After winning the state championship in May for the first time since 1984, the PCC men’s track and field team had their title stripped by the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) on Friday.The CCCAA took the drastic action because Everton Taylor, a participant in the long jump and triple jump competitions, was deemed ineligible.
“PCC used an ineligible athlete who did not have proper paperwork,” said Rich Kollen, South Coast Conference (SCC) Commissioner “The team did not have two out of the three papers required for the athlete to be eligible.”
Kollen put the track and field team on two-year probation, the same punishment doled out for the same violation by the Los Angeles Trade-Technical college cross country team last year.
“Following proper procedure is so important,” Kollen said, “The probation really means nothing; if they do something like this again, there will be a problem.”
The probation does have some affect on the team, but not individually. “They can win individual titles, but not team titles,” said Robert Lewis, SCC statistician and PCC handler of sports information.
“For events like the SCC Championships, the Southern California Championships and State Championships,” Lewis said, “the team will not receive points.”
With the news of the probation and loss of the state championship, came news of change in the coaching staff of the team. Last year’s head coach Jim Richardson is no longer coaching at PCC.
“It is my understanding that Coach Richardson resigned his position because of a scheduling conflict with his full time position at a Long Beach middle school,” Lewis said “He was a part time coach for two years and he was not fired or forced out.”
The individual state champions on last year’s team, such as Edino Steele, who won the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash, will still be recognized and will not be involved in the team’s ineligibility.
Athletic Director Beverly Tate, Assistant Athletic Director Mke Jones, and Richardson were not available for comment on Wednesday.
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