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Track: A jewelry controversy in Pasadena
April 30, 2010 | 12:21 pm
The girls' dual meet between South Pasadena and Monrovia Thursday came down to the pole vault.

As explained in the Pasadena Star News, South Pasadena's Robin Laird cleared the needed height to deliver victory for her team, but she was immediately disqualified after Monrovia co-coach Mike Knowles pointed out she was wearing a friendship bracelet, which is not allowed in competition.

Rules are rules, but how come no one noticed the bracelet before she went up for her jump? Laird's disqualification gave Monrovia a 65-62 victory.

Where's Michael Josephson to discuss the ethics on this one?

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/preps/ci_14989503

HIGH SCHOOL TRACK: Jewelry snafu costs South Pasadena

By Keith Lair, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/29/2010 11:04:12 PM PDT

SOUTH PASADENA - There likely will be very little friendship when the South Pasadena and Monrovia high school track and field teams meet next time.
That's because a friendship bracelet decided the Rio Hondo League girls title.

With the pole vault deciding Thursday's dual meet, Monrovia needed at least a second-place finish to claim its first league title.

South Pasadena's Rachel Ma and Monrovia's Samantha Boltz and Gabby McBride all cleared 7-0. South Pasadena's Robin Laird, the Tigers' best pole vaulter, passed at the height.

With a crosswind and both teams watching, cheering wildly on makes and groaning on misses, Laird easily cleared 7-6. Monrovia co-coach Mike Knowles pointed out Laird was wearing a friendship bracelet. Any jewelry calls for automatic disqualification. The coaches called CIF-Southern Section officials to confirm the disqualification.

"I hate that," Knowles said. "I didn't want to do that. I've lost a CIF title because a girl had one diamond earring she forgot to take out in the 4 by 400 relay."

Laird's disqualification gave the Wildcats a 65-62 win.

"Our girls know," South Pasadena assistant coach C.B. Richards said.

"It's going to seem like the onus is on her and you could tell her all we can that it's not," South Pasadena coach P.J. Hernandez said. "Maybe if we could have eliminated a sweep here or there. Every point matters. For it to come to a DQ is unfortunate, but technically,

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the rule is the rule."
The Tigers' Rachel Ma won the event by clearing 7-6. If Laird had not been eliminated, the Tigers would have won the meet and league title, 66-61.

"It's a tough way to lose," Hernandez said.

In a similar league title showdown in the boys meet, South Pasadena easily took the crown when Monrovia elected to drop most of its athletes to the soph-frosh level in an effort to win that title. The Tigers won the varsity title, 80-27.

There was a lot of pressure on the vaulters, who usually jump unanimously.

"It was really, really nerve-racking," Boltz said. "I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest."

"My stomach hurt," McBride said. "All the pressure was on us and we were really nervous."

Monrovia's Camille and Jazmine Robertson each won two events, Camille the 200 meters and 400 and Jazmine the 100 and 300 hurdles. So did South Pasadena's Anika Renken and Shalini Pace, Renken the 1,600 and 3,200 and Pace the long and triple jumps.

South Pasadena's Sam Pons won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and Blake Parson won the 110 and 300 hurdles. Monrovia's D.J. Jones won the 100 and 200.

7A State Championship, University of Arkansas, April 29, 2010.

Ethan Sandusky, Bentonville senior wins the meet with a PR of 16'02" and while the officials were measuring the bar for his first attempt at a new meet record, realized that he did not have shorts over his spandex and DQ'd him. Our association doesn't allow boys to wear spandex only, but it's okay for girls.

I think it's not appropriate to DQ someone after the fact. Uniforms are supposed to be inspected before the competition, and if anything is out of spec, the athlete is supposed to be given a chance to make it right. If the competition actually started and the athlete was not already DQ'd and did not add the item during the competition, then it is supposed to be considered a legal uniform.

At least that was my understanding of reading the rules 5 years ago.

yeah last year one of my friends got DQ'd for having 2 under armor logos.. the coach who's athlete came in second brought it up too

"the coach who's athlete came in second brought it up too" And that is why we call it pettiness!

Dan

Rules are rules, right???

Have been a certified official for 10 yrs. and it has become meets for the officials and not for the athletes. I am more concerned about poor coaching--pole issues--and facilities--than what an athlete wears. Common since has gone out the window, along with GOOD pv coaches on the hs level!

I’ve always been more concerned with checking to be sure the athlete does not have a rubber band on his / her wrist or that the stitching on their uniform is not in a contrasting color than with safety, records, or how well the event is run! (Don't get me started!!!)

I don't see why you can't be concerned with safety and follow the rules at the same time.

I can understand, why a volunteer official would be more concerned about the actual competition and safety of the vaulters and not their fashion. My primary concern is to officiate a safe and fair competition for the athletes. Not what has been deemed unsavory fashion. As a coach, if your athlete can not compete and you as a coach resort to having an athlete dq'ed after the comp because the uniform has some deflection from the rules or an earring was not removed because proactive officiating or coaching missed these non athletic rules, I think that is a form of cheating. If you are a coach and mentor to young athletes and you know the rules and believe in a fair competition. Then as that coach, you should be a mentor and be proactive in helping other athletes besides your own. We can all benefit by helping the young athletes before a competition by reminding each other and the kids about the "fashion rules" and not use it to disqualify an athletic accomplishment. To do less is beyond petty, it is against most codes and credos of the coaching profession. This practice disgusts me. It is cheating after the fact.

belmore wrote: ... It is cheating after the fact.

I agree that it's a form of moral and/or ethical cheating. However, the "cheating coach" on the opposing team can only get away with this form of cheating if the officials enforce it ... which (according to the rules) they should do. IMHO, the "fashion rules" are petty - disguised as safety rules or vanity rules.

My suggestion is that the rules be modified so that you must be WARNED after your FIRST jump, then DQ'd for any infraction after the warning - certainly not after a meet-winning jump ... without WARNING!

Kirk