A Missouri high school volleyball team has been disqualified from the state tournament and stripped of their district title due to taking part in a non-school-sponsored charity event.
Houston High School in Houston, Missouri, about 140 miles southwest of St. Louis, released a statement Wednesday morning, saying, in part, “Houston Schools received the following information Wednesday morning from the Missouri State High School Activities Association: It is the opinion of the executive director that By-Law 3.13 has been violated and the penalty is forfeit by By-Law 1.2.3.a.1.
Upon review, our district learned that three members of the Houston High School Volleyball Team participated in the Salem Memorial Hospital Mammography Volley For A Cure co-ed volleyball tournament on Saturday, Oct. 21. Their involvement unknowingly violated the aforementioned MSHSAA bylaw 3.13.2.a”
While it’s understandable to see why the rule is in place, it feels like there should be a bit more leeway for a charity event.
Houston won the district championship over Licking High School last week, which has now been forfeited and has made it so Licking will replace Houston in the state tournament.
The decision has caused a bit of outrage on social media, as people have been ripping into the Missouri State High School Athletics Association and comparing this decision to some of the poor decisions the NCAA has made over the past few years.
Once again proving MSHSAA is like the NCAA…
— Brent Wilson (@brentwilson77) October 26, 2023
Regular move from organization that has a private school bias where moneyed politics rule. Thanks for ruining these young ladies dreams. Enjoy that ‘power play’!
— Steve Snider (@stevesnider2) October 26, 2023
lol what are we doing here? https://t.co/Efo4BINSSV
— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) October 26, 2023
There is not a sane person that would object to letting this slide. https://t.co/wjEQg8p3VK
— Order On The Court ⚖️ (@DataMizzou) October 26, 2023
About Robert O'Neill