BLOOMINGTON - High school student-athletes in Illinois who compete in postseason events will be subject to random drug testing beginning next school year.

The Illinois High School Association board of directors unanimously approved that proposal Monday at its monthly meeting, becoming the fourth state to OK the random testing of high school athletes for banned substances. Unlike New Jersey and Florida, though, Illinois is the first state to institute such a policy without a legislative mandate.

The state of Texas also has approved steroid testing, but has not begun to implement the policy.

IHSA executive director Marty Hickman said results from a five-week study showed that 70 percent of principals from its 750 member schools were in favor of random testing.

"We think that's a strong indication that our membership is behind this," Hickman said.

Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, athletes who reach the state playoff series as individuals or as a part of a team would be subject to random testing for steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

Many of the policy's details have not been finalized, including the depth of the testing and penalties for athletes who test positive.

Once the regional round of state tournaments begins in any sport, student-athletes could be required to submit a urine sample in order to compete. Some sports would come under closer scrutiny than others, Hickman said.

The IHSA uses the same list of banned performance-enhancing substances as the NCAA does, but anabolic steroids would be a focus of testing, Hickman said.

Hickman said the IHSA will contract an outside firm to administer the drug tests, which will cost approximately $200 per person. Hickman said the IHSA's annual budget for testing is up to $150,000.

Hickman said the decision to test is a "reaction to the time that we're in."

"There is tremendous pressure to be bigger, stronger, faster," Hickman said. "Things like what Jose Canseco and the Mitchell report had to say have led us to believe that it's a significant issue. We're trying to give kids another reason to say no."

A number of Pantagraph area athletic directors and coaches supported the IHSA's decision.

"I applaud them for being proactive," Bloomington High School athletic director John Szabo said. "Some states are having legislatures getting involved with how it's handled. I'd rather the IHSA tell us what to do than the state."

Normal West athletic director Stan Lewis also backed the ruling, adding it's mostly a trickle-down result from the professional and collegiate ranks.

"If it wasn't a problem at that level, we wouldn't even be talking about it," Lewis said. "I'm sure that's part of the push. But it's a good thing to be educating kids before they get to the collegiate level."

Hud Venerable, who spent 14 seasons as the head football coach at Normal Community, said the policy is a good one but added coaches still will be integral in keeping kids clean.

"We're dealing with kids who are playing for fun and the love of the game," Venerable said. "You're going to see more kids think twice about doing something. … I hope it trickles down all the way to the elementary level."

No coach or administrator interviewed by The Pantagraph on Monday expressed opposition to random testing. But Hickman expects there will be some.

"We'll hear some folks express concerns about the testing and the privacy issues," he said.

Hickman said the IHSA also will implement an educational program with the partnership of Drug Free America.

The Associated Press and Pantagraph reporter Daniel Makarewicz contributed to this story.