Granada Hills Kennedy softball coach is the latest to be banished [Updated]

Call it the mysterious disappearance of veteran coaches at Granada Hills Kennedy under Principal Suzanne Blake.

First baseball coach Manny Alvarado was banished.

Last fall, football coach Dion Lambert disappeared before the start of the first game. And on Wednesday, Craig Becker, who guided the Golden Cougars to the City Section Division I championship game in softball last season, was replaced.

Becker said Blake told him on Friday that he was suspended for writing a letter that she felt was inappropriate to the City Section athletics office that criticized Time Warner Cable.

Becker, the softball coach for 10 years, said, “My interpretation is she doesn’t want sports.”

John Aguirre, the City Section commissioner, said he informed Blake about Becker’s letter in an email. The City Section had requested schools to have players participate in submitting information about their program as part of a website marketing initiative. Becker refused to participate, citing Time Warner Cable’s failure to televise last season’s softball final.

“He was inappropriately denying opportunities to students at Kennedy based on his feelings,” Aguirre said.

As usual, the Kennedy administration has no comment. Athletic Director Kevin Kanemura declined to return calls, saying in a text message it was a personnel matter.

The school still doesn’t have a football coach for the upcoming season.

Welcome to As the World Turns in Kennedy athletics.

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