Kenneth Lawler

Men's Track and Field Head Coach

Office: Gym 312

Kenneth Lawler is a native of California, with more than 36 years in athletics. Lawler, who was the architect of California's number one community college defense in 2016, is going into his 8th season, which includes 2010 season with SBVC. He continues to strive for a Wolverines' Championship, 2010 and 2015 American Mountain Division Champions, 2013-Patriotic Bowl, and 2015-Golden State Bowl. He continues to share his multitude of skills and various levels of football knowledge and experience with fellow coaches and student-athletes. He is known as a great husband, father, coach, mentor, leader and friend, by many of his peers. No stranger to winning victories and championships, Lawler started his journey by winning multiple track and field championships throughout his high school career. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Oregon in 1978 and played 2 seasons before a knee injury cut short his playing career.

Before leaving Pasadena City College as the head coach, Lawler helped turn around a 0-10 team, by directing the Lancers to their first .500 season in five years. The Lancers opened up the next season at 5-0, the only Mission Conference squad to be undefeated at the season’s half way mark. Lawler was also a successful assistant coach at Boise State University (Idaho) and Mt. San Antonio College. While at Boise State, Lawler was a secondary coach for a program that went 29-5 in his three seasons (2000-2002), including two Humanitarian Bowl victories and two conference championships.

He spent eight seasons (1995-1999, 2003-2005) at Mt. SAC as the Mounties assistant coach, defensive coordinator and the program’s assistant head coach. Earlier in his career, Lawler was a defensive backs coach on the 1997 National Championship team that went a perfect 12-0 and captured the Mission Conference Title and state number one ranking.

Lawler’s commitment to his student-athletes does not stop once they leave the field; he has guided and successfully helped more than 300 players receive scholarships at 4-year universities. In nineteen community college seasons, he has coached 17 JC All-Americans. He has trained over 15 players that went on to the NFL, his most recently being wide receiver David Reed, drafted in 2010 by the Baltimore Ravens. As well as All-Pro defensive back, Chris McAlister, who also played for the Baltimore Ravens. In addition to 2008 Super Bowl champion linebacker Antonio Pierce of the New York Giants and Quintin Mikell who won the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 at Boise State and played 12 years in the NFL. Lawler's son, Kenny, was a 2016 NFL Draft 7th Round selection of the Seattle Seahawks.

Besides playing the game, Lawler is genuinely interested in his student-athletes work in the classroom. He holds his student athletes responsible to their commitment off the field as he does on the field.

Kenny and his wife Mary are both passionate about football and look forward to a successful 2018 season. Combined, Lawler and his wife are blessed with six beautiful children and one grandson. Lawler has 20 years of teaching Physical Education at the community college level and holds an AA and BS in Liberal Studies from Excelsior College in Albany, NY.