.

"I think the threat would be enough to stop some kids," Gilbert junior
quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero said. "No one wants to be known as
using steroids."

In Chandler, which received a $718,000 grant from the U.S. Department
of Education for the program, testing is for alcohol, amphetamines,
marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy, PCP and steroids. A positive test will
result in the loss of eligibility for AIA activities, although it will
carry no academic consequences.

Queen Creek rarely checks for steroids because the cost is $87 per
student, but Athletic Director Tot Workman said the school is looking
into the same grant Chandler was awarded. Workman said the school has
averaged 200 tests a year.

"We have not had a single person test positive," Workman
said.

The Higley district does not have a testing policy, but Athletic
Director Brent Rincon said officials are open to dialogue about the
possibility.

Officials from Queen Creek and Chandler said there has been minimal
negative response to testing. Parents and athletes sign a waiver at
the beginning of each season agreeing to be randomly tested or they
cannot participate.

Queen Creek High senior Dominic Gamboa participates in four sports.
Gamboa was tested as a freshman and sophomore.

"I was surprised when I was pulled out of class," he said. "I think it
has its advantages and disadvantages. I didn't like missing schoolwork
for it, but I think it is a good thing because it is keeps an even
playing field."

Craig Jasper said he has no problem with the thought of his son,
Spencer, being tested. Spencer is a state champion in wrestling for
Highland. He's competed at the national level.

"I am all for it," Craig said. "Not everyone does it, but I am sure
there are those who do. It is competitive enough, and some of these
kids have a lot riding on it (based on scholarships), and it should be
fair and equal."

Mesquite senior football/rugby player Danny Batten is in favor of
testing simply because he wants to stop the questions. Batten is 6
feet 3, 230 pounds and there are whispers of steroid use. He said it
drives him nuts.

"I have people come up to me and ask where they can get steroids or
they tell my girlfriend that I'm on them," he said. "If we were tested
then there wouldn't be any questions. It is frustrating because I work
my butt off to get stronger in the weight room. I want to be bigger,
but all I can do is keep working.

"I put the time in, and there are people out there who gain 30 pounds
in their sleep."

There might come a time when the Gilbert-based athletes won't have to
worry about the questions.

"It comes up when the ADs get together," McDowell said.