All eyes are on Shakira January, a distinguished water polo athlete, as she prepares to represent South Africa at the upcoming 22nd World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

Scheduled from July 11 to August 3, January has been entrusted with the captaincy of the national women’s water polo team, a testament to the respect, trust, and admiration she has earned in the sport. “Being chosen to represent my country is not just an honour; it’s a responsibility I hold close to my heart. I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity and will give everything I have to make my team, and South Africa, proud.”

Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology at The IIE’s Varsity College Sandton, January exemplifies the modern student-athlete.

Also read: Shakira January sets her eyes on the 2025 World Aquatic Championships

While elite water polo demands rigorous training and commitment, January has managed to mirror that same level of discipline in her academic pursuits. “Balancing academics and sport is challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. I’ve learned that discipline and passion can help you overcome any obstacle, and I’m excited to bring that energy to Singapore.”

As an accomplished athlete and student, January has mastered the art of juggling rigorous training schedules with academic responsibilities. Her ability to maintain focus amidst international competitions and academic deadlines highlights her resilience and strong work ethic. “Success isn’t limited to one arena; it’s about passion, perseverance, and hard work. Whether it’s early morning training, international tournaments, or late-night study sessions, I believe these experiences shape who I am, both as an athlete and a student.”

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Transgender runner Sadie Schreiner is suing Princeton University after the school allegedly excluded the athlete from a May 3 women’s race. 

Schreiner’s lawsuit claimed the athlete attempted to participate in the women’s 200-meter sprint at the Larry Ellis Invitational as one of the 141 participants unattached to a university or club. The suit alleges officials told Schreiner the athlete could not participate 15 minutes before the race began. 

“I do not want to assume, but you are transgender,” a Princeton official allegedly told Schreiner, per the complaint.

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“The actions of the two Princeton officials were in blatant and willful disregard of Sadie’s rights based on Sadie’s rights as a transgender woman under controlling New Jersey law, thereby causing Sadie Shreiner to foreseeable emotional and physical harm,” the lawsuit argued.

Schreiner alleges the university violated the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, which designates “gender identity or expression” as a protected status.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Princeton University for a response. 

Schreiner previously competed for Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) women’s track and field team and gained national notoriety for dominating female opponents and frequent social media videos boasting about it as an openly transgender competitor. 

However, Schreiner was ruled ineligible to compete for RIT after the NCAA revised its gender eligibility policy Feb. 6, one day after President Donald Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on Feb. 5. 

RIT provided a statement to Fox News Digital confirming this on Feb. 12. 

“We continue to follow the NCAA participation policy for transgender student-athletes following the Trump administration’s executive order. Sadie is not participating in the next meet,” the statement said. 

Schreiner then competed at the USA Track & Field Open Masters Championships on March 1. 

There, Schreiner competed in the women’s 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash, taking first place in both events. 

Schreiner won the 400-meter dash by default, as the other participants in the event, Anna Vidolova and Amaris Hiatt, had no recorded times and were listed as DNS (did not start). 

In the 200-meter dash, Schreiner defeated 14-year-old runner-up Zwange Edwards, 16-year-old third-place finisher Zariah Hargrove, 15-year-old Leah Walker and 18-year-old Ainsley Rausch. That event also had multiple participants listed as DNS, including 18-year-old Jordan Carr, 46-year-old Amanda Taylor, Vidolova again and 16-year-old Paula Damiens.

TRANS ATHLETE SADIE SCHREINER NOT COMPETING FOR RIT WOMEN’S TRACK TEAM AFTER TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

Sadie Schreiner puts a transgender flag in the athlete’s hair before heading to the awards stand after finishing 3rd in the finals of the 200m race at the 2024 NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 25, 2024, in Myrtle Beach, SC.  (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

However, weeks after that, Schreiner posted an Instagram video claiming to have likely competed in Schreiner’s last organized track meet in the U.S. after a USATF event in Maine. 

“I very likely just ran what will be my last meet in the United States,” Schreiner said, later adding, “I will find a way to keep competing, but I doubt that will be in the United States.”

Schreiner said USATF changed its policy on transgender eligibility from the one used by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which allows biological males to compete in the women’s category, to the one used by World Athletics, which bans any athlete who has undergone male puberty from competing as a woman. The USATF’s official transgender eligibility policy does now reference the World Athletics guidelines on its official webpage. It previously referenced the IOCs policy, as seen in an archive via Wayback Machine. 

Schreiner has been a controversial figure in women’s track and field in the past year, especially after an appearance at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May. 

Earlier that month, Schreiner competed at the Liberty League Championship and won both the women’s 200- and 400-meter, breaking the 400-meter record in the process. Schreiner would have finished last by more than two seconds in the men’s competition.

Sadie Schreiner finishes 3rd in the finals of the 200m race at the 2024 NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 25, 2024, in Myrtle Beach, SC.  (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

In late January, Schreiner bragged after winning an event against female opponents. 

“Not the race I was looking for at all this week, my spikes nearly fell off on the turn and with a poor start my time wasn’t nearly what I wanted,” the runner wrote in an Instagram post.

“The good news is that the season just started, and I’m going to leave everything on the track at nationals,” Schreiner added with a transgender pride flag emoji.

On Jan. 17, Schreiner took first place in the 200- and 400-meter dashes at the Brockport Friday Night Rust Buster, taking top spots over two female seniors. In the 200-meter dash, Schreiner beat RIT teammate Caroline Hill by 1.5 seconds and took first place in the 400-meter dash from Brockport’s Marissa Wise by nearly 3.5 seconds. Schreiner’s results achieved automatic qualification for the All-Atlantic Regional Track and Field Championships.

On Jan. 24, Schreiner took first place in the 200-meter dash at the RIT Friday Meet, beating out Liberty League junior Lexi Rodriguez of Brockport with an even faster time. On Jan. 30, Schreiner took first place in the 200- and 400-meter dashes against Liberty League opponents.

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Sadie Schreiner races to qualify in the 400m race at the 2024 NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 24, 2024, in Myrtle Beach, SC.    (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Schreiner also spoke out against states and colleges that were not offering the trans athlete a full scholarship when Schreiner wanted to transfer in December. The athlete blamed laws in 25 states that prohibit trans athletes from competing with girls and women. 

“Among all the hurdles transfers usually have, there is an extra layer because it is trans, 50% of the country banned me from participating and that meant I couldn’t attend any of those colleges even if they reached out to me with a full ride,” Schreiner said.

“It also became clear that states that did, no matter how adamant the coaches were to have me on their teams, the college administrations would usually stop them from allowing me to participate.” 

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At Chelsea Piers you will find colleagues who are passionate about what we do. Careers at Chelsea Piers offer unmatched facilities and proven career growth opportunities for people who are passionate about transforming the lives of our community through sports, fitness, and event experiences. We also offer excellent benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and discounts at Chelsea Piers Athletic Club.

Chelsea Piers Athletic Club is looking for a passionate and qualified Volleyball Club & Program Director to join the dynamic athletics leadership team. When you work at Chelsea Piers, you are part of a team that plays and works hard to accomplish its goals. If you’re smart, people-oriented, want to grow and develop professionally and have a passion for sports, fitness and helping people, you belong at Chelsea Piers Athletic Club!

The club has grown exponentially in the past four years – expanding from 11 to 18 teams, and 115 to 250 athletes. In 2025, our U17 National team competed at USAV National Championships, the first in program history to receive a bid. Three other National teams were seeded in the top flight at GEVA Regional Championships – making them top contenders in the region. Our Select and Regional teams have also consistently shown strong performances in top competitions.

As the Volleyball Club & Program Director, you’ll be the face of our volleyball club, engaging with athletes, families, and key external stakeholders. This role is ideal for someone who has played and/or coached at a high-level and is committed to developing young people through sports. You will lead a team of committed professional coaches and oversee a wide range of offerings from learn-to-play camps and clinics, through nationally competitive teams. Key responsibilities and areas of oversight below may be tailored to match up with a strong candidate’s unique talents.

Primary Responsibilities

Leadership:

• Further develop CPVB Club into the preeminent program in the region
• Develop overall volleyball curriculum and coaching philosophy for competitive teams
• Devise best-in-class youth volleyball programming for athletes of all levels, from learn to play through recreational
• Collaborate with Leadership on club strategy to further develop pipeline from youth programming to club teams to ensure long-term sustainability
• Foster a positive team culture by supporting coaches with regular communication, staff meetings, check-ins, clear expectations, and development opportunities
• Conduct regular performance reviews for coaching staff and provide timely, constructive feedback to support professional growth and accountability

Coaching:

• Serve as head coach for one national team and one regional team
• Serve as team coordinator for all other teams, and be placed on rosters to enable attendance and bench position at competition

Organization

• Recruit, hire, onboard and retain volleyball coaches across all offerings – club, camp, clinic, and state teams, to ensure entire program staffed appropriately and operating efficiently
• Serve as primary point of contact for all parent and other inquiries
• Oversee all aspects of private lesson business – from initial inquiry to coaching assignment and schedule coordination
• Manage payroll processes for all volleyball coaching staff, ensuring timely and accurate submissions
• Liaise with sports marketing staff for sales collateral production, ensure brand consistency, and assist in uniform procurement process
• Other duties as assigned by Senior Leadership

Please note: This job description reflects the core responsibilities of the role but is not all-encompassing. Duties may evolve and additional responsibilities may be assigned by senior leadership as needed.

Schedule: Full-Time, weekdays and weekends. Varies based on season and business needs. Travel required while in-season.

Start Date: ASAP

Compensation: Base salary – $60,000-$75,000/year, depending on experience. $100,000+ per year total earning potential (base salary + bonus + private instruction)

Qualifications

• Minimum of two years of coaching and/or athletic administration experience
• Strong interest and/or experience in the youth sports industry
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Self-starter with a successful history of building high-performing teams
• Organized, analytical and great problem solver 
• Positive attitude and ability to work as part of a team

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(K)
• Chelsea Piers Club membership, and discounts on additional programming  
• Subsidized daycare (subject to availability)
• Attractive paid vacation and sick time

You can see our full list of benefits here.