LACK OF DISCIPLINE RUINS TALENT

POLICE BUSTED TWO high school athletes last week for marijuana. Just
because they played for schools on another side of town doesn't mean it
couldn't happen on "this side" of town.

The two and another one a year out of high school all had what it takes --
at least from the neck down -- to play college ball.

Many major Division I programs were among the schools that had shown
interest in the players.

You can be sure the number of colleges interested now will dwindle.

The chances of their receiving

a free education via an athletic grant-in-aid might be lost.

It's a shame to waste talent -- whether it be the brilliant entertainer on
alcohol, or the star athlete on drugs.

An undisciplined talent is a wasted talent. That's why society disdains
underachievers and cheers overachievers.

In the past few years, a handful of South Carolina high schools -- Dutch
Fork being the latest -- have implemented drug testing for athletes.

At Dutch Fork, all extra-curriculum students can participate on a voluntary
basis. Coach Bill Kimrey told his football teams the volunteers would wear
stars on each side of their names on the back of game jerseys. A hundred
percent of the school's football team volunteered for drug and alcohol testing.

Past stories in The State on the subject have made the point that testing
gives athletes a way to say no to drugs..

Athletes can tell their "friends" they can't do it because they will be
tested and lose their spot on the team, and, in some cases, a chance at a
scholarship.

Several other Midlands schools have considered drug testing athletes in the
past few years. Last week's incident will cause at least one high school,
perhaps more, to put the issue on the front burner.

Testing does not have to be voluntary to be implemented, as long as it is
done on a random basis. Testing has passed the scrutiny of the U.S. Supreme
Court.

Schools interested in more information on the subject can log on to
www.drugfreeschools.com.

I'm not equating smoking marijuana with some of the crimes committed by
other athletes over the years.

Smoking the drug doesn't compare with murder, rape spousal abuse or doing
other drugs, but it's still against the law.

For that reason, why would these athletes endanger their futures? Why would
they throw out all the years they have sweat through hot practices, all the
injuries they have nursed, all the off-season weightlifting and conditioning?

And if they didn't care about their future, why didn't they think about how
they let down and embarrassed their families, teammates, coaches, schools
and communities?

You can answer all the questions with the usual answers: youth,
foolishness, bad company.

I suspect many more area athletes have made this same mistake. The ones in
question had the misfortune of being caught.

But maybe their situation will at least cause others to pause and consider
the consequences.

And, maybe the disciplined athletes will learn from their mistakes, and
maybe they will not. But, at least, other athletes, can learn from it.