‘They said my photos were inappropriate’: US ex-volleyball player turned model Kayla Simmons on clashes over half-naked snaps
American former volleyball player and popular Instagram model Kayla Simmons has revealed she was subjected to severe criticism from college administrators during her sporting career for posting revealing pictures online.
Simmons was born into a sporting family; her father played baseball at the University of Florida and her great-grandfather pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The athlete also dreamt of a successful sports career, becoming the volleyball team captain at Marshall University and leading her squad to four district titles.
However, her stunning sporting achievements didn’t stop her from clashing with college administrators, who asked her to delete her Instagram page due to the nature of the photographs she was posting.
The 25-year-old, who swapped sport for modeling, said the college experience taught her “some valuable lessons” when she was reprimanded for sharing scantily clad pictures.
“College athletics was a great experience for me, but it also taught me some valuable lessons,” Simmons said.
“I was told by my school administrators that the pictures I post are inappropriate because of my body; I was even asked to delete my Instagram at one point. I was torn, because I felt I couldn’t embrace my body and play the sport I love. I’ve since learned that you can’t let other people affect how you feel about yourself,” she continued.
Prior to her volleyball success, Kayla was a competitive cheerleader for five years and even won three national championships.
She later discovered a passion for modeling, becoming an Instagram star and racking up nearly 435,000 followers.
