Teen can't run for Track Team because of Pink Mohawk

John Wooden, Bill Walton and a haircut.

One day, All-America center Bill Walton showed up with a full beard. "It's my right," he insisted. Wooden asked if he believed that strongly. Walton said he did. "That's good, Bill," Coach said. "I admire people who have strong beliefs and stick by them, I really do. We're going to miss you." Walton shaved it right then and there. Now Walton calls once a week to tell Coach he loves him.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4OPu3fnbmvo

John Wooden is dead. Not sure who Walton would be calling.

Looks like this guy got to play:

https://www.google.com/search?q=dennis+rodman&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&hs=sQW&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Mmk7U5i3C-aksQTLqoDoDg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=639#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=lRzMulk6HhMfjM%253A%3B0kY0K-oeqwWmdM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fassets-s3.usmagazine.com%252Fuploads%252Fassets%252Fphoto_galleries%252Fregular_galleries%252F2042-celeb-apprentice-then-and-now%252Fphotos%252F1361555730_dennis-rodman-then-560.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.usmagazine.com%252Fcelebrities%252Fdennis-rodman%3B420%3B560

As did this guy:

https://www.google.com/search?q=birdman+basketball&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&hs=hUW&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=H2o7U9rpE5OvsASd7oDQBg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=639#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Jn0qKja7iZOyfM%253A%3BRAoaVYLi7kYz-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-_oXBFhW7HhM%252FTgkZqMBcPUI%252FAAAAAAAAACA%252F_ZUk6erSluE%252Fs1600%252Fbirdman.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcoahoops.blogspot.com%252F2011%252F04%252Fnba-should-be-awards.html%3B590%3B354

Did shaving his beard and cutting his hair make Johnny Damon play better?

Sambouie wrote:

This. Real dedication involves personal sacrifice. Any kid can dye his hair pink to show support; but to do it knowing it will cost you personally, that is real character.

If I was the coach or admin, I would kick him off the team to teach him this lesson.

This kid has more character and dedication than you will ever have.

"When authorities allegedly told him to choose between his hair, which violated school policy, and the team, Barker says, “I picked family.""

Did you even read the story?

Sambouie or mikejordan wrote:

Sambouie wrote:

This. Real dedication involves personal sacrifice. Any kid can dye his hair pink to show support; but to do it knowing it will cost you personally, that is real character.

If I was the coach or admin, I would kick him off the team to teach him this lesson.

This kid has more character and dedication than you will ever have.

"When authorities allegedly told him to choose between his hair, which violated school policy, and the team, Barker says, “I picked family.""

Did you even read the story?

No, he doesn't. He's the one whining. He didn't choose family; he's trying to choose both. Thus, he hasn't learned the life lesson.

Thanks for playing, though, Boss.

So you really think that an agent of the government should get to decide what kind of haircut a person should be allowed to have?

Sambouie wrote:

No, he doesn't. He's the one whining. He didn't choose family; he's trying to choose both. Thus, he hasn't learned the life lesson.

Thanks for playing, though, Boss.

Again, did you even read the story?

He made his decision. It was everybody else that is publicizing it. Some of his teammates also quit. Because of the bad publicity and the others quitting in support, the school is now backtracking on its decision and wants to "further" discuss it.

My college coach was old school. To be a great runner you dressed like one and trained like one. Every year some freshman would show up in basketball shorts. He'd be sent home to change.

He had the uniform down to matching socks. They guy ran a tight ship and we respected him for it. Not that it's right but I do believe a coach has the right to have standards.

The Donger wrote:

My college coach was old school. To be a great runner you dressed like one and trained like one. Every year some freshman would show up in basketball shorts. He'd be sent home to change.

He had the uniform down to matching socks. They guy ran a tight ship and we respected him for it. Not that it's right but I do believe a coach has the right to have standards.

don't want no foxes hiding amongst the sheeple

I had a basketball coach that didn't allow mustaches. Like that would make a difference in how you would play.

After I quit my soph year I went fu-manchu for track and xc.

So no one else had guidelines on the hair style they could have on their high school team? I did.

Funny the lesson I learned from running was that no matter who you were, what school you ran for, how much money your daddy made, whether you lived in a big city or out in the sticks, short hair, long hair, afro or jerri curl- we were all equal when the gun went off.

The winner was the first person across the line-pink hair or crew cut.

The 1980s called. They want their rebel hairstyle back.

The Donger wrote:

My college coach was old school. To be a great runner you dressed like one and trained like one. Every year some freshman would show up in basketball shorts. He'd be sent home to change.

He had the uniform down to matching socks. They guy ran a tight ship and we respected him for it. Not that it's right but I do believe a coach has the right to have standards.

I agree with standards, but honestly the lessons a track coach should be worried about teaching are hard work= reward. That means showing up for practice, working hard when you're there, establishing long term and short term goals...

Worrying about facial hair, hair cuts and shows a lack of ability to look at the bigger picture. He's obsessing on minutia.

The Donger wrote:

Not that it's right but I do believe a coach has the right to have standards.

I'd say that's true.

And we have seen good coaches on either side of this.

I would never release someone for a haircut as a coach.

Especially in running.

It's an individual sport even if they run as a team.

Runners really aren't affected by their teammates like they are in other sports.

I find imposing hair restrictions on HS students silly. I've been in the military over 20 years and always encouraged both of my sons to grow their hair out. They kept it long for several years then eventually decided on their own to go short.

Why do you want to go around looking like everyone else? I really detest civillians that try to impose some kind of military standard. If that is what you want, man up and join the military.

Sambouie or mikejordan wrote:This kid has more character and dedication than you will ever have.

"When authorities allegedly told him to choose between his hair, which violated school policy, and the team, Barker says, “I picked family.""

Did you even read the story?

He didn't pick family. He picked pink hair. There's a difference.

This kid looks like an entitled retard.

This kid IS an entitled retard.

The kid is whining to get his way.

it will only take 3 minutes wrote:

Sambouie wrote:

No, he doesn't. He's the one whining. He didn't choose family; he's trying to choose both. Thus, he hasn't learned the life lesson.

Thanks for playing, though, Boss.

Again, did you even read the story?

He made his decision. It was everybody else that is publicizing it. Some of his teammates also quit. Because of the bad publicity and the others quitting in support, the school is now backtracking on its decision and wants to "further" discuss it.

That was a rather short story, so I'm left wondering if this young man was aware of this "hair rule" prior to dying his Mohawk pink? If he was, he should have talked with his coach first, and perhaps they could have come to a compromise. The very distraction he thought he wasn't going to be to his team he has become, as now his coaches are worrying about this along with all the other responsibilities they have. Many will argue it is the school's fault for implementing such a silly rule. Silly or not, the rule was there, and he should have done the adult thing and discussed it with his coaches first instead of just ignoring it. Not to mention people are lining up in support of him. This was supposed to be about his mother, his aunts and breast cancer. Unfortunately, this whole thing may have brought more attention to his mohawk. Sometimes these demonstrations of support don't work the way people want nor expect.

In any event, wishing good health to his mother.

genuine random a hole wrote:

asfadsfads wrote:

Administrators run amuck? Just how is a pink mohawk "interfere with the educational process"? And if it does, why is he allowed in school? What a joke. Too bad all these administrative clowns have a union and tenure to back them up.

Usually the administrators are NOT part of a union. But hey, any excuse to rant.

_______________________

As in any union, mine included, when you move up to management, you leave the union. I would say with confidence that almost all unions are separate from the management or administrator positions.

This is why bosses are seen as the enemy in most unions.

This school administrator got it wrong. He/she would have become a big hit with the community. Instead, they are now a big jerk who will never be liked or trusted.