Not a problem, except the Logan Park High School pupil's sport of choice is netball and it is against the rules.
The 15-year-old midcourter has been happily playing netball for the past six years and it was not until this year he ran into a problem.
"I'm pretty annoyed . . . " he said.
"It's unfair."
No-one has complained and it is the Dunedin Netball Centre which is behind his sudden expulsion rather than the school.
Chairman and international umpire Jono Bredin said the centre did not want to prevent boys from playing the sport but the rules were clear.
"The question is how do we best cater for boys in the sport?" Bredin said.
"And that is something we want to encourage but what is the right context to do that? If you go to the rules of the game it says it is for a single-sex competition.
"We do offer a mixed competition as part of our social league on a Wednesday and Thursday night."
Samuel-James understands it is against the rules but he just does not understand why.
According to his mother Christine Fisher, Samuel-James is not one of those massive teenage boys who can eat their own weight in food every 24 hours, and he is not the most gifted athlete or fierce competitor for that matter, either.
From that perspective he is not a threat to the girls' safety and she believes he should be allowed to continue playing.
Bredin said the board had to take a big-picture view and could not make judgements on a case-by-case basis.
"But what we have committed to, as a board, is looking at actually fostering interest to try and establish a boys' grade," Bredin said.
"If you remember, a couple of years back we had the Otago men's team playing in the premier competition, and that is one area of our sport which is completely untapped in terms of potential.
"It would be great to have a secondary schools tournament for boys.
"There is not one currently anywhere else in New Zealand but that is not to say we can't get one."
Netball New Zealand's policy is to allow boys to play in girls' teams up to year eight and Bredin certainly does not lack sympathy for Samuel-James' situation.
He grew up Gore and played netball as a child. But when he reached the point he could no longer play in a team, he switched to umpiring so he could stay involved in the sport.
His message to Samuel-James is to join a mixed team and play in the Wednesday and Thursday night leagues.
"I think he will find it will go some way to improving not only his interest in the sport, but also his skill level."
Samuel-James said he "may as well give it a go".
