Home / Sports / FCPS Football Programs Violated Recruitment Rules
FCPS Football Programs Violated Recruitment Rules
2 Feb
Summary
- Independent investigation confirmed VHSL rule violations at both schools.
- Systemic failures within FCPS allowed improper recruitment practices.
- Hayfield received a postseason ban; Fairfax was placed on probation.
An independent investigation has confirmed that two Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) football programs, Hayfield Secondary School and Fairfax High School, systematically violated Virginia High School League (VHSL) recruitment rules during the 2024 season. The school board and superintendent accepted these findings in February 2025, validating concerns about improper recruitment activities.
The investigation uncovered systemic failures within FCPS, including deficiencies in registration verification, eligibility assessments, and coaching staff training. These gaps allowed questionable transfers and eligibility issues to go unnoticed.
Hayfield Secondary School saw an unusually large influx of 14 transfers from Freedom High School after its coach's hiring, along with five private school transfers and five additional incoming students. Consequently, the VHSL banned the team from postseason games in both 2024 and 2025.
Fairfax High School faced allegations of an assistant coach paying rent for a family friend whose son transferred to the school for the football team. This led to the team being placed on probation and banned from the previous year's playoffs.
In response, FCPS has collaborated with VHSL to implement new systems and revamp statewide policies on athletic transfers and eligibility. The FCPS Office of Student Activities and Athletics has gained expanded authority for independent investigations to prevent future violations.
