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Sunday, June 1, 2008
Substance-Free Contracts
Greater Louisville, KY
By: Emily Hayden
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Photo(s) By: Kyle Danztler/MyActionPortraits.com
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Athletes who make the commitment to remain substance free serve as good role models for other students and good stewards of their own bodies.
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These contracts give athletes added motivation to abstain from harmful substances. They’re viewed as a positive and effective way to keep athletes healthy and safe.
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The commitment of athletes is more than just a commitment to their sports and their teams, it is also a commitment to themselves and to their bodies. Athletes constantly face injury or damage to their bodies as part of the game, but what happens when the source of the damage is something off the court or the field?
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco are substances that people know a few things about. We know that they’re bad for us and especially dangerous at such young ages, but the effects on these substances are different on athletes than for someone who is less active. According to Bupa, a British health-care organization, alcohol and drugs increase one’s risk of dehydration and can impair reaction time. This, in turn, can have a negative effect on a person’s performance as an athlete. To perform the best in any sport, an athlete must be on top of his or her game. It’s extremely difficult to play under negative circumstances such as little or no sleep or not eating a balanced diet. But these effects are nothing in comparison to the toll that alcohol, tobacco, or drugs have on a person’s body.
To encourage athletes to stay away from these substances, schools around Louisville such as Assumption, Christian Academy, Sacred Heart, Saint Xavier and others require their athletes to either sign contracts or make verbal commitments stating they agree to remain alcohol, tobacco and drug free. At Assumption, for example, each participant on a team is required to sign this contract and turn it into the coach or athletic director at the beginning of the season. If any part of this contract is broken, disciplinary actions will follow and that athlete will possibly even be cut from the team.
These contracts give athletes added motivation to abstain from harmful substances. They’re viewed as a positive and effective way to keep athletes healthy and safe.
Angela Passafiume, the athletic director at Assumption High School, says, “I believe [these contracts] serve as a reminder to the athletes the importance of the issue. It also gives each coach the opportunity to speak about how important it is to remain drug, alcohol and tobacco free as well as the topic that each athlete is a role model to the rest of the student body and to their peers beyond the Assumption Community.”
Choosing to make this commitment for their school, team, coach, family or even themselves is something that athletes should be proud of themselves for doing. Margaret Hazlett, a rising senior and tennis player at Assumption says, “I think they’re great because it keeps the community drug and alcohol free even if they don’t participate in substance-free groups. It also sets a good example and it keeps them prioritized on their sport.”
The athletes who make this commitment are choosing to take care of their bodies and even potentially save their own lives. They’re showing themselves and others how strong they are by being able to withstand the pressure to participate in consumption of these substances, and also showing others they are making the choice to stay healthy.
The attitudes of the schools and athletes who participate in this program set the tone for other schools and athletes to follow. They are leading the way for high schools and athletes to start setting an example for athletes who otherwise wouldn’t be able to make these decisions on their own. These contracts are more than just a piece of paper--they’re a commitment, a promise, and a choice to stay healthy and substance free.
Emily Hayden will be a senior at Assumption High School in the fall.
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