Wisconsin student is suing WIAA for not letting her play lacrosse

A high school senior from Middleton is representing herself in court against the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s transfer rules that are keeping her from playing lacrosse her last year of high school. 

Keira Cason, 18, attended a private boarding school in Connecticut until last year, when she withdrew halfway through her senior year for health reasons. 

She moved home and decided to redo her senior year at Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart, in Madison. 

Keira planned on playing lacrosse, but she was denied by the WIAA. 

She filed a complaint April 7 in Dane County Court, saying she has never played a varsity sport before and was not “team shopping.”

According to the WIAA, “a student who transfers from any school into a member school will be subject to the transfer rules for one calendar year, unless the transfer is made necessary by a total and complete change in residence by parent(s).”

Transfer rules are in place to prevent schools from “stacking” the best players.

WIAA could not immediately be reached for comment. 

This is not the first time the organization’s transfer rules have been challenged in court.

In February, a Baraboo family sued the WIAA for not allowing their daughter to play softball at Baraboo High School after transferring from a private school.

The following month, a judge ordered a temporary injunction letting the student play. 

Keira’s father, Todd Cason, said he believes this case is similar. 

Todd Cason is a former attorney and now a pediatrician. He is not representing Keira, but he has advised her on the case. 

He said he understands the reasoning behind transfer rules and waivers, but those don’t apply to Keira.

“These rules are designed to stop the kid who excels at some particular sport and wants to move to a different school where they’ve got a great team and a great coach,” Todd Cason said. “None of that applies here.”

Keira was a freshman at boarding school in Connecticut in 2020-21 when the COVID-19 pandemic affected schools across the nation. All sports were canceled that year. 

The following year, sports returned and Keira played volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. Her junior year, she played lacrosse. She never played on a varsity team. 

During her senior year, Keira experienced mental health issues and withdrew from school. 

According to Keira’s complaint, she’s attending Edgewood because that’s where her parents reside, noting it has nothing to do with sports. 

The WIAA’s rules state that students entering 12th grade as a transfer are ineligible to compete at any level for one calendar year, but they may practice. However, this requirement may be waived if documentation detailing an extenuating circumstance is presented.

Keira’s complaint states that she did present that information but was still denied because she used up her eight semesters of eligibility to play a sport.

Todd Cason said the WIAA is not taking into account the one year his daughter could not play because of COVID.

“She has overcome mental health problems, changing schools and having to repeat senior year with grit, grace and success,” Todd Cason said. “She’s just a regular kid who wants to play a sport her senior year.”