STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Coaches Fired After Assistant Impersonates 13-Year-Old Girls Basketball Player

Arlisha Boykins, 22, put on a jersey and joined the match.

Portsmouth Public Schools in Virginia fired a 22-year-old junior varsity assistant girls basketball coach Jan. 25 after she impersonated a 13-year-old player and appeared in a game, local station WAVY reports.

On Jan. 21, Arlisha Boykins stepped onto the court for one of the players on the Churchland High JV team in Suffolk against Nansemond River.

The girl’s parents, unaware that Boykins suited up in the number 1 jersey for Churchland and playing under their daughter’s name, told WAVY that she was out of town at a club basketball tournament.

The teenager plans to transfer to another school, and the family is demanding an apology.

Mom Of Teenager Who Encouraged Her Daughter To Punch A Girl During A Basketball Game Ordered To Pay $9K

School officials also fired the head coach. The season is now over for the Churchland High School JV and varsity team. Parents and players decided to opt out of the remainder of the season after a meeting with school officials.

“Coaches always preach to the kids about integrity and those types of things, so I was just shocked,” the father of the impersonated student told WAVY.

Billy Haun, the executive director of the Virginia High School League, told local station WVEC that this was the second time in his seven-year tenure when a coach impersonated a student athlete. “When our coaches don’t do what they’re supposed to do they’ve failed their kids, and that’s disappointing," he said.

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.