A two-month investigation found Hayfield High School's football program did nothing wrong regarding transfers and eligibility.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid announced the findings of the investigation Tuesday night.
"A thorough external review did not substantiate the allegations of student-athlete recruitment violations and confirms that Hayfield student-athletes meet residency requirements," Fairfax County Public Schools said in a release on its website. "An external investigation of allegations of retaliation against FCPS employees concluded that they too were unsubstantiated."
The investigation centered in part on whether students from Freedom-Woodbridge High School had followed head coach Darryl Overton to Hayfield and were not living in Hayfield's school district. Overton led Freedom to the last two Class 6 state football titles. Hayfield announced his hire in February.
Darryl Overton is leaving Freedom High School in Woodbridge to become the new head football coach at Hayfield in Alexandria.
The release said that Fairfax County Schools conducted an initial investigation and that there was "no validity to these allegations."
On July 1, the release said Reid retained legal counsel of Cynthia Hudson to "conduct her own thorough legal review of the evidence collected." Hudson is a former chief deputy attorney general for Virginia.
"That review has now been completed and did not substantiate the allegations published in local media that the Hayfield HS head football coach used his position to illegally recruit players from Freedom HS," the release said. "The investigation also did not substantiate the allegations that students on the Hayfield High School football team did not reside in the Hayfield HS attendance zone. This included home visits and detailed conversations with parents and guardians."
The release said 19 witnesses were interviewed including "including FCPS principals, directors of student services, directors of student activities, administrative staff, central office leadership, and parents.
"Attorney Hudson reviewed the witness statements She also had unrestricted access to FCPS documents and records and reviewed a large volume of such materials. FCPS did not object to any witness interview or information request.
The investigation found that the initial allegations were based on rumor and innuendo that, upon examination, lacked supporting objective evidence."
For the complete release, go here
Hayfield begins its season Thursday against West Springfield.
(10) comments
It's real funny how all of you say Overton is a long time cheater. That man runs a youth program with around 300 to 400byouths. Yet he only had 60 kids total in the freedom program. The jv had to dress up just to fill the sidelines on Friday nights. If he's a cheater he's the worst cheater I've ever seen. If he has access to hundreds of kids why did he have to leave freedom feeling that he couldn't sustain the program because of the lack of numbers. He could have just recruited and stayed at Freedom. Why don't we investigate all the schools in Fairfax County and see if their kids residence is true. Or are those schools using the we have programs that their home schools don't have excuse. I guarantee there are some Fairfax county coaches shaking in their boots hoping they don't get investigated. And all the slander without proof. I guess the young lady who is a former deputy attorney General would put her reputation on the line for high school football. And further more, do you know how easy it is to verify residency. So I guess a parent can't move so their child could go play with a coach they been with their whole high school career. And thebyoung lady who started all this mess. She transfered her son to south county high school. Did she move or they had a special program that allowed him to transfer I to the school. They'll be investigating south county next because of her and her child. I hope
Tom, lots of censorship going on in here, be careful. If you don’t conform to the mandates of “Party Operatives” you’re likely to have your contributions censored.
The first step to tyranny is censorship.
The recent Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) investigation into the Hayfield Secondary School football program is, at best, misleading and fails to address the full implications of the situation. While the FCPS investigation cleared Hayfield of any wrongdoing regarding the transfer of players, it conveniently overlooked the looming reality that the team will likely be deemed ineligible for post-season tournaments by the Virginia High School League (VHSL). This omission raises serious concerns about the thoroughness and integrity of the investigation.
Given this potential outcome, the best course of action for Hayfield may be to chart a new path entirely—one that would allow the program to thrive without the constraints of VHSL regulations. By departing from VHSL post-season competition and operating independently, Hayfield could free itself from the oversight of both VHSL and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). This independence would enable Hayfield's athletes to sign their own Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, opening up significant financial opportunities for these young talents.
To support this new direction, Hayfield could establish a specialized sports academy modeled after Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). With funding from Fairfax County, the creation of a dedicated foundation, and the involvement of corporate donors, this academy could raise the necessary funds to enhance coaching staff salaries, improve facilities, and support interstate travel for competitions. This would allow Hayfield to compete against elite programs like Hargrave Military Academy, Malvern Prep, and IMG Academy—schools that regularly produce Division I athletes.
These athletes are of that caliber, and regardless of how they arrived at Hayfield, the reality is that they are there now and deserve to be promoted and developed to their full potential. A public-private partnership would not only benefit the students but also position Hayfield as a leader in innovative educational and athletic initiatives. By embracing school choice and leveraging community and corporate support, Hayfield could create a unique environment where student-athletes are prepared not just for college sports but for success on the national stage.
In pursuing this path, Hayfield would effectively bypass the limitations imposed by VHSL and NFHS, creating a self-sustaining, high-performance athletic program that could serve as a model for other schools across the country. This approach would ensure that the talent currently at Hayfield is not wasted due to bureaucratic red tape and instead is nurtured in an environment that prioritizes excellence and opportunity.
In conclusion, the FCPS investigation may have cleared Hayfield of any immediate wrongdoing, but it did not address the future challenges that the program is likely to face under VHSL rules. By moving toward independence and establishing a TJ-style sports academy, Hayfield can provide its athletes with the opportunities they deserve while positioning itself as a trailblazer in high school athletics. This bold move would demonstrate a commitment to excellence and innovation, ensuring that Hayfield's student-athletes can compete at the highest levels without being hampered by outdated and restrictive regulations.
[thumbup]
This is what these kid’s parents are teaching their kids, (we can manipulate the system). If it wasn’t true then Freedom of Woodbridge’s program would have a larger turn out from last year’s team, but all the recruits from Woodbridge transferred out to Hayfield,,FACT!!!
Also, the guy who wrote this article David Fawcett also knows how big of a cheater Overton is, but he is afraid to write about it because he is scared of Overton. Fawcett will ask different coaches about the cheating, but is afraid to act on the information and write about it.
Come on big Dave, expose the truth!
FCPS turned their backs on the Hayfield kids, Hayfield community, and every student in FCPS. Overton and clan pulled the race card on FCPS, and the weak superintendent scared to pull the trigger on them. She knows that they don't live in Hayfield boundaries, they have clear evidence. Overton is a career cheater, this is why nobody respects him. The OTF people can get on here and bash me all they want, at the end of the day, they know that they are cheating. None of those Freedom kids live in Hayfield boundaries, how do I know this? I teach at HAYFIELD, and kids don't lie. They will flat out tell you that they don't live any where near the school.
The new region 6 superintendent is from Richmond, so is the new shady/dirty principal, they have been working together to get all of these Freedom kids in. The brains behind the entire operation is Hayfields new DSA. All are Narcissists who don't care about the real Hayfield kids. The New DSA will flat out tell you that he runs the school, not the principal.
Hayfield is a toxic mess, and nothing will fix it until a change is made at the very top.
I read somewhere the other day that Hayfieldby40 actually means depending on traffic get to Hayfield in 40 minutes from anywhere in the DMV.
Also, does anyone know why Overton always parks in the Handicap spot?
Overton is a cancer, and that cancer is in FCPS, for now..............
Fairfax Co. the joke is on you. Everyone knows (except the investigators) whats happening. The coach may not have recruited the players but let them know that they could come to play for him at Hayfield. Most of the new enrolled players are wrongfully addressed in the school district. It’s wrong that the legally enrolled students will not make the team or will not play because this is allowed to happen.
You and Mike are botbudz.
Senor Dumpy, please give your comment a “thumbs down.”
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