Rochelle Weems
Web Editor

The culture of athletes, drugs and alcohol at PLU: part two

By Rochelle Weems

Part two: Athletes speak out about PLU’s policy

What is the alcohol and drug policy for athletes, anyway?

This is a question most of the athletes at PLU are not able to answer right away with much certainty.

If you are on the women’s basketball team, the policy is that you are not to be around alcohol or any drugs during the season.

For the football team, it is understood that you refrain from drinking during the season. During the off-season, it is understood that athletes of legal age do not go out drinking in anything that could associate you with the team, like an EMAL, or Every Man A Lute, sweatshirt.

PLU’s official alcohol and drug policy states: No alcohol or other illicit drugs, or tobacco products are permitted at any time in any vehicle that is used in the transportation of team personnel. Student athletes, coaches or athletic administrative personnel are not permitted to use alcohol, illicit drugs, or tobacco when officially representing Pacific Lutheran University.

While PLU has its own athletic alcohol and drug policy, individual teams are allowed to add to the policy as they see fit.

Courtney Johnson, a junior women’s basketball player, said, “Stay clear of all alcohol and parties during the season. Our team policy is that if Gil (Rigell, the women’s basketball head coach) finds out about (drinking during the season), you’re off the team.”

Several PLU sports teams have added tougher regulation to the original alcohol and drug policy. Kelly Wright, a senior women’s soccer player, said, “You’re not allowed to drink during the season and if you get caught, you’re out two games.”

The volleyball team policy is similar to that of women’s basketball. “No drinking at all during the season,” Julie Locke, a sophomore volleyball player, said. “It’s never really been an issue for the team. I don’t know the specifics about the policy because it does not really affect me.”

While alcohol and drug policies are good, not all athletes are aware of their sports team’s policy. “I don’t know the drinking policy for the track (and field) team,” Jon Payne, a sophomore track and field athlete, said. “The only time it is ever talked about is during a 15-minute eligibility meeting where they ask you if you’ve read it (PLU’s policy) and you say yes to get it over with.”

“All the university policy states is that while in competition and traveling (for away meets), you cannot consume alcohol,” explains Chris Anderson, a senior track athlete.

Most PLU athletes believe that alcohol and drugs are not a problem on their team, but are troublesome for other groups of athletes or teams.

Several athletes lost faith in PLU’s alcohol and drug policy after the baseball incident last year where all but a few members of PLU’s baseball team were caught breaking the alcohol policy and the team had to cut its California trip short.

“I don’t understand why we still had a baseball team last year after what happened on one of their trips,” senior Carl Strong, a former swimmer, said. “I feel that if they had been one of the lesser recognized sports teams then their season would have been cut short.”

Many PLU athletes separate binge drinking and social drinking. “I think people do (social drinking) but I don’t think it conflicts with their commitments to the team,” Maria Jones, a junior track athlete, said.

“I don’t think that (drinking alcohol is) a problem that affects team performance,” Scott Peterson, a sophomore football player, said.
But some athletes find other athletes drinking offensive.

“I don’t find it becoming of the athletes who are in season and go out drinking every weekend,” Payne said.

Most PLU athletes said they do not feel that drug use is a problem. Alcohol use and abuse remains the primary concern. “I definitely think that drugs are not a problem for the (football) team,” Peterson said.

“I think people use drugs like marijuana and/or mushrooms, but I don’t think performance enhancers are a problem,” Jones said.

Although PLU’s policy is first strike you’re out, policy questions have been raised among athletes as to who gets punished and who gets to walk away when caught violating team or school policy. “I think that (alcohol and drug use) is really hidden and people, including fellow athletes, sweep it under the rug,” Anderson said.

Consistency is the demand among athletes. Athletes said they want to see consistency in punishments for breaking the PLU alcohol and drug policy.

Anderson said he thinks the prevalence of alcohol in athletics diminishes the spirit of PLU athletics as a whole.

“I think that alcohol has become part of the culture of athletics and I don’t think that that is a good thing,” Anderson said.

The prevalence of alcohol among athletes is evident in off-campus parties.
“If you look at some of the biggest parties in the PLU community, they magically coincide with the end of a team’s season,” Anderson said.

Click Here for Part One of the Athletes Story

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