Dani Crandall shines in life after high school

By: Mackenzie Place '13

Many of people have walked the halls of Eaton Rapids High Schools like we are today, but only a few have stood out for their high achievements. Dani Crandall falls into that group. Dani’s high school experience was much like all of ours. She had good friends and good times. One thing set her apart from most though, and that is her success in the classroom and on the court.

                Dani excelled on the basketball court in many ways. She was a four year varsity player for Eaton Rapids High School. She broke three school records in her career. She set the free throws made in a season record with 105 (Broken by Allie Dittmer last season with 106) , she made the most free throws in a career with 297, and she also had the most rebounds in a career with 699; and she also finished 2nd all-time in total points with 1,101. Her former coach, Mr. Whitmyer, said that, “Dani Crandall was a dream come true to a coach; she worked hard, complained little, and she made players around her better.” Taylor Hiemstra was a freshman when she was on the same team with Dani. “She was a great leader, the whole team looked up to her and if we had any thing we needed help with she was there.” Dani is now playing girls basketball for her third year at Grand Valley State University this winter. When asked about her upcoming season she said “Basketball is going really well this year. I think we are going to have a great season.”

Dani Crandall is now a junior at GVSU, “I love this school a lot. It is a really nice place with a lot of great people.” She loves how far away, but how close it is to Eaton Rapids. It is the perfect distance to come home and go back as she pleases. Dani is pursuing her degree in Exercise Science. After that she plans on attending graduate school to become a doctor or a physical therapist. She is still undecided on what graduate school to attend. She’s had good memories at GVSU; one of those including her study abroad program in the Dominican Republic. “I will never forget the people I met down there or the things I got to do.”

Dani is also very involved in the community at GVSU. She is part of the AWC (Athletes Who Care) which is an organization that allows them to reach out and give back to the community. Dani is also part of the SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee) which puts on events for the university's students. ERHS also takes a lot of pride in raising money of all the G.L.I.A.C schools for the Make-A-Wish foundation. “As you can see I am very busy with all of my activities, and that doesn't even include my school work.”

Dani is an Eaton Rapids High School Alumni that the school can be proud of. Her final note is, “It can sometimes be challenging to be a student-athlete, but I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything.”