Fairfax High School football team barred from playoffs over alleged recruiting violations

Fairfax High School’s football team has been banned from the playoffs after Fairfax County Public Schools determined the school’s program violated recruiting policies.

The school district said in a statement to WTOP that Fairfax High School will be on probation for the rest of the season, meaning the team cannot participate in the postseason. The school’s violations of Virginia High School League policy occurred in 2024, according to an investigation by the school system.

“We want to acknowledge that this news comes as a significant disappointment for the players and their families. However, FCPS remains committed to upholding the values of VHSL programs to ‘promote education, leadership, sportsmanship, character and citizenship for students by establishing and maintaining high standards for school activities and competitions,'” Fairfax County Public Schools said in the statement.

Less than one month before the start of the season, the school district placed two of the school’s coaches on leave in connection with the recruitment allegations.

It’s the second time in about a year that one of FCPS’ football teams has been banned from the postseason in connection with recruiting violations.

Hayfield Secondary School’s season was cut short last year after it faced repercussions for similar allegations that it violated VHSL rules. The school ultimately had to withdraw from the postseason.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Thomas Robertson

Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up