The California high school girls’ volleyball playoff game on October 22 gained significant attention due to the presence of a transgender player. Two female athletes from opposing teams, who opted not to play that evening, shared their reasons publicly.
Jurupa Valley High School, featuring transgender athlete AB Hernandez on its girls’ team, faced a loss to Valencia High School amidst a crowd of demonstrators sporting “Save Girls Sports” shirts. This game concluded a controversial season for Jurupa, marked by multiple disqualifications, and it also brought an end to Hernandez’s high school volleyball career.
The parents of the two Valencia players, who chose to sit out the game, provided a statement from the girls, wishing to remain anonymous. They expressed concern after discovering that Jurupa would be fielding a transgender athlete.
The statement read, “On October 18, we learned about our match against Jurupa Valley in the CIF first round. As we scouted, we realized a transgender player would be competing against us, which made us apprehensive, especially since ten other teams had previously lost to them.” They went on to explain that their decision not to participate stemmed from their beliefs about fairness and the integrity of the sport.
They emphasized that their stance wasn’t aimed at Hernandez directly but was rooted in their Christian faith, which informed their belief that men should not compete in women’s sports. “It wasn’t an easy decision to sit out, but it felt necessary,” they noted. “We just want to continue enjoying the sport without compromising our values.”
The match wasn’t Hernandez’s debut in high school volleyball playoffs; she had participated in previous seasons as well. However, this year, the controversy surrounding her presence escalated into a broader political debate. Notably, when Hernandez was poised to compete in state finals for various events, President Trump expressed his opposition to allowing trans athletes in girls’ competitions, criticizing California’s approach.
The CIF opted not to follow Trump’s orders and instead formulated rules permitting female athletes to gain podium spots in events where they competed against Hernandez. As a result, Hernandez managed to earn top placements in several events.
As the current volleyball season concluded, Hernandez remains eligible for spring track and field competitions. Meanwhile, earlier this season, two Jurupa Valley senior players—McPherson and Hazameh—had withdrawn from the team as a protest against Hernandez’s involvement. They also filed a lawsuit against the school district regarding their experiences with Hernandez.
