California Forfeits Spark Debate

Volleyball,Net.,In,The,Background,Is,A,Volleyball,Player,,A

California’s aggressive transgender athlete mandates are forcing high school girls’ teams to forfeit matches, sparking a fierce battle over fairness and the future of women’s sports.

Story Snapshot

Multiple California girls’ volleyball teams forfeited matches rather than compete against a team with a transgender athlete.
The controversy centers on state laws that compel schools to allow athletes to participate based on gender identity.
Student-athletes and families are voicing frustration over lost opportunities, fairness, and emotional harm.
The situation highlights growing tension between progressive mandates and traditional values in youth sports.

Multiple Forfeits Spark Outcry Over Transgender Athlete Participation

Several California high school girls’ volleyball teams—Riverside Poly, Rim of the World, and Orange Vista—have forfeited matches against Jurupa Valley High School due to the presence of AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete known for previous state-level victories in girls’ track and field. These decisions have not only disrupted the volleyball season but ignited a heated debate about fairness, female athletic opportunities, and the reach of progressive state mandates in public education.

🚨FIVE California girls' volleyball teams have forfeited games because Jurupa Valley High School insists on letting a MALE play on the girls' team.

Girls are losing their chance to compete for this nonsense.

When will @CAgovernor stop this madness?! pic.twitter.com/5pM5XjBYQU

— American Principles Project (@approject) August 25, 2025

The athlete in question, AB Hernandez, became a focal point after winning multiple girls’ track and field titles in spring 2025. Following this, three private schools formally challenged the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) gender identity policy, which mandates inclusion based on self-identified gender. As the 2025 volleyball season began, public schools responded with forfeits, rather than direct protest, due to fears of legal repercussions under California’s strict inclusion laws. This move stands as one of the most significant multi-school actions of its kind in the nation, reflecting growing resistance among parents and athletes.

Watch: California rocked by volleyball forfeit against team with trans athlete.

California Law and Mandates Leave Schools with Few Options

California’s Education Code 221.5(f) requires all public schools to allow students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, regardless of biological sex. The CIF, backed by state officials, enforces this policy rigorously. School districts and administrators are under intense pressure to comply, as any explicit refusal or protest risks lawsuits and state sanctions. As a result, schools choosing to forfeit avoid directly stating their reasons, though parent and board member comments confirm the forfeits directly relate to concerns about fairness and competitive balance when biological males compete in girls’ divisions.

Forfeiting schools, such as those in the Jurupa Unified School District, face a dilemma: comply with state law and risk undermining the integrity of girls’ sports, or take a stand and risk legal and financial consequences. This legal and policy environment limits the recourse available to concerned families, whose only remaining options are public advocacy and, as in these cases, refusing to compete under current rules. The power dynamic heavily favors state mandates, leaving traditional values and parental concerns sidelined.

Impact on Student-Athletes and the Broader Debate

The immediate impact of these forfeits falls hardest on student-athletes—both those on Jurupa Valley’s team and those at the forfeiting schools. Girls lose valuable opportunities to compete, train, and gain exposure for college recruitment. Emotional fallout is significant: some athletes feel excluded, while others feel their opportunities are being sacrificed to accommodate controversial policies.

On a broader scale, the situation in California has become a flashpoint in the national debate over transgender inclusion, women’s rights, and the balance between civil rights and fairness in athletics. This conflict between progressive policy and traditional values is fueling polarization in school communities and beyond.