Jenson Daniel is a high school volleyball player who attends Yonkers High School in New York. However, male volleyball players at Yonkers High School have one pretty significant issue to deal with — there is no boys volleyball team because of a shortage of funds.
Unfortunately, Daniel is out of luck at the moment. The 17-year-old senior did what he had to do in order to play the sport he loves by signing up for the girls team, only to be told by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association that a boy on the girls team will not be allowed. The reason? He’s too tall, strong and fast of course.
Last year, Jensen was told he could be the team manager of the girls volleyball team — a team he had watched practice since his freshman year. He also got into several games but there were some objections raised by opposing coaches, one being that he wore mesh shorts instead of spandex like the rest of the female players.
“I felt that it wasn’t right,” he told The Journal News. “It was humiliating.”
But he kept wearing the spandex and kept playing in games, until it was ruled this year that he can no longer compete. Now, Daniel simply practices and warms up with the team.
“My teammates, my school, my church, my community — everybody supports (me),” Daniel said, adding that the theme of his college essay will be his battle to remain on the girls team. “I’m pretty confident. I’m going to fight it because nothing is given. You earn it, you take it. I’m going to fight it as much as I can.”
Like the cheering team that was disqualified for having a male compete, sometimes rules are rules — even if they don’t seem fair. Jenson is a victim of an unfortunate circumstance, but kudos to him for doing everything he can to overcome it.
