Investigation looms as controversial Hayfield football coach quits

It promised access to an indoor water park, climbing and bouldering spaces, a 50,000-square-foot health club, a “recovery suite, a restaurant, and more.”

In October, after a season of crushing lopsided defeat by Hayfield against its opponents, the Virginia High School League said it had conducted its own investigation and issued a two-year ban on Hayfield competing in postseason play. Hayfield returned to playoff action after a court appeal by team families, represented by the school district’s expensive outside counsel. The lawyer said he was doing the work “pro bono.”
In recent weeks as news has circulated of the expected move, Overton’s pivot to a new job with a new rebrand has earned him a nickname in football circles of “Teflon Darryl,” playing off the term of “Teflon Don” for allegedly unethical people who aren’t held accountable for their actions.At 10:05 a.m, on Thursday, Overton’s brother, Jeffrey Overton Sr., who moved to Hayfield with his brother to become an assistant coach, posted a message on the social media platform X, using “NVA” to northern Virginia and writing, “About to Turn NVA UP!” He added, “Stay Patient,” with an emoji of a finger over a mouth, and ended, “Big things coming WE READY.” He punctuated his comment with a shooting star. In the statement, Overton said: “The opportunity to build a football program from the ground up aligned with the vision, reputation, assets and capabilities of The St. James comes along once-in-a-lifetime.”In November, the Fairfax County Times published text messages by Monty Fritts, then the athletic director at Hayfield, implicating him in a scheme to bring athletic transfers to the school and alleged abuse of federal legislation that grants homeless students easy transfers to schools. Beyond recruiting allegations, Overton faced criticism for creating what some described as a toxic environment within the program. Multiple parents and students voiced concerns about his leadership style, alleging a lack of accountability and uneven treatment of players. These issues culminated in strained relationships between the coach, school administrators, and the community, leading to mounting pressure for change.“TPH” stands for TPH Academy, a company based in Hartselle, Ala., with sprawling partnerships nationwide training youth student-athletes on “campuses” at sports centers in Atlanta, Boston, Bethesda, Md., Denver, Des Moines, Iowa, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Mich., Huntsville, Ala., Kansas City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and St. Louis, among others. It also has partnerships in Canada.Area football insiders said that, following a tour of local sports podcasts over the holiday season denying any allegations of wrongdoing at Hayfield, Overton is trying to rewrite his narrative and position himself to create a new powerhouse program that capitalizes on the private school’s ability to recruit players without the restrictions imposed on public schools.In 2023, TPH Academy said it created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, “TPH Impact Player Foundation,” to “support TPH’s core purpose of advancing the next generation of Impact Players – in and beyond the game – by providing scholarships and financial support to student-athletes and their families.”  Today, The St. James issued a press release with the news. The Hayfield controversy has cast a long shadow over Fairfax County Public Schools and become known as Virginia’s worst-ever high school sports scandal. It’s led to national attention and proposed state legislation to stop unethical recruitment practices.For weeks, Overton and his staff at Hayfield have been in discussions with area coaches and Hayfield football families about moving his program to The St. James, where he will be able to recruit openly. This move would end his tumultuous tenure at Hayfield, where his recruiting methods and leadership have come under intense scrutiny.St. James has tapped into the growing big-money virtual education business to educate athletes. Overton’s time at Hayfield was anything but smooth. Allegations of recruiting violations, favoritism, and a lack of transparency in team management marred his tenure. Hours later, Reid and Thompson withdrew Hayfield from post-season playoffs.Graziano applauded Overton’s “ability to connect with people, teach, mentor and build positive, healthy, values-centered cultures in the programs he’s led.” Athletes in the multi-billion dollar virtual education industry Meanwhile, St. James promotional material states, “At The St. James Performance Academy Powered by TPH, our student-athletes Study, Train, and Play every day.”Hayfield Secondary School football coach Darryl Overton is moving to a new private school football program at The St. James, an athletic complex in Springfield, sources say, but an external school district investigation will proceed, as planned, into alleged recruitment violations during his tenure at Hayfield.  That day, he added in a text about The St. James, “There is no job I’m at Hatfield [sic] haven’t been hired for. Or interviewed for St james [sic] job.” 
It’s understood that Overton’s Hayfield coaching staff have been exploring in recent days leagues in which a St. James football team could play, with options including the East Coast Power Prep Conference, which includes independent schools in Virginia and Canada, and the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association, established in 1998.St. James has a program called “The St. James Performance Academy,” which says on its website, “Academic support and facilitation are provided in partnership with Virginia Virtual Academy & K12 Private School.”The controversy speaks to wider concerns about the diminishing integrity and increasing monetization of the nation’s multibillion-dollar youth sports industry. The St. James is part of a massive industry established to give high-caliber youth athletes a training ground, with elite programs now in soccer and other sports.Even as Overton prepares for a new chapter at The St. James, questions remain about the unresolved controversies from his time at Hayfield. The school board is identifying a law firm to lead an “independent,” “external” investigation. The board voted 12-0 to approve in December.Closer to home, the Hayfield saga has led to widespread allegations of corruption within Fairfax County Public Schools and its youth sports program, emblematic of systemic problems nationwide.In a press release issued at 11:06 a.m. today, Elyse Graziano, chief sports officer of The St. James, said,”Darryl Overton has proven himself to be an incredible football coach who cares deeply about the growth and success of young people.”On Jan. 15, the Fairfax County Times asked Overton about The St. James plans, and he denied he was leaving Hayfield, saying, “Everything is good. I’m staying at Hayfield.”Many parents and coaches say Reid mishandled the controversy and are continuing to call for transparency and accountability. Some parents have also called for her resignation.A controversial pastIf Overton does indeed take the helm at St. James Academy, it raises critical questions about whether this move will address—or exacerbate—the controversies that have dogged his career. Private schools like The St. James are not bound by the same recruiting restrictions as public schools, giving Overton a freer hand to bring in top talent. However, this freedom could also invite increased scrutiny, particularly if the program becomes a magnet for players leaving local public schools.This saga began last February when Hayfield Principal Darin Thompson hired Overton from Freedom High School in Prince William County, where Overton coached the Freedom team to two state championships. Immediately, parents began complaining about alleged recruiting violations and bullying on the football squad. “Virginia Virtual Academy” and the “K12 Private School” are run by Stride Inc., a for-profit, publicly-traded company based in Reston, with billion in revenues last year. Past investors and executives of Stride have included Wall Street tycoon Michael Milken, pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020 for white-collar crimes, technology billionaire Lawrence Ellison, and former Reagan administration Education Secretary Bill Bennett.He added, “Our ability to help young men develop into great people, great students and great football players will be amongst the very best in the country. This has the potential to be extraordinary and I can’t wait to get started.”With the private school arrangement set to cost public school families big bucks, it’s understood that Hayfield football families are being told that they will be considered for scholarships to transfer their sons to The St. James program.  Fresh start or more of the same?Moreover, critics argue Overton’s alleged recruiting tactics and management style will likely follow him to The St.  James. Parents and community members have already expressed concerns about the potential ripple effects on neighboring programs, fearing an exodus of talented players and the disruption of competitive balance in the region. In August, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid told parents at a town hall meeting at Hayfield that she had completed an investigation into claims that Overton actively recruited athletes from Freedom and other schools, a practice strictly prohibited under Virginia High School League regulations against “proselytizing.” Reid said the investigation cleared Overton of any wrongdoing.In a window into the big money in this industry, Endeavor Group Holdings, the owners of a powerhouse youth sports training boarding school, IMG Academy, in Bradenton, Fla., sold its school to Hong Kong-based BPEA Equity in an all-cash deal for .25 billion in June 2024. “Together,” it said, “TPH and The St. James will supercharge student-athlete development by providing a holistic and tailored academic experience alongside sport-specific training and world-class instruction.” The TPH Academy 2023-2024 “Impact Report” touted The St. James Academy as “New for 2024-2025.” On page 25 of its report, it said, “Student-athletes of The St. James Performance Academy will have access to the flagship’s Olympic-sized pool, FIFA-sized indoor turf field, two NHL-sized hockey rinks, basketball courts, batting cages, squash courts, and golf simulators.”