Playoff Games Decision Made By Football Coaches Who Mulled Forfeits

FAIRFAX, VA — Six Fairfax County high school football coaches who earlier this week were considering not participating in Thursday night’s playoff games sent a letter Thursday morning to schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid saying their teams will all play.

“As football coaches representing six schools in the Virginia High School League Region 6C, we want to make clear that, despite Fairfax County Public Schools’ lack of transparency and the decision to allow a school found in violation of VHSL regulations to participate in the Virginia state playoffs, we have collectively decided that our teams will compete in the postseason,” the coaches wrote in a letter sent to Reid Thursday morning.

Coaches Trey Taylor of Fairfax High, Mike Dougherty at Lake Braddock Secondary, Anthony Parker of West Springfield High, Gerry Pannoni of South County High, Chadwick Louisville of West Potomac High and Chad Lewis of Edison High signed the letter.

“We owe it to our players, their families, and our communities to honor their hard work, dedication, and commitment to the game,” the coaches wrote. “We do not want our players to miss out on any part of their high school football careers."

On Tuesday, the coaches sent a letter to Reid expressing concerns over a Fairfax County Circuit Court decision to allow Hayfield's varsity football team to compete in the first round of the Class 6 Region C playoffs. The injunction was in response to a lawsuit filed by Hayfield parents seeking to overturn the Virginia High School League’s decision to bar the football team from participating in postseason play for two years.

On Tuesday night, Reid met with principals and coaches of the communities that have been directly impacted by the situation. In order to minimize future concerns and ensure that FCPS' student-athlete eligibility standards are clear, she plans to implement:

1. A comprehensive and independent external investigation and review of all student athlete transfers and eligibility practices across all sports and in all of the system's high schools.
2. A review and revision, where necessary, to FCPS athletic protocols and procedures. Led by the Office of Student Activities and Athletics programs, and in partnership with coaches and administrators, this will include a division-wide review of current practices in evaluating student athlete transfers both inside and outside the division.

Reid will also host two community conversations for schools in Class 6 Region C and one for schools in Class 6 Region D, addressing athletic regulations and practices. She pledged to work with VSHL on improving policies and processes regarding student-athlete eligibility.

"It is vital that we collaborate with everyone involved to ensure we are preparing for the evolution of the student-athlete experience that we are seeing in our country," she said, in a letter sent out on Wednesday. "As we navigate uncharted waters ahead in youth athletics, we must anchor our practices in clear rules and accountability systems that apply to all, regardless of circumstances. Access to excellence and opportunity — that is the American dream."

Over the summer, FCPS conducted an internal investigation that cleared Hayfield from accusations that the Hawks' newly hired varsity coach, Darryl Overton, had bullied students and improperly recruited players from his former school, Freedom High School in Woodbridge.

However, VHSL conducted its own investigation and determined that 31 Woodbridge students transferred to Hayfield in order to play for Overton, which led to the two-season ban, according to the Fairfax Times.

• Related: 6 Fairfax Coaches May Forfeit Football Playoff Games In Protest

In their letter to Read on Tuesday, the coaches expressed their concerns that FCPS allowing Hayfield back into the playoffs after VHSL declared the school ineligible, “creates a system where rules can be bent, broken, or overlooked without meaningful consequences.”

Because of this, they informed Reid on Tuesday that they were considering forgoing the playoffs and not play in Thursday’s first-round playoff games.

“We appreciate that steps are being taken to implement rules to prevent such situations in the future,” according to the coaches' latest letter. “We look forward to the December meeting as an opportunity to address the current rules and policies related to the issues we’ve raised. Additionally, we know a crucial aspect of any forward steps will be to review the redacted investigation reports to gain transparency into the division’s actions during its self-determined thorough investigation.”

The following is the full text of the letter sent to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid:

Dear Dr. Reid,

As football coaches representing six schools in the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Region 6C, we want to make clear that, despite Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) lack of transparency and the decision to allow a school found in violation of VHSL regulations to participate in the Virginia state playoffs, we have collectively decided that our teams will compete in the postseason. We owe it to our players, their families, and our communities to honor their hard work, dedication, and commitment to the game. We do not want our players to miss out on any part of their high school football careers.

As coaches, we strive to teach our players the importance of competing with integrity and adhering to the rules, but those lessons lose their meaning when violations are allowed to go unchecked at the highest levels. The district’s failure to address this matter adequately has created frustration and disillusionment among players, coaches, and families throughout the
District.

We appreciate that steps are being taken to implement rules to prevent such situations in the future. We look forward to the December meeting as an opportunity to address the current rules and policies related to the issues we’ve raised. Additionally, we know a crucial aspect of any forward steps will be to review the redacted investigation reports to gain transparency into the division’s actions during its self-determined thorough investigation. It is deeply disheartening that our current athletes—especially seniors—are bearing the brunt of the consequences this season. Their hard work, dedication, and love for the game are being overshadowed by a situation that could and should have been prevented.

Sincerely,

Trey Taylor – Fairfax High School
Mike Dougherty – Lake Braddock Secondary School
Anthony Parker – West Springfield High School
Gerry Pannoni – South County High School
Chadwick Louisville – West Potomac High School
Chad Lewis – Edison High School