Prep Coach Investigated

Police are investigating a youth football coach, who admits he sometimes helps parents obtain a strong prescription weight-loss drug for his players, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The investigation began when a pediatrician became alarmed that a 10-year-old patient had lost 10 percent of his body weight partially by using the drug Lasix and called police and health officials, the newspaper said.

Lasix is a strong diuretic sometimes used to treat hypertension, accumulations of fluids in the body, cirrhosis of the liver and kidney disease.

Louis Trench, who coaches the private Palos Stars football team, acknowledged Thursday that he recommends the drug for several boys each year and helps parents obtain it if they have trouble.

Trench would not say how or where he got the pills, or whether he had helped the 10-year-old get one. But he said, “If the parent has no way, hey, we’ll find a way. … I personally take care of it.”

Children on youth football teams are frequently divided into teams by weight, rather than age. Some children who are especially large for their age may want to lose weight to avoid playing with older children.