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Hayfield back in the playoffs...maybe not

It's already much bigger than Hayfield wanted it to be. The long term solution alludes me.
It made BOTH morning shows on WFAN in D.C. this morning according to a friend and it is blowing up. People who never think about or pay attention to high school sports are now hearing and I doubt the sides are enjoying the increased attention and scrutiny.
 
They said the AD who is on a leave of absence is leaving the country.....going to France or something like that.
 
I guess my issue with this mentality is that’s not how public school athletics works in VA. You can’t live in Fredericksburg and play at Hayfield. That’s against the rules. Doesn’t matter if you played on the same youth league team.

I don’t understand how people just throw away the rules and say “well, these are DO’s kids, so I don’t have an issue with it”. The rules very clearly have an issue with it.

They were cleared before the season, and everyone was fine with it. Now, after waiting the entire year, people suddenly want to make it an issue.

These young boys today are surrounded by negative influences, and instead of supporting their chance to play football, people are creating unnecessary drama. It’s bigger than the game. I knew a kid who couldn’t play because transfer rules left him stuck at a bad school. He ended up in the streets and lost his life at just 15.

The Overton brothers are doing more than winning football games, they’re saving and changing lives. Unlike many coaches who only care about their players during practice or games, these men are involved in their lives off the field. I’ve seen firsthand how much they care, and that’s why I’ll always vouch for them. This isn’t just about football.
 
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They were cleared before the season, and everyone was fine with it. Now, after waiting the entire year, people suddenly want to make it an issue.

These young boys today are surrounded by negative influences, and instead of supporting their chance to play football, people are creating unnecessary drama. It’s bigger than the game. I knew a kid who couldn’t play because transfer rules left him stuck at a bad school. He ended up in the streets and lost his life at just 15.

The Overton brothers are doing more than winning football games, they’re saving and changing lives. Unlike many coaches who only care about their players during practice or games, these men are involved in their lives off the field. I’ve seen firsthand how much they care, and that’s why I’ll always vouch for them. This isn’t just about football.
What about the players that are losing out on getting "discovered" because their team loses to Hayfield and can't move on? It's quite possible that many players are losing out due to this team not following the rules.
 
What about the players that are losing out on getting "discovered" because their team loses to Hayfield and can't move on? It's quite possible that many players are losing out due to this team not following the rules.
Ball out against Hayfield…but if DO stayed at Freedom they would be playing this team in a different jersey anyway with no complaints 🤷🏽‍♂️
 
They were cleared before the season, and everyone was fine with it. Now, after waiting the entire year, people suddenly want to make it an issue.

These young boys today are surrounded by negative influences, and instead of supporting their chance to play football, people are creating unnecessary drama. It’s bigger than the game. I knew a kid who couldn’t play because transfer rules left him stuck at a bad school. He ended up in the streets and lost his life at just 15.

The Overton brothers are doing more than winning football games, they’re saving and changing lives. Unlike many coaches who only care about their players during practice or games, these men are involved in their lives off the field. I’ve seen firsthand how much they care, and that’s why I’ll always vouch for them. This isn’t just about football.
Your contention they were cleared before the season is dubious, likely based on a less than complete understanding and as things continue to trickle out possibly misrepresented. If time was wasted, it is the result of the FCPS administrators' failure. The VHSL failure was not following process and not dotting their is and crossing their t's but, not an inconsistent and potentially fraudulent misrepresentation.

I am sorry for the kid you knew and what happened. Kids should be supported. However, I believe that the ultimate outcome is likely due to much more than not being able to play football and a well rounded education and growth is about far more than the game. It is a sad scenario played out far too often where athletes lack the life skills once they no longer have the game to lean on. Good for the Overtons if that is truly what they are about. You say you have seen it so I will take your word for it. The allegations raised and the investigations likely to come will sort out actions and motives both on and off the field.
 
They were cleared before the season, and everyone was fine with it. Now, after waiting the entire year, people suddenly want to make it an issue.

These young boys today are surrounded by negative influences, and instead of supporting their chance to play football, people are creating unnecessary drama. It’s bigger than the game. I knew a kid who couldn’t play because transfer rules left him stuck at a bad school. He ended up in the streets and lost his life at just 15.

The Overton brothers are doing more than winning football games, they’re saving and changing lives. Unlike many coaches who only care about their players during practice or games, these men are involved in their lives off the field. I’ve seen firsthand how much they care, and that’s why I’ll always vouch for them. This isn’t just about football.
I appreciate your perspective, but I think the idea that FCPS admin “cleared them” doesn’t really say much toward whether or not they’re following the rules. I would argue Overton could be that positive influence without those kids being on his HS football team.
 
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DO isn’t the first coach to benefit from transfers though? I’m not saying its’s right, but you realize this happens in many good programs in this state.

If the VHSL allows LCA and John Marshall basketball to compete, what can they possibly do to Hayfield?
I don’t know man, that logic train doesn’t really work for me. It sounds more like a little kid who’s mad he got caught cheating pointing at the other kids who got away with it. Doesn’t make it right & isn’t a compelling reason to justify breaking the rules IMO. I feel like it’s an obvious opportunity to demonstrate integrity.
 
Again....very simple. Rules are in place. You either follow them or you don't. If you don't, consequences should be implemented. Justifications can always be given as to why you broke the rules....you still broke the rules. I would say the coach is the least culpable. AD/FCPS Admin are the worst ones in my book.
 
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Again....very simple. Rules are in place. You either follow them or you don't. If you don't, consequences should be implemented. Justifications can always be given as to why you broke the rules....you still broke the rules. I would say the coach is the least culpable. AD/FCPS Admin are the worst ones in my book.
How can the one actually responsible for breaking the rule, if they know it or should reasonably be expected to know it, be any less culpable than those looking the other way or covering up/condoning the rule breaking?
 
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I don’t know man, that logic train doesn’t really work for me. It sounds more like a little kid who’s mad he got caught cheating pointing at the other kids who got away with it. Doesn’t make it right & isn’t a compelling reason to justify breaking the rules IMO. I feel like it’s an obvious opportunity to demonstrate integrity.
I agree with you though. Just the way the ball bounces.
 
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He is wining or losing with HIS kids. This team is made up of a majority of kids he coached since they were kids at PME. They just followed their coach.
Very well. Then he should compete as an Independent...not in the VHSL...not against teams that are abiding by residency and other restrictions.
 
Honestly, that seems like the logical move that should’ve happened a while ago. If he’s at a private, there’s hardly any recruiting/residency rules at all. He can build something like Biff did in Baltimore.
 
Honestly, that seems like the logical move that should’ve happened a while ago. If he’s at a private, there’s hardly any recruiting/residency rules at all. He can build something like Biff did in Baltimore.

I compare this situation to Chris Scott and Ocean Lakes. He ended up at Bishop Sullivan until he seen how hard it really is to get kids to buy into private school.
 
How can the one actually responsible for breaking the rule, if they know it or should reasonably be expected to know it, be any less culpable than those looking the other way or covering up/condoning the rule breaking?
The coach is the first level. Coaches can inadvertently break rules or they can knowingly break rules. Either way, the Principle/AD/Admin are the ones that should tell him about it and keep him from breaking rules continually. If the coach screws up and no one above him calls him on it, then they are more to blame than the coach in my opinion.
 
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I compare this situation to Chris Scott and Ocean Lakes. He ended up at Bishop Sullivan until he seen how hard it really is to get kids to buy into private school.
Yeah, I think he would need to go somewhere that already has a program. That attempt to build one at Sullivan was always gonna be an uphill climb. There’s quite a bit to navigate at that school with the family money walking the hallways.
 
The coach is the first level. Coaches can inadvertently break rules or they can knowingly break rules. Either way, the Principle/AD/Admin are the ones that should tell him about it and keep him from breaking rules continually. If the coach screws up and no one above him calls him on it, then they are more to blame than the coach in my opinion.
I think we are basically saying similar things and I agree with you if the coach did not know or misinterpreted the rule. The buck ultimately stops at the top.
 
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