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Girls’ high school volleyball teams in California have added two more games to their forfeit lists after schools opposing the Jurupa Valley High School girls’ team decided to sit out of upcoming matches amid a highly contentious controversy involving a transgender athlete on the team.

Maribel Munoz, mother of one of the players on the Jurupa Valley team, confirmed the development with Fox News Digital on Thursday after the team’s coach, Liana Manu, reached out to parents about the development. The forfeits were for games against Rim of the World High School on Friday, Aug. 25, and Orange Vista High School on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Jurupa Valley Unified School District (JUSD) also stated the latest forfeits, noting that the team was “disappointed and empathetic to the athletes at Jurupa Valley High School who are eager and ready to play.” The statement went on to note that the matches were being forfeited by other schools, not JUSD.

“We understand and acknowledge the disappointment of our Jurupa Valley High School athletes who are ready and prepared to play. Decisions to cancel matches were made by teams in other districts,” the statement read.

The district went on to note that under California law, schools cannot discriminate against students based on gender identity, citing Education Code 221.5 (f). That law reads, “A pupil shall be permitted to participate in athletic teams and sports in which the pupil participates at school, and in those athletic teams and sports offered by the school in which the pupil would like to participate, in a manner that is consistent with the pupil’s gender identity.”

The district said the legal advice they have received was in line with interpretations of the law by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“We are proud of our JVHS Jaguars and their willingness to play any team and represent their school and our district with pride,” the statement concluded. “JVHS is currently working to reschedule matches so that athletes will not miss playing opportunities.”

The latest forfeits come after Riverside Poly High School also forfeited an August 15 game against Jurupa Valley, with parents of players and one Riverside Unified School District board member confirming to Fox News Digital that the decision was made because of the transgender athlete on the opposing team, senior AB Hernandez.

The mother of Hernandez, Nereyda Hernandez, released a statement about the controversy on Thursday, asking for empathy and patience. “I understand the discomfort some may feel, because I was once there, too. The difference is, I chose to learn, to grow, and to open my heart,” she said.

Hernandez went on to note that her daughter was small, but not the smallest person on the team. “The reason she stands out is not because of how small she is or how much she can bench press. It is because of her talent and drive to be the best she can be,” Hernandez said.

“I understand you do not know this child, but I can assure you that your daughter sees this child just as I see your daughter, through the eyes of innocence and pureness,” she said, noting that her daughter had no idea about the forfeits until Thursday. “This is a child, and I can assure you that she sees your daughters as peers, as teammates, as friends, not through a lens of anything inappropriate.”

Hernandez is no stranger to national attention, having claimed two state titles for California this spring in the long jump and triple jump. The results prompted protests from other female track and field athletes and their families, some of whom showed up to the event wearing “Save Girls’ Sports” shirts. Then-President Donald Trump also went on Truth Social to blast California ahead of the state finals, noting that the state “should not be allowing this to happen” with respect to trans athletes, though not mentioning Hernandez by name.

In July, the U.S. Department of Justice also sued the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for its policy of allowing transgender athletes to play on sports teams that match their gender identity. That action came despite Trump signing an executive order in February directing the federal government to bar trans athletes from female sports teams.

On the court, this season should be about games. In Hernandez’s case, it should be about playing as she enters her senior season. Instead, the season is becoming defined by forfeits and community fissures.

“I feel like it’s been blown out of proportion,” Munoz, the Jurupa Valley parent whose daughter has played with Hernandez for the past three years, said. “It makes me feel sad, it makes me feel angry, frustrated, just so many emotions.”

The conflict has even led to school board meetings becoming fraught. At a recent Riverside Unified School District meeting, some parents spoke in support of the Riverside Poly athletes not playing, while others spoke in support of trans students playing on whatever sports team they identified with.

During the meeting, Nereyda Hernandez scolded Riverside board member Amanda Vickers for having previously spoken to Fox News Digital about the forfeit. “You actually entertained and welcomed harassment to my child,” Hernandez said of Vickers. “You are a board member. You have an oath to protect, to support all children, not just the ones that fit your ideas, your beliefs.”

She later added, “This has nothing to do with fairness in sports and everything to do with erasing transgender children. It’s hate groups … it’s not about fairness in sports. I’m sorry, but it’s politics, it’s fear-mongering, it’s organized, and it’s trying to divide us. We should be on the same page. This is not about fairness.”