Andy Loe
Video Editor



Rochelle Weems
Web Editor

The Culture of Athletes, Drugs and Alcohol at PLU: part one

By Andy Loe and Rochelle Weems

Part one: No three strikes about it, drugs and sports don’t mix at PLU.

During the past 16 years, Pacific Lutheran University has captured the Northwest Conference All-Sports trophy 14 times and won regional and national titles in multiple sports.

Many students choose to attend PLU because of the tradition of winning associated with PLU. But to be involved in the school’s success, PLU athletes are asked to give up drugs and alcohol during their sports’ season.

“Drugs, alcohol and athletics don’t mix well together,” Paul Hoseth, PLU athletic director, said. “We ask our athletes not to participate in that activity (use of substances) while they are representing PLU as an athlete.”

Players and coaches are required to abstain from substance use while they are at practice, a home game or traveling on the road. The same rules that apply to students on campus also apply to athletes while they are involved in school functions.

Hoseth said the main focus during the years has shifted toward the consequences of substance abuse while involved in a sport. PLU already has a stringent policy for students and the athletic department tries to uphold these same principles.

“The difference here is that we don’t have a one strike, two strike, three strikes policy. We are saying this is just something we don’t tolerate,” Hoseth said.

Hoseth said the athletic department is trying to communicate more with Student Life so it knows when an athlete has violated a policy. “Sometimes athletes will get into the conduct system because of things that happen in the dorms or other places, but the coaches never know about it.”

The way the PLU student conduct system is set up, the majority of cases are only known to the resident assistants, resident directors and the person charged with breaking policy. This means, the players who broke policy in most cases are the bearers of bad news to the coach.

Hoseth said the athletic department is also working with the student athletic advisory committee to try and find ways to handle future incidents involving not only athletes, but any other PLU student who represents the school in extracurricular events, such as music tours, debate tournaments and any other groups representing PLU.

In one instance during spring 2002, the PLU baseball team was caught breaking policy by the security workers at an airport. During a routine baggage check, alcohol containers were found in a player’s bag. After questioning by then-head coach Larry Marshall, it was found that all but a few of the players knew about the violation of the school policy.

The team was forced to forfeit a few games and cut their spring break trip to California in half. This was the most public violation of school policy by athletes that Hoseth said he can remember, but said it has by no means been the only violation.

“I’m not going to tell you that violations haven’t occurred because that would be completely naive, but this particular incident with the baseball team had a little more limelight approach to it because of not only how we found out about it, but also the extent of the concern and involvement.”

Hoseth also affirmed that the athletic department is always striving to make itself better and improve communication with athletes and coaches concerning drug and alcohol use.

Click Here for Part Two of the Athletes Story

Back to Top