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All for the Game
Giving More Than Effort for Sport
By Carma Haley
Nineteen-year-old Billy Saylor died of a heart attack. Twenty-two-year-old Joe Larosa died of kidney failure. Twenty-one-year-old Jeff Reece died from kidney failure and a heart malfunction. These three young men were from different parts of the county, were different ages, yet they shared a common bond. They all were wrestlers and their dedication to the sport killed them.
Although these boys were in college, their practices of "giving their all" did not begin there. The varying practices, rituals and routines in which young athletes participate begin as early as the junior high or middle school level. In addition, various requirements that are set for participation, by the athletic programs themselves, may only add to whatever harmful actions, such as weight maintenance or reduction, these children feel they must do "all for the game."
Wrestlers are not the only athletes subject to strict requirements for participation. Other programs such as gymnastics, football, swimming and track have set standards that decide both participation as well as position on the team. "I was told that I could not try out for any other position then a lineman due to my size and weight," says Alec S., a seventh grade student from Chester, Va. "When I decided to play football, I began training with my dad to be a receiver or a safety. I was told by my coaches that if I wanted to play either of the two positions, I needed to lose [30 pounds] before the next weigh-in, which was only two weeks away."
Exercising excessively, wearing rubber exercise suits and restricting fluid and food intake are only a few of the ways these young athletes attempt to alter themselves for sports participation. Other methods become as serious as taking diuretic or prescription medication, laxatives or excessive amounts of various body-building supplements. These practices, over time, can damage a young athlete's body. The damages can include kidney failure, amenorrhea, liver damage, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dehydration, stroke, even heart attack or death.