The IHSA announced today that starting that in the 2008-09 school year, it will randomly test selected athletes during selected competitions. Read more here.

With even more Congressional hearings on the steroid/performance enhancing drug issue coming up Tuesday, this topic has been much in the news. Plenty of those concerned say that the possible effect on young athletes — who think they may need to take such substances to succeed — is one of the reasons Congress should be concerned.

What do you think? Can a program like the one the IHSA is proposing make a difference?

More news Tuesday, with the Missouri state legislature taking up the issue. See our story here for especially interesting comments from area coaches and athletics directors. And see here for why columnist Bryan Burwell thinks it’s a nice idea, but it won’t work.