From the Rock Hill Herald:
http://www.buzzfans.com/sports/story/5524916p-4976755c.html Eligibility of Trojans' standout questioned
By Barry Byers The Herald
(Published February 14‚ 2006)
The eligibility of Northwestern High School soccer standout Nathan Arroyo, the top senior soccer player in the state, has come into question and his career could be over unless the school gets a favorable ruling from the South Carolina High School League.
High school athletes in South Carolina are allowed eight straight semesters of eligibility once they reach the ninth grade. In question is a year Arroyo spent at a private school in Atlanta, where he did not participate in athletics.
While checking Arroyo's transfer transcripts on Friday, Northwestern athletics director Jimmy Wallace discovered there could be a problem.
"We missed catching the extra year because of a clerical error,'' Wallace said Monday. "The league rules state that once you enter the ninth grade, you have eight straight semesters to complete your eligibility. Because Nathan attended a private school for a year, then transferred to a public school and repeated the grade, he's in his 10th semester right now.
"But this isn't over. I've talked to the high school league and they told me that our principal needed to send a letter of explanation. We will draft the letter this afternoon and get it to them right away. They will make a decision on the rules that define eligibility and will get back with us as soon as possible with their decision.''
Arroyo's transcripts show that he started high school in 2002, which would make him eligible. While going over the papers during the process of doing eligibility forms for the school's soccer players, Wallace saw the word "transfer" next to several classes.
Talking with Arroyo, Wallace learned of the year in private school.
Arroyo, who moved to Rock Hill from Atlanta before the 2004-05 school year, was named Class AAAA Player of the Year last season, after scoring 46 goals and piling up 122 points.
The Trojans finished 25-2 and were ranked No. 1 in Class AAAA all but one week during the regular season. They were ranked No. 1 nationally for four weeks by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Northwestern is ranked No. 1 heading into this season, which starts in March.
Former Northwestern soccer coach Nick Finotti said last spring that several Division I schools were prepared to offer Arroyo a scholarship.
Arroyo was the punter for Northwestern's football team in the fall after Bart Blanchard went down with an injury in the season opener. If the high school league rules Arroyo ineligible, Wallace said the Trojans could end up forfeiting the four football games they won.
According to Wallace, Arroyo will be allowed to practice with the soccer team but will not be allowed to compete in scrimmages or games.
Roger Hazel of the SCHSL said the situation would be discussed once the letter arrives from Northwestern. If a hardship that would allow Arroyo to play is asked for, it would be considered before a ruling is made.
If the ruling goes against Arroyo, Hazel said, Northwestern can file an appeal for a hearing before the high school league's executive committee. Hazel said the group's next meeting is scheduled for April.
Stacy Winne, Arroyo's stepfather, said his son did not play sports at the private school, but went there to improve his grades. Because his grades did not improve, he and his wife moved Arroyo back to a public school the following year to repeat the ninth grade.
"All we want for Nathan is for him to play so he can enjoy the sport he loves so much," Winne said. "He wants to play soccer at a big college and to do that you have to play and be seen.
"We can understand why the rule is in place, to keep schools from holding a kid back a year so he can get bigger and stronger. But that is not the case here. What we did in Atlanta was based on grades, and Nathan has worked hard to improve his GPA in his two years at Northwestern."
Barry Byers • 329-4099
bbyers@heraldonline.com