ALEXANDRIA, Va. — After months of controversy and legal battles over an Alexandria high school football team's eligibility, Fairfax's superintendent said Wednesday she wants to do her part to chart a path forward for coaches threatening a boycott and who have been dealing with changes to the playoff schedule.
"I am writing to address the continued -- and troubling -- misinformation being shared regarding this high school football season, and more specifically about the Hayfield Hawks football team," Superintendent Reid's email began Wednesday.
The accusation that Hayfield Secondary School had been recruiting students from outside the Fairfax County Public Schools' district created a balancing act for Superintendent Michelle Reid, who was thrust into the center of a controversy after the highly ranked squad was banned by the Virginia High School Football League and then reinstated by a county circuit court judge within the span of a month.
On Wednesday, with just one day until Hayfield has been scheduled to compete in the regional Virginia high school football playoffs, Superintendent Reid made her pitch to the Fairfax County Public Schools community about why she was choosing to honor the judge's ruling.
In Reid's message to Fairfax County Public Schools, the superintendent criticized VHSL, saying Virginia's high school sports' authority had been sending mixed messages about Hayfield's eligibility.
"In August of this year, VHSL deemed eligible every player who has played this season on the Hayfield Hawks football team. Two months later, the VHSL declared the entire team ineligible for postseason play without any specific evidence of recruiting or other violations," Superintendent Reid said.
It was VHSL's decision, however, that led six coaches of Northern Virginia schools to announce their teams would boycott Thursday's scheduled playoff games, which had to be delayed and reorganized at the last minute to include Hayfield.
On Tuesday night, Superintendent Reid met with the coaches.
"During this productive meeting, we focused on our common goal to keep our student athletes at the center of any next steps," Reid said. " I have been clear that we will not find ourselves in this situation again."
Reid went on to describe her two goals for Fairfax County Public Schools sports going forward. First, an investigation into student-athlete eligibility practices across all sports in area high schools. Second, give the student activities and athletics offices the power to make "a review and revision ... to FCPS athletic protocols and procedures."
The following coaches called for a boycott and met with Reid on Tuesday:
- 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
In the email, Reid also offered the six coaches, as well as other community members, an outlet for their concerns in the form of two separate "Community Conversations" for both Region C and Region D of the local high school football league.
Hayfield has been scheduled to play against Thomas Edison High School in Thursday's regional game. The Edison Eagles are the #8 seed among schools in Virginia Region 6C.
Whether the teams will show up to the playoffs remains to be seen as coaches continue to navigate the controversy.
If the games happen, the winner of Thursday's playoff game will go onto the second round playoffs on Tues., Nov. 26. The state finals are on Dec. 14.
Here is Superintendent Michelle Reid's letter to Fairfax County Public Schools from Wednesday:
Dear FCPS community,
I am writing to address the continued — and troubling — misinformation being shared regarding this high school football season, and more specifically about the Hayfield Hawks football team. I also want to share with you our plan moving forward regarding this situation.
Let me begin by saying that all of our coaches, our school leaders, our community, and the Virginia High School League (VHSL) share a commitment to the success of our student athletes. We want our students to have passion for their sport and to play every game with integrity and sportsmanship above all else.
The VHSL is an important organization that has the tremendous responsibility of overseeing high school sports and other competitions across the Commonwealth. We appreciate the work they do, but in this situation, we share the frustration that many of our staff and families are feeling.
In August of this year, VHSL deemed eligible every player who has played this season on the Hayfield Hawks football team. Two months later, the VHSL declared the entire team ineligible for postseason play without any specific evidence of recruiting or other violations. Coaches, athletes, parents, and fans are frustrated by the circumstances that their teams are in now, because of the ambiguities within the VHSL’s rules and policies.
Last week, these inconsistencies were confirmed by the Fairfax County Circuit Court judge who, after a nearly two-hour hearing, ruled that Hayfield football could play in the postseason and that VHSL had violated its own rules by imposing a two-year ban. FCPS and Hayfield Secondary School are not parties to this litigation, but we will comply with the court ruling and allow Hayfield football to play in the postseason.
Last night, at their request, I met with coaches and principals whose school communities have been most directly impacted by this situation. During this productive meeting, we focused on our common goal to keep our student athletes at the center of any next steps. I have been clear that we will not find ourselves in this situation again.
To that end, and to minimize the potential of future questions or concerns, and to restore public trust, I have outlined the next steps we will be taking as a Division to ensure that our standards for student-athlete eligibility are clear and aligned moving forward. These steps include:
1. A comprehensive and independent external investigation and review of all student athlete transfers and eligibility practices across all sports and in all of our 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 divisionwide review of current practices in evaluating student athlete transfers both inside and outside of the Division.
Alongside our Executive Director of Student Activities and Athletics, I will be hosting two Community Conversations, one for our schools in Class 6 Region C and one for our schools in Class 6 Region D, regarding our athletic regulations and practices. We’ll be sharing more information about those meetings soon and hope you will attend.
We also stand ready to work with the VHSL to improve their policies and processes on 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. 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.
Warmest Regards,
Dr. Michelle C. Reid
Superintendent