HALL - ATHLETES TO FACE DRUG TESTS ALL YEAR

Student athletes in the Hall County School System now will be subject
to random drug testing at any time during the school year, not just
their season of play.

Gordon Higgins, director of athletics for the district, got the Board
of Education's nod of approval Monday for the change, which was
suggested at a recent meeting of high school principals.

The concern is that if students "are prone to party or do some of the
things we don't want them to be doing, they'll go back to doing those
things" during the offseason, Higgins told the board.

The policy won't affect high school seniors who have no eligibility
remaining.

The school system enacted the policy in the 2004-05 school year.

The policy stemmed from a suggestion by Flowery Branch High School
principal Mark Coleman, who had said that some coaches had approached
him with the idea.

The coaches weren't concerned about drugs being a rampant problem, but
had heard some talk from students about weekend parties, Higgins said
at the time.

The school system drew in other high schools and found there was
widespread support, including from parents.

The school board later approved a mandatory drug testing policy.

School athletic budgets pay for the testing, which is done by
Northeast Georgia Medical Center's toxicology lab.

The school system ended up this past school year with five fall sports
athletes, one winter sports athlete and two spring sports athletes
testing positive, Higgins said.

He added that he believes by conducting random tests throughout the
year, "we will strengthen the program."

An athlete who tests positive in the offseason could face consequences
reaching into the next season, Higgins told the school board.