Jurupa Valley High School Seeking Opponents As Girls’ Teams Forfeit Over Male Athlete

Four girls' high school volleyball teams in California have forfeited rather than compete against Jurupa Valley this season. While none of the schools has explicitly given a reason, the overwhelming likelihood is due to the presence of a male athlete, AB Hernandez. 

Hernandez's presence on multiple Jurupa Valley girls' athletic teams has created a national controversy dating back to last year. 

Because of the forfeits, the girls on the Jurupa Valley volleyball team are losing opportunities to compete. The high school is now actively searching for other schools who were not previously on the schedule, willing to put their girls on the court against a male athlete. 

Jurupa Valley is looking for new volleyball opponents after girls’ teams refused to play due to concerns over a male athlete, AB Hernandez, on the roster.

(Getty Images)

Jurupa Valley High School sent a statement to OutKick via email: 

"JUSD remains committed to ensuring our student-athletes have the opportunity to play and showcase their sportsmanship, integrity, and leadership – ideals that are outlined in the CIF Code of Ethics and are an expectation of all student-athletes. We are working with schools who are willing to play to schedule matches, and we look forward to respectful competition with neighboring teams."

Chaffey High School Agrees to Match

One such school that accepted the invitation is Chaffey. As OutKick previously reported, Chaffey was not on Jurupa Valley's schedule this year. However, the game was later added to the schedule for Sept. 4. 

"We made a decision to play against Jurupa Valley in volleyball because it is an equitable match-up," Chaffey athletic director Chris Brown told the Los Angeles Times via email. 

"Chaffey and Jurupa Valley play each other in several sports. We make decisions on the basis for what is best for our kids and school. A few years back, we had COVID and kids couldn’t play at all for a while. It brings joy to my heart that we can have young people out there competing against each other, period."

Chaffey did not respond to several requests for comment from OutKick. In addition to asking when and why they decided to add the game to the schedule, we asked the school if they consulted the girls on the team. 

Their statement alludes to a "we" as far as the decision-making process, but it remains unclear whether that included input from the girls who will take the court against a male athlete.

Jurupa Valley Statement Suggests Player Expectations

As far as the Jurupa Valley statement, while it suggests that the school is actively reaching out to schools to find new opponents for its girls' volleyball team, it also includes a thinly-veiled threat towards the girls on its own team. 

The statement emphasizes that student-athletes must "showcase their sportsmanship, integrity, and leadership," as outlined in the CIF Code of Ethics. Some may interpret this as implying that players are expected to continue competing — and sharing locker room facilities — with a male athlete.

Should they choose not to do so, they would evidently be in violation of the CIF Code of Conduct. 

At the end of the day, the real losers here are the girls on Jurupa Valley’s volleyball team. Instead of simply playing volleyball, they’re caught in the middle of an agenda that puts ideology ahead of reality and fairness. 

The forfeits aren’t about a lack of sportsmanship — they’re about protecting opportunities for female athletes. And unless something changes, more schools may follow suit.