Two of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s most successful athletic departments will no longer be part of high school sports in Nevada over the NIAA’s new transgender-athlete policy.

Truckee and North Tahoe will move from the NIAA to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) when this spring season ends this month, a Tahoe Truckee Media official told Nevada Sports Net.

Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Superintendent Kerstin Kramer sent the following email to families in that school district explaining the decision.

Dear TTUSD Students and Families,

I’m writing to share an important update regarding our high school interscholastic athletics program. Effective with the start of the 2025/2026 school year, TTUSD High Schools will transition our interscholastic athletics affiliation from the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).

We understand how incredibly important high school sports are to so many of our students, families, and community members. Please know that this decision, while driven by our requirement to comply with California state law, was not taken lightly. Recent NIAA policy changes regarding student-athlete eligibility based solely on biological sex directly conflict with California laws protecting gender identity and expression, including AB 1955, which guarantees students’ rights to privacy and protects them from discrimination. Aligning with CIF ensures our compliance with state law.

Our focus moving forward is to ensure our student-athletes can continue to participate in robust and competitive interscholastic programs within CIF. We understand this transition may raise questions, and our dedicated team of athletic directors, coaches, nurses, and district staff is working diligently to address any potential impacts on schedules, travel, and eligibility.

We are working closely with the NIAA and CIF for a smooth transition and will share updates as details are finalized. An FAQ will be posted on our website soon, and a community update will be provided on May 16th. We are committed to keeping you informed during this process.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we work through this change. We are dedicated to continuing to provide a wonderful athletic experience for our students while also complying with state laws and requirements.

Sincerely, Kerstin Kramer, TTUSD Superintendent Chief Learning Officer

The NIAA, which oversees high school sports in the state, voted April 2 to ban transgender athletes during its Board of Control meeting. The move aligns the state with federal policy passed via an executive order by President Donald Trump, although it is in direct contrast with a 2023 Equal Rights Amendment to the Nevada Constitution that prevents the denial of equal rights on account of sex or gender expression.

“However, due to sex-linked differences in physical development and athletic performance, only sex, and not gender identity or expression, can be considered a relevant characteristic for eligibility on a girls’ or women’s team or sanctioned sport,” the NIAA wrote.

This policy will be adjudicated by a mandatory physical signed by a doctor who will check a box to deem the athlete a “male” or “female” based on their birth sex. This policy will begin in fall 2025. The move amends the NIAA’s 2016 policy that allowed athletic participation based on the gender identity, with approval from the school. Minnesota and California have defied the federal law and could draw federal investigations. The Tahoe Truckee Unified School District’s shift from the NIAA to the CIF keeps its in compliance with state laws.

Truckee and North Tahoe tied for the most state championships of any Northern Nevada school last season with both claiming five titles with Truckee competing in the Class 3A and North Tahoe in the 2A. No other local school had more than three state titles. Truckee’s football program is a powerhouse with 14 state titles, including nine of the last 23. The Wolverines won back-to-back state titles in football in 2022 and 2023 before losing in the state title game in 2024, ending a 34-game win streak.

A third California-based school, South Tahoe, also is a longtime NIAA member. The Vikings are not part of the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District — they’re in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District — and it’s unknown if that school will remain in the NIAA. NIAA executive director Timothy Jackson didn’t immediately return a call from NSN about this situation.