Steroids in the MLL and NLL

[laxsavage]

So we all know about the Mitchell report, and that the NFL and NBA have their problems with it too, but what are the MLL and NLL doing to keep things like steroids and HGH out of our beloved sport?

[lacrosseman192]

not too much, its not as big in lacrosse because you need speed and footwork especially in the MLL and NLL, its not like baseball where the bigger you get the farther you hit the ball and the more home runs you have.

http://www.e-lacrosse.com/2004/spin/36.html

[manup5183]

and thier isnt as much pressure on th eplayers to become bigger and stronger than all of the competition.

[laxsavage]

not too much, its not as big in lacrosse because you need speed and footwork especially in the MLL and NLL, its not like baseball where the bigger you get the farther you hit the ball and the more home runs you have.

http://www.e-lacrosse.com/2004/spin/36.html

Great article, thanks for posting it. And, although I do agree with the fact that the best lacrosse players are such because they are not just sound in their techniques, but amazing, I think that we should not be naive about the fact that steroid use comes up in almost all sports, especially at the high school and college levels. None of the big sports today started out with people juicing to get huge, but have evolved into that. We should take the measures needed now to prevent our quickly growing tradition from following that same evolutionary path.

[dta06]

I doubt that steroids would be an issue in lax. Lacrosse isn't as physically demanding as football. And lacrosse players don't need to be massive like baseball players. Also HGH supplements are banned in NCAA, so if they can play through college without HGH, why would they need to start using it for lacrosse. The MLL isn't a big league like the MLB or NFL where you have to be 100% commited to the sport. It's just something the players do on the weekends in the spring time.

[LacrosseDan]

I dont think lacrosse players have enough money to afford steriods. lol.

[CSlax06]

When they start making as much as Football players do, then maybe. But for now, no.

[wolfenburg]

The only point is, that the costs are to much for the outcome....

[stegmakk]

Let's not be totally blind. I can't speak for the professional level, but we aren't a perfect sport, while rare, its available.
Even pro golfers have been rumored to use, so saying that our sport doesn't need it, doesn't mean anything.

[CoolMastr]

Yea but pro golfers rely on their upper body strength to hit the ball-similar to baseball. I mean have you ever seen Tiger Woods? He's huge. Steroids, I believe, would be useless in lacrosse cause its about endurance, agility, and shot speed is more mechanics then strength. Its not like you are trying to shoot the lax ball 350 yards.

[groundballs1111]

HGH could absolutley enhance a lacrosse player so there should be a concern. Realistically the concern should, right now, be at the high school and collegiate level because it is a seven-day per week sport, but it won't be long before it makes it's way into the professional level. HGH helps with injury recovery through muscle rehab in addition to it's ability to enhance size and strength. Lacrosse players may not need the oversized uper body that comes with other sports such as football, but the effect that it has on increasing the overall athletic ability/stamina could definately make it's way into the lacrosse world.

[OldGoalie]

I read the article, which is very good, though I think it's a bit of a leap of logic to assume that just because anecdotally "no one has ever heard" of a lax player being disciplined for steroids, that no one uses them. And while the economic incentives for MLL and NLL to take steroids may not be great, there are lots of incentives for kids in high school or college to get on top of the competition, "look buff", get noticed by recruiters, etc. and thus take shortcuts such as steroids or HGH. That's where the issue is probably bigger than at the pro level, at least in lacrosse. In this day and age where steroids and HGH can be bought over the internet, what's to prevent Joe 15 year old kid who is trying to make varsity from using mom and dad's credit card to buy some HGH from some website hookup?

And let's not forget, steroids and HGH also aid in quicker recovery from workouts, so the benefits could be felt in overall improved athletic performance, in addition to strength and size gains.

[laxsavage]

Realistically the concern should, right now, be at the high school and collegiate level because it is a seven-day per week sport, but it won't be long before it makes it's way into the professional level.

Totally agree, but I don't think that much is being done. When I coached, we didn't even have a hint of drug testing. And as a college player its more of the same, I've seen none of it. In response to dta06, in each level of play (middle school, high school, college, pros) there is a higher level of competition, and its therefore harder to get any advantage. So, just because they did ok in college without these substances, doesn't mean that they won't use them at the professional level.