LANCASTER, Texas — Lancaster High School senior Kenidi Glover remembers the moment she fell in love with basketball.
“This one season, my dad said, ‘Okay, while it's off-season volleyball, just get into this one game of basketball.’ It was a coed game," Kenidi recalled. "Ever since then, I never looked back.”
She was hooked.
“A little boy pushed her down and she vowed to get back at him,” said LaSonya Glover, Kenidi’s mother.
Basketball is Kenidi’s motivation. “It's definitely taught me a lot of patience because things aren't going to go your way all the time in the game,” Kenidi explained.
As a high school senior with college scouts watching, that patience has been put to the test.
Kenidi and another former Lancaster High School athlete were suspended for the season by the University Interscholastic League’s (UIL) local District Executive Committee (DEC) in October.
The DEC said the two violated UIL’s rule of transferring from Duncanville for athletic reasons.
“No parent wants to see their child hurt,” LaSonya said.
Lancaster’s new head coach LaJenna Howard is Duncanville’s former coach. She was suspended for UIL recruiting and other violations in 2020.
LaSonya said Kenidi transferred to Legion Prep first. Then, she transferred to Lancaster after Legion’s tuition increased and her parents reconciled their marriage. “I would love for them to be able to show someone this is how we came to this conclusion,” said LaSonya.
Students who transfer to multiple schools in a year must submit a Previous Athletic Participation Form explaining why. Both athletes’ forms were signed off by Duncanville and Lancaster.
The athletes appealed to the UIL’s state committee. On Monday, the UIL denied their appeal upholding the DEC’s decision.
“It was just like, wow. I didn't really know how to take all that in because I didn’t know why,” Kenidi said.
The two suspensions also join that of Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy. The UIL suspended them from this year’s postseason games and its coaches for two seasons for violations. Shortly after, Faith Family announced it was leaving the UIL.
“Until the UIL rules take into account the dynamics of open enrollment charter schools, it's become clear that we cannot fairly compete on their playing field. As such, Faith Family Academy has opted to withdraw from UIL competition -- for both athletics and academics,” said Attorney Tiger Hanner who represents the coaches.
“I admire how you were able to step away from their policies and say, ‘Hey, we have elite girls over here, and we're going to go out and play on an elite level,'” LaSonya said.
The Glovers are hoping to transfer to a non-UIL district. “We have other options right now, but for the kids that may be coming after her, that's who I'm really here for today," LaSonya explained. "There are people that came before us that had to just settle with what was said or what was done."
As for Kenidi, she continues to be patient.
“Even though I am hurt about the decision that they made, I know that God has bigger plans for me. No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” said Kenidi.