Alcohol: Is your consumption affecting you and your team?

The 2009 NCAA Study of Substance Use of College Student-Athletes leads me to believe yes.    Here are some of the statistics from the study:

·         Overall (Division I, II, II), 83.1 % of respondents indicated drinking within the last 12 months (this is true for both male and female).  This is an increase from the 2005 study (77.5%).

·         The majority of those reporting alcohol usage report frequency of use as less than two days per week.

·         Only 12.6 % reported never using alcohol.

·         Approximately 47 percent of those reporting alcohol usage report drinking six to 10 plus drinks in one sitting.

·         Fifty-four percent of the respondents indicated drinking during both their competitive and off seasons.

·         The majority of the respondents indicated obtaining alcohol from a friend, family member or teammate.

The survey also asked, “Why”, student-athletes used alcohol and, reasons not related to sports was ranked the highest amongst the other options.  For those that choose to abstain from alcohol consumption, not wanting the side-effects was the main reason.

Student-athletes are expected to be great at what they do, they are asked to maintain a high level of performance, both athletically and academically, all under the constant scrutiny of coaches, teammates, fans, and media.  Many problems start well before college and some escalate to levels that require intervention from coaches, parents, etc…Student-athletes are different from the rest of the student population and because of their constant exposure and elevated status on campus, college student-athletes are typically placed in situations that cause stress and anxiety.  Now this is not a valid excuse for a student-athlete to go on a drinking binge or neglect the rules obeyed by the rest of society, but we do understand that you are under constant pressure:

·         Balancing sports and academics

·         Adapting to social challenges

·         Success and failure on field and in classroom

·         Injuries

·         Weight management

·         Sports career ends due to injury or eligibility

Alcohol abuse is a chronic problem among college athletes, including football players. According to Dr. Gary Wadler, professor at New York University School of Medicine and author of "Drugs and the Athlete", alcohol is the No. 1 substance abused by athletes. It is estimated that college students in America drink about 34 gallons of alcohol every year.  Surveys have revealed that over 80 percent of college athletes are abusing alcohol, with a majority of athletes admitting that the drinking problem started before the end of high school.

How does alcohol affect me or my team?

                                                                                            

The following information represents the number of negative consequences experienced as a result of alcohol consumption in the last 12 months:

Experienced as a result of alcohol/drug use	Never	1-2	3-5	6+
Hangover	33.6%	25.7%	16.1%	24.6%
Missed Class	66%	17.8%	9%	7.3%
Poor Test or Project Performance	76.1%	15.6%	5.4%	2.8%
Missed or Late to Practice	93.8%	4.9%	1%	.3%
Poor Athletic Performance	79.3%	14%	4.4%	2.2%
Driven Under the Influence	76.9%	13%	4.8%	5.3%
Memory Loss	70%	17.3%	6.8%	6%
Done Something Later Regretted	62.4%	23.6%	10.4%	3.8%

Effects of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse has a variety of dangerous chronic and acute side effects on college athletes and their teams.  athletic performance can be hampered even with the smallest amounts of alcohol; some common side-effects are, hand tremors, slowed reaction time, poor balance, nutritional deficiencies, problems tracking, weakness, slowed hand-eye coordination. Lastly chronic alcohol abuse can cause myopathy, a condition that results in muscle weakness, damage or wasting.

Not every college student-athlete is at risk of being a substance abuser. Some individuals can drink responsibly and never abuse alcohol, but some individuals may develop a problem and will need help. As a coach, counselor, or concerned teammate it is important to note who might be at-risk for developing an alcohol-related problem.  Symptoms of substance abuse that may be observed in an athlete population include:

·         drinking in secrecy

·         feelings of guilt about drinking

·         lying about drinking

·         needing an increased amount of alcohol to produce the desired effects

·         alcohol-induced amnesia or blackouts

Student-athletes who display any of these symptoms might be experiencing problems related to their alcohol use.  If you don’t want the success of your team to suffer because of your own, or your teammate(s) alcohol consumption please become educated on the dangers of alcohol consumption and how to (if at all) consume it responsibly.

Many student-athletes struggle with stress management and choose poor coping strategies, such as alcohol.  If you want to learn more about coping strategies, or who to contact on your campus please consider the following:

Athletic Trainer	Registered Dietician	Coach
Parents	Campus Health Services	Off campus treatment centers
Individual groups on campus	Other Family members

Additional locations to search for information and help:

http://myplaybook.drugfreesport.com/

http://www.aa.org/?Media=PlayFlash

http://www.drugfreesport.com/rec (If you are a subscribing member please view Recreational Drugs)

http://www.smartrecovery.org/

http://www.befrienders.org/

http://www.factsontap.org/index.htm

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/

http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

http://www.bettyfordcenter.org/index.php