I used to really like him, but these days, I can’t say I’m particularly thrilled with former VA State Senator Chap Petersen (D? I? other?), given his drift to the right politically, his frequent appearances on MAGA radio, etc., as well as his apparent divorce from the Democratic Party. But he certainly is passionate and knowledgeable about football, and specifically Fairfax/Northern Virginia high school football. So check out his writeup on the ongoing situation with Hayfield High School’s football program.
For more background and a somewhat different perspective, see here for a message from Dr. Michelle C. Reid, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent, which addresses what she calls the “continued — and troubling — misinformation being shared regarding this high school football season, and more specifically about the Hayfield Hawks football team.” Reid continues:
“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.”
Reid also pledged 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” as well as a “review and revision, where necessary, to FCPS athletic protocols and procedures…includ[ing] a divisionwide review of current practices in evaluating student athlete transfers both inside and outside of the Division.”
Also, see here for the latest update: “Fairfax County leadership establishes group to investigate Hayfield recruiting controversy” (“Tom Horn will head an internal review effort. Here’s what he had to say about what comes next.”)
So what do you think of all this? I mean, it certainly does seem unusual for a high school football team to be “winning games by 48-7, 65-0, 70-0, 63-0, 64-0, 70-6, 51-0, 69-0, 63-0 and 75-7.” If that’s totally based on merit and if the rules were followed consistently, then great. If not, then…yeah, not so great. With that, here’s what former Sen. Petersen thinks of the situation:
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Dear Friends and Virginians:
High School football in Fairfax County has historically been a relatively tame affair. Yes, we had our NFL stars — Charlie Garner (JEB Stuart), Mike Glennon (Westfield), Keith Lyle (Marshall) — but we largely avoided Texas-style madness. High school teams reflected their communities: you grew up watching your neighborhood school and, if you were lucky, you got to play on Friday nights wearing that school jersey. It was a moment in time, not the end of time.
Enter Hayfield High School circa 2024.
As everyone in the Virginia football universe knows, Hayfield is coached by the inimitable Daryl Overton who turned Freedom High School of Woodbridge into an unprecedented powerhouse, occasionally winning games by 100+ points. The state tite was theirs every year. Everybody else was fighting to be “the best of the rest.” (My son Thomas played for the Fairfax HS team that lost in the 2022 state semis to Madison HS, who then lost to Freedom)
The dramatic diversity in talent between Freedom and everyone else in PWC raised an immediate issue of “recruiting,” which is illegal in Virginia High School football — according to the Virginia High School League — but nobody ever did anything about it.
Then this year, things really got out of control. Coach Overton transferred to Hayfield High School of Fairfax County, a perennial also-ran in NOVA football. Suddenly 30 new players transferred in, including 14 who had played for Freedom — which is located one county and 16 miles away.
In 2024, Hayfield has gone undefeated in regional play, winning games by 48-7, 65-0, 70-0, 63-0, 64-0, 70-6, 51-0, 69-0, 63-0 and 75-7.
People noticed. There was an outcry for Hayfield High School or the Fairfax County School Board to self-police the situation. But nothing happened.
Then VHSL stepped in and suspended the Hawks for breaking the “anti-recruiting” rules. It looked like the end of the road, until a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge vacated the suspension based on the fact that VHSL was usurping the role of the school system in finding the transfers had been illegal. (Of course, FCPS had not yet made an investigation — so how could they find anything?)
An email on Friday, November 22, from the FCPS Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid, made it clear that the school system would take this matter very seriously … once the season was over. (Shout out to Board member Ryan McElveen who has spoken out forcefully against the status quo)
The heat will only increase, especially if Hayfield proceeds to the state finals. (This week they play Fairfax HS in the regional semis).
Here’s a couple things that have been lost in the process:
First, this is bigger than the Hayfield players. Hopefully, they will land lucrative NIL deals in college and some may make the NFL. But it’s not just about them. Every player deserves a “level playing field,” which means competing against other athletes under the same set of rules. Even if your last game is on a Friday night. That’s what sports should be about. It’s what life should be about.
Second, for years school systems have fought against state-ordered “open enrollment,” which allows parents to enroll students in the school they choose. In the Senate, we always heard that such a policy would be devastating to neighborhood schools. Now we find that “open enrollment” is OK for football, but not for academics? Sorry, if you’re going to have a policy, then be consistent.
The sad thing is that all this obscures one central and immutable fact: high school football is an important activity for millions of young men, who often get lost in the academic system. The lessons you learn about preparation, teamwork and courage stay with you for life. And it’s only possible because of coaches (and parents) who volunteer thousands of hours to put these teams on the field.
And that’s what we should be talking about.
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