KFDM COOP

[Hidden Content] SPURS TAKE A 3-1 LEAD!!

50-42 Spurs at the Half.

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May 28, 2007, 4:10PM Lawmakers OK steroids testing for high school athletes AUSTIN — Texas public high school athletes will face mandatory random steroid testing under a bill given final approval Monday by the Legislature and sent to Gov. Rick Perry. If Perry allows the bill to become law — he has not publicly expressed any opposition — the state could begin testing tens of thousands of students at the start of the coming football season. It would be the largest high school steroids testing program in the country. "It will help secure healthy and safe lives for our young people," said Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, the House sponsor of the measure. "Coaches, parents and fans are going to appreciate it." Steroid testing has been a major component of Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's campaign to protect children. Athletes who test positive, or refuse to be tested, could be suspended from play. Athletes in all sports, from football to wrestling to tennis, could be tested. "I made steroid testing of high school athletes a priority this session because I believe it will deter young people from putting that poison in their bodies and save lives all across Texas," Dewhurst said. The House of Representatives voted 140-4 to send the bill to Perry. It requires the state to pay for testing, rather than force schools to raise ticket prices to cover the cost. The University Interscholastic League, the state's governing body for public school sports, will run the program. The Senate's original plan was to test at least 22,000 students — about 3 percent of the 730,000 of high school athletes — for about $4 million per year. Budget planners set aside $3 million per year, and the program now requires a "statistically significant sample" of students, said Sen. Kyle Janek, a Houston Republican who sponsored the bill. The original Senate version also would have put specific penalties for positive tests into the law. Lawmakers instead decided to give UIL officials flexibility to set those rules. Flynn, however, said he expects athletes to be suspended if they test positive or refuse to take a test. The Texas High School Coaches Association, the Texas Medical Association, and groups representing public school districts and administrators supported a testing program. The bill would require coaches to complete a training program on the dangers of using steroids, which can cause dramatic mood swings, heart disease and cancer. A state study among 141,000 Texas students in grades 7-12 conducted by Texas A&M University found that steroid use fell from 2 percent in 2004 to 1.5 percent in 2006. Among 12th-graders, it went down from 2.4 percent to 1.8 percent. About 130 of Texas' 1,300 public high schools already test for steroids. New Jersey became the first state in the country to start a statewide testing policy for high school athletes last year. Its initial testing for performance-enhancing drugs among 150 random samples taken last fall didn't produce a positive result, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association reported earlier this year. Two weeks ago, Florida lawmakers approved a one-year pilot program to test 1 percent of high school athletes who compete in football, baseball and weightlifting.

Univ. of Texas Signs Turkish Guard Dogus Balbay of Istanbul, Turkey officially signed his letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Texas, completing Rick Barnes' four-member 2007-08 recruiting class. Point guard Dogus Balbay, who had up to this point been only a verbal commit to the Longhorns, signed his National Letter of Intent to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Rick Barnes announced Monday. The addition of Balbay finalizes a four-man recruiting class that includes forwards Clint Chapman, Gary Johnson and Alexis Wangmene. Balbay (6-1, 170) played his senior year of high school at Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) under coach Jason Smith. He led Brewster to a 29-6 record and a runner-up finish at the NEPSAC Class A Championship while averaging 13.5 points and 7.5 assists per game during his senior season. Balbay is originally from Istanbul, Turkey (not Constantinople) and spent the last two years playing on the Under 18 Turkish National team and he helped the squad place fourth at the 2006 European Championships. In a release from Texas, head coach Rick Barnes said: "Dogus is an important pickup for our program, as he will provide us quality depth at the point guard position. He has a clever international game and good athleticism. Dogus is a strong perimeter defender and a good playmaker who has the ability to score in the lane." 2007-08 Texas Basketball Recruiting Class Dogus Balbay - G 6-1 170 Istanbul, Turkey (Brewster Academy [N.H.]) Clint Chapman - F 6-10 245 Canby, Ore. (Canby HS) Gary Johnson - F 6-6 210 Houston, Texas (Aldine HS) Alexis Wangmene - F 6-8 225 San Antonio, Texas (Blair Academy [N.J.])

Congrats again coach on a great season!!!!

Remember well! ;D

Any Predictions?

That was a heartbreaker!

By the way setxsports and htxsports.com will broadcast the PN-G/LaMarque game week 0 here on the site.

Yes it's time to mix up the talent.

I remember that one! What a 2nd half.

Good luck this season to Legacy Christian!

I agree!

Cleveland wins game 3 [Hidden Content]

kogt The Astros won the Bronco Division at OYBS with a 14-1 record. L to R: (standing) Lane Gordon, Connor Jaynes, Elijah Teel, Head Coach Clint Permenter, Blake Permenter, Matthew McAfee, Anthony "A.J." Holman, Coach TW Permenter. (kneeling) Julian Edwards, Jacob Hryhorchuk, Chase Hogan, Brilon Douglas, Brett Foster, Tavin Terrell. Not pictured Coach Billy Permenter.

Stringer, did you like the TV deal?

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Congrats Owls!

Thanks

Believe that is correct. The NWA belt they have on TNA right now looks just like that one.

;D No kidding!

Glad to see all the local kids from SE Texas registering for the Combine...