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The Student News Website of Francis Howell North High School.

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The Student News Website of Francis Howell North High School.
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Langness returns with hopes to play

Approved. This was the word junior Danielle Langness had been hoping to hear for the past 2 months.

This was the word she needed to hear so badly, the two syllables that Langness and her parents drove out to Columbia, MO, to hear. This was the word that after much toil and frustration would allow Langness to play soccer for North once again.

On March 11, Langness had to go before a Board of Directors under the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) for a hearing in Columbia, MO. It was there that it was decided Langness would be eligible to play varsity soccer for North.

“The only reason she [Langness] can’t play is because she transferred schools,” Athletic Director Mike Janes said. “She played here, she left, and now she’s back. And MSHSAA has got a problem with that.”

MSHSAA’s problem was that Langness violated their Eligibility Standards, more specifically a by-law stating that no athlete can transfer schools for athletic reasons. In Langness’ case this law applied to her transfer from a college prep school in Minnesota known as Shattuck St. Mary’s, back to North.

“In the state of Minnesota, you get one freebie to transfer schools,” Langness said. “But in Missouri you are not allowed to transfer varsity to varsity anywhere.”

Langness’ “freebie” was used when she transferred from North to Shattuck St. Mary’s. However, when Langness transferred, a soccer injury prevented her from playing and soon forced her to leave Shattuck after a short 4-month stay.

“I left because of my injury,” Langness said. “I went in with my injury and I was there for 4 months. It never healed. I tried playing on it but the more I played the worse it got.”

It was then, when Langness came back to Missouri, that MSHSAA denied her eligibility to play varsity. Soon after, the Langness’s appealed the decision. At the hearing, Langness and her parents received 15 minutes to present any and all evidence they had to prove a hardship, which is to say a reason why Langness had to come home.

“[A hardship] is where the parents of the student have to prove that it was an unforeseeable or unintentional circumstance for her coming back,” Janes said. “ In her case it’s going to be a lack of medical attention.”

At the hearing, the Board of Directors voted in favor of Langness, allowing her to play varsity soccer once again for North.

“To tell the truth, I have a sick feeling in my stomach,” Langness said before Tuesday’s MSHSAA hearing. “I’m really scared because even if I can’t play for one year, that’s one year I’m not exposed, and your junior year is a really critical year for college.”

While Langness has high hopes for college, she will, for now, focus on her high school play.

“This year I’m [probably] going to be a forward or a center-mid,” Langness said.

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