The mother of a transgender volleyball player has criticised school officials in California after an opposing team forfeited a scheduled match rather than play against her daughter.
Jurupa Valley High School’s girls’ volleyball squad, which includes transgender athlete AB Hernandez, was set to face Riverside Poly High School on August 15. The game was cancelled when Riverside Poly announced it would not take part, later releasing a statement describing the decision as “disappointing” but insisting the school remained committed to providing “a safe, positive environment for all student-athletes throughout the season.”
Parents who spoke to local media said the forfeit was linked directly to Hernandez’s inclusion on the Jurupa Valley roster, though they claimed the decision was made by school officials rather than the players themselves.
Amanda Vickers, a member of the Riverside Unified School District board, spoke to Fox News Digital after the cancellation, citing the case of Payton McNabb, a North Carolina high school volleyball player who sustained a head injury in 2022 during a game against a transgender athlete. “Tonight, the girls of Riverside Poly High School, they’re not going to end up like Payton McNabb,” Vickers said.