UPDATE: Coach won't be disciplined for track incident

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Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

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Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Uhm... I don't really know what to think... but I have a question I'd like to ask you in private, ideally by email. How can I reach you?

Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy.

Uhm... I don't really know what to think...

Uhm... I don't really know what to think...

Uhm... I don't really know what to think...

Uhm... I don't really know what to think...

Uhm... I don't really know what to think...

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Im sorry to ask again, but have you an email or something. I-d like to ask you a few things. it-s quite important. thanks /instantempo

Im sorry to ask again, but have you an email or something. I-d like to ask you a few things. it-s quite important. thanks /instantempo

Im sorry to ask again, but have you an email or something. I-d like to ask you a few things. it-s quite important. thanks /instantempo

Im sorry to ask again, but have you an email or something. I-d like to ask you a few things. it-s quite important. thanks /instantempo

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Hi, how can I contact you? Do you have an email, a facebook profile or something? I need to ask you something, if I may. thanks. in the meantime, have a nice day. -instantempo

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Befitting the action words in the text, the font size bounces from small to large, adding to the energetic tone (as do a healthy number of monkeys). An accompanying DVD louboutin shoes an animated video of the song.

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It is important to set clear expectations and measurable goals before you can start coaching and mentoring. How can your coaching and mentoring be effective when you have not established any expectations and goals?

I absolutely agree while using first commentator, so it truly is not a fake. But I heard a lot of various opinion on this topic.

Great post!

life is good ^_^

What ever happened to 'No Harm ~ No Foul'?
And for THIS 'infraction' to be called at THIS time?!?

I 100% agree with a 'rule is a rule', a 'law is a law', a 'promise is a promise', etc. etc. etc. However, conveniently located between rules/rules, laws/laws, promises/promises, etc/etc, is Discretion.

Especially HERE since the 'violation' had been occurring for a time period prior to the date in question.

AND for the California Interscholastic Federation - Southern Section to make a 'supreme court' revelation by defining jewelry as, "anything that adorns the body". GOD forbid an athlete would wear a Spider-Man Band-Aid!!!

All of you that are HATTER HATTER on Coach Knowles can kiss all of our FriendShip bracelet wearing A****. Whatever already beat us then next year, but don"t wear any BRACELETS.....

Pretty petty of Monrovia's coach to do, but a rule's a rule. Referees and coaches always remind players of rules and I'm sure she's probably heard one reminder of it before. The Mtown coach should have just warned her, so that's pretty unsportsmanlike of him to do.

I remember at a track meet almost two years ago I saw a top shotputter at the SGV Invite and he put tape on the bottom of his shoe because the ring was absolutely slippery and he was disqualified. Athletes normally get warnings about jewelery or anything of the sort beforehand and I feel it should have been the same in this case

If Coach Knowles cannot win on the field of athletics, it is nice to know that he can hide behind a rulebook. He ambushed this girl, knowing full well the minor violation would disqualify her. It is sad and it sends a terrible message. I would look for some retaliation next year on Knowles. Monrovia will have an asterisk by this victory in the books. He has tarnished the sport and his team by acting in such a petty manner.

The rule is there, and it is there for safety reasons, but we might as well disqualify Usain Bolt for wearing gold shoes. That is the kind of pettiness the world does not need.

The point isn't rather the test is beneficial or not. It's the fact that it is a rule for coaches to follow and Coach Knowles didn't do it. Same thing as the bracelet. They both don't have anything to do with performance, but if we are going to pick at every rule, than let's be consistant.

The point isn't rather the test is beneficial or not. It's the fact that it is a rule for coaches to follow and Coach Knowles didn't do it. Same thing as the bracelet. They both don't have anything to do with performance, but if we are going to pick at every rule, than let's be consistant.

Whoever it is that keeps bringing up this "CIF test", let it go already. The CIF test is a joke. Anyone with half a brain can pass it. The test is just something CIF uses to cover their butt. It has no bearing on what kind of coach you are.

Why doesn't someone check and make sure Coach Knowles has taken his CIF test? Last I heard he had not. If that is the case, then he can call that rule on himself, dq all of his dual meet results, scratch his kids from CIF Finals, and take responsibility for his lack of professionalism. South Pas would have their Championship back, ALL rules would be followed, and Coach Knowles would be redeemed for being consistent with enforcing every rule that he has learned in the last 30 years, not just when it involves his team winning. Why not call up the CIF office and do a follow up on that rule?

Any fact that comes out now, doesn't hide the FACT that the Monrovia coach is a douche. How lame bro. If I had a kid on that team, I'd pull her out of that sport because I would hate for my daughter to have to look at his lame face, although my daughter, like Webster's dictionary, would probably know that jewelry is made of precious metals and gemstones...not thread. Cry some more.

While I have always had the utmost respect for Mr Lamaster and most of the regular Monrovia commentators on this blog, I do have to say that the recent comments appearing to "blame" Coach Hernandez and Ms. Laird disappoint and show some diminished class with respect to the situation.

First, the issue which has rightfully inflamed most readers and writers is not whether the string bracelet was jewlrey and was a correct basis for disqualification, but rather whether the actions of the Monrovia coach were proper sportsmanship under the circumstances or mere gamesmanship. Read the Sports Illustrated article, which starts off with the description of a D2 college playoff softball game where the losing team only lost because they did not follow "the rule" making a player circle the bases after her walkoff homerun, and carried her around after she broke her foot. Not enforcing that "rule", to technically win a game they had lost demonstrated the type of sportsmanship most Americans admire, and which the vast majority (based on the threads from around the country) did not see taking place here. Technically right or wrong, no sportsmanship award was won by Coach Knowles here. That being said I must also say that I completely respect and admire the abilities and sportsmanship of every other Monrovia coach I have seen over the years in FB, BB, Baseball and soccer.

Second, actual criticism of Coach Hernandez and Ms. Laird is completely off base and unwarranted. Neither has publicly attacked or blamed Monrovia or its coach, or asked to change the result. Based on multiple comments attributed to Ms. Laird, including in yesterdays LA Times Lopez article, she took full responsibility and demonstrated great class. Looking at the facts, she had worn the offending "bracelet" throughout the entire season of several previous meets and no official or coach deemed it a violation. No one had questioned Coach Hernandez about it, and so therefore it was a non issue, with no one believing it was violation, until the Monrovia coach made it one. Coach Hernandez did, and has always reminded everyone of the rule and that is shown by the fact that real jewlrey is constantly removed before meets. Coach Hernandez is one of the best, brightest and most caring of his athletes coaches I have seen. Attacking him to excuse the less than sportsmanlike actions of his opposition is simply wrong.

goteamgo: That would be pretty stupid!!! Let it go already!!! The only person it would drive crazy, is YOU.....when it brings negative attention to south pas.

I have a suggestion next season for the South Pas track team when the meet Monrovia.

Have one of their athletes (or better yet an art student) get a few felt-tip markers. Take these markers and draw images of jewelry on the entire track team; take the felt marker and draw a bracelet, maybe a ring, an ankle bracelet, a neck chain, and maybe place a couple of dots on the ears for fake earrings.

I guarantee it will drive the entire Monrovia coaching staff crazy, trying to determine if it is real or fake. Could be some fun.

Since when is a bracelet made of cloth? The term bracelet makes it sound like some gold chain. To have a title stripped, as well as an individual title stripped over that means track athletes should no longer be able to wear knee braces or elbow pads. Or shoelaces. What a joke. And for those who say move on, the only way to move on is for the league and CIF to overturn their stupid decision and give the team that earned the title the title.

WHAT ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. ROBIN FAILED THAT TEST COUNTLESS TIMES

FINALLY THAT ASPECT OF THIS STORY IS COMING TO LIGHT

EVERY COMPETITOR BUT ROBIN? WHY?

I'm sure other competitors rolled their eyes when they saw her bracelet at every single track meet. If you've ever been to a Track Meet her bracelet would have stood out like a sore thumb, to the untrained eye probably but to the experienced there, for sure.

Better yet, if we're all honest with ourselves we all know when we read the story we all said it to ourselves...

"NOT THE JEWELRY RULE!!!!"...because we all knew!!!!

All of us...and yet Robin faiied her team, and yes she knew.

Sorry.

I certainly feel for Robin Laird in this situation but my attention was drawn to the statement in this article that "Laird has worn a bracelet made of cloth since November." Steve Lopez made the same comment in his column in today's LA Times as her justification of why she didn't think to take it off. If that was the case, she is admitting that she wore that bracelet in all her prior meets this season. That calls into question all her individual victories and her school's meet placements as well. I don't fault Robin, catching and correcting rules violations is the job of her coach, not her. In this case it is not Mike Knowles that should be publically flogged for doing his job too well, it is Pasadena's P.J. Hernandez for failing in his responsibilities.

The coach that should be "talked to" by administrators is the South Pas coach. It is his responsibility to know the no jewelry rule. Surprisingly, he failed to make sure his athlete took off the bracelet ALL SEASON. It came back to bite him.
This situation (and second place) belongs to the South Pas athlete and coach.

I can fully understand both sides of this argument, but to think Coach Knowles was even being considered for disciplinary action is absurd. Also, please don't throw around statements like "Robin Laird IS THE BEST VAULT JUMPER IN THE SG VALLEY AND IN SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY PERIOD." She may be the best in SP school history as I am not familiar with their school records, but there are several girls from both Temple City and Arcadia who vault much higher. This is an open forum but remember that it in one thing to be ignorant, it is quite another to open your mouth and prove it to the world.

I have a suggestion. Actually I have two.

First, why don't we all just move on. I've thought long and hard about this. Who's right, who's wrong. And after days of deliberation I came to the conclusion that I don't really give a cr@p.

Second, TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK!!!

TOO FUNNY ... NO BRACELET IN THIS ACTION SHOT EITHER?

WAS IT PHOTOSHOPPED OUT OR WAS IT A MEDICAL REMOVAL?

HILARIOUS.

TOO BAD COACH KNOWLES IS BEING CRUCIFIED.

HOW ABOUT AN ACT OF DEFIANCE AND EVERY SOUTH PASADENA ATHLETE SHOW UP TO THE NEXT MEET WITH LIARD RUBBERR BANDS AND REFUSE TO TAKE THEM OFF.

HOW ABOUT ALL MONROVIA TEAM MEMBERS REFUSE TO PUT THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP PATCHES ON THEIR JACKETS

HOW ABOUT THE MONROVIA MARCHES DOWN FOOTHILL AND PRESENTS THEIR PATCHES TO THE SOUTH PASADENA TEAM

ANY ONE ELSE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Why should the coach be disciplined? Coaches all during the year and before each track meet are reminded that jewelry shall not be worn. The article mentions that the vaulter started down the runway and stopped. She might have also violated the two minute rule which no one else is mentioning.

What a whiney little girl. She knew the rules and ignored them all season. She coaches knew the rules and ignored them all season. Her team mates knew the rules and ignored them for her. Was Liard the only athlete who wore a thread bracelet or is she the only one who didn't take it off. These bracelets are popular right now but only Liard refused to take off the bracelet? Better still when all the athletes do the "TIME TO TAKE OFF THE JEWELRY THING" she held out. The timing might have sucked but Liard knows in her heart that every single athlete held true to that rule, she didn't! END OF STORY...SHE LET HER TEAM MATES DOWN.

Now the school takes the stance that somehow the COACH might face DISCIPLINE...FOR ENFORCING A RULE!

WE HAVE LOST OUR WAY PEOPLE!

ENOUGH ! ALREADY !!!!

Maybe she'll tell this story all years to come but hopefully some one in the group will say..."WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE JEWELRY RULE?"

This guy is a jackass... period.

Ummm, Monrovia got handed the league title, not South Pasadena. South Pas earned the title and had it taken away over a piece of string. Is it football season yet? Too much track talk. Who cares?

Im just glad Track & field finally got mentioned,one of the great individual sports, that doesnt get the recongnition it deserves

Good call! Knowles should not be disciplined for pointing out a rules violation and South Pasadena should not be handed the Rio Hondo League title. CIF rules are there for a reason.

That said, it does not deter from the pettiness of his protest....the damage is done-Knowles will forever be remembered as the candy a$$ coach who could not man up and handle the defeat. His "win at all cost" perspective clearly makes him "the biggest loser."

Sorry coach, you have lost our respect!

Seriously!, WHY ARE MAKING A PROBLEM OVER A STUPID BRACELET. SERIOUSLY WHO IS MAKING A BIG DEAL OUT OF THIS CIF, OFFICIALS, COACHES FREAKIN RIDICULOUS. I DONT KNOW WHAT THIS WORLD IS COMING INTO. IF THIS GIRL Robin Laird, CLEARED A YAO MING HEIGHT OF A JUMP THIS SHOULD NOT MATTER. DID THE JEWLERY HURT HER OR WHAT IS THE PROBLEM, DID SOMEONE GIVE IT TO HER SO WHAT SHE CLEARED THE FREAKIN JUMP AND SHE SHOULD BE DQ OR WHATEVER SHE GETTING FOR IT. SERIOUSLY, Robin Laird TO ME IS THE BEST VAULT JUMPER IN THE SG VALLEY AFTER THIS INCIDENT, IF I EVER MET I'D SHAKE HER HAND AND SAY GOOD JOB YOU ARE A STAR ATHLETE AND PEOPLE, OPFFICIALS OR WHO EVER IS PULLLING THIS ARE HATERS SERIOUSLY.

Robin Laird IS THE BEST VAULT JUMPER IN THE SG VALLEY AND IN SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY PERIOD.

Ms. Laird has benefitted more from this so-called controversy, than she would have if she had won.

National Coverage of this has definitely put her in the spotlight for Colleges and Coaches.

I wouldn't be surprised if she already has offers.

I heard that they all shook hands and exchanged friendship bracelets at their meeting.

Which coach was in question of getting disciplined? Hernandez for not checking each of his athletes, even after the frosh sprinters had been warned??? Why would Knowles be disciplined for pointing this out? If the ruling is controversial, then maybe the judge/rules committee should be disciplined.

featherhead! Move on dude. I knew this was a NON-STORY!!! It looks like south pas coaches backtracked to cover themselves. People should wait for FACTS before making judgements...

Guilty in the highest of all courts- that of public opinion