A California high school volleyball game ignited heated debate when Riverside Poly High forfeited rather than play against a team with a transgender athlete.
Jurupa Valley High’s girls’ squad, which includes trans player AB Hernandez, was scheduled to face Riverside Poly on August 15. Instead, Riverside Poly pulled out. The school later called the decision “disappointing,” but argued it was about ensuring a “safe, positive environment for all student-athletes.”
Parents Point to Hernandez’s Inclusion
Parents quickly told local media the forfeit was tied directly to Hernandez’s participation. They claimed the decision came from school officials—not the student players.
Riverside school board member Amanda Vickers defended the move in an interview with Fox News Digital. She referenced Payton McNabb, a North Carolina player injured in 2022 while facing a transgender athlete. “Tonight, the girls of Riverside Poly High School, they’re not going to end up like Payton McNabb,” she said.
Hernandez’s Mother Pushes Back
That comment drew a sharp response from AB’s mother, Nereyda, at a school board meeting.
“You are a board member. You have an oath to protect all children, not just the ones that fit your beliefs,” she said. “My daughter is not the problem. The problem is external groups using fear and religion to pit parents against each other.”
She continued: “This has nothing to do with fairness in sports and everything to do with erasing transgender children.”
A Pattern of Hostility
Sadly, this isn’t AB’s first experience with hostility. Earlier this year, about 30 adults—including school board members—heckled her at a track meet in Yorba Linda. The jeers grew so loud they caused a false start.
AB later told CBS News Los Angeles: “People just see one thing and that’s what you are. They swear I’m like this crazy danger to society. I’m just a normal kid going to school, playing sports.”
At postseason events, protesters wearing “Save Girls Sports” T-shirts also targeted her. School officials compared the shirts to hate symbols.
National Politics Enter the Debate
The issue has now drawn national attention. Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, threatening to cut funding for California schools that allow transgender athletes in girls’ sports. His administration also filed a lawsuit against state officials earlier this summer, calling the rules unfair to female athletes.
Family Stands Firm
For AB’s mother, the political spotlight only makes life more difficult for her daughter.
“My daughter deserves to play, just like every other child,” she said.
Despite Riverside Poly’s forfeit, the Hernandez family remains determined. They vow to keep fighting for AB’s right to compete.
