Hal Wasson and Southlake Carroll agree on settlement

Hal Wasson's time with Southlake Carroll will officially come to an end on Monday after the Dragons' head coach and the Carroll school district agreed on a settlement Sunday night.

Carroll ISD officials confirmed the decision.

"Carroll ISD has reached a resolution with Head Football Coach Hal Wasson and accepted his resignation," the district said in a statement. "Based on the Feb. 13 motion, a Board vote is not required. The district will post the position for a new head coach Monday morning."

A source said Wasson and CISD settled for the balance of his two-year contract, for $165,300.26. Wasson will be paid for the rest of 2017-18 and all of 2018-19.

Wasson's attorney, Karl "Tiger" Hanner, released a statement on his client's behalf late Sunday.

"I deeply regret not being allow to meet face to face with my players and coaches and say my goodbyes," Wasson said.

Later he adds, "We did things the right way -- with dignity, honor and respect. I implore all of my players to remember what we taught you."

Wasson has been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 24. After two school board meetings where no decision was made, one was announced during a special meeting Tuesday morning.

Following an executive session that lasted over three hours, the board said that "Authorizing the Superintendent [David Faltys] to pursue and finalize a resolution regarding head coach Hal Wasson’s employment, pursuant to the terms discussed in closed session.”

Faltys and the Carroll attorney discussed a buyout with Wasson and his attorney, Karl "Tiger" Hanner.

“I can confirm that we negotiated a settlement. We didn't simply accept their offer," Hanner said in a text on Sunday.

According to CBS 11, Carroll ISD will "now focus its attention on athletic director Darren Allman during executive session Monday night."

Allman has been under scrutiny since last month.

“I wanted to express that I am personally disappointed in the overall process and how this investigation was initiated and how it was conducted," board secretary Danny Gilpin said on Tuesday.

Scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Administration Center, the agenda lists the head football coach in executive session and "Consideration and Possible Action on Employment, Evaluation, Duties and Responsibilities of High School Head Football Coach," in open session.

The full agenda can be found here.

Wasson, 61, was 121-25 with an .829 winning percentage in his 11 seasons at Carroll, including a state championship in 2011. The Dragons finished 10-4 in 2017 and advanced to the Class 6A Division II state quarterfinals before falling to Waco Midway, 42-28.

“I wanted to take a moment to thank Coach Wasson for his years of service and contribution to the football program. I’d just personally hate one’s reputation impacted in the manner in which this is played out," Gilpin said Tuesday.

This all started Jan. 24 when Faltys said in an email letter to Dragon Football Families that the district had determined there was a need to conduct an internal review of the program.

A copy of the report was obtained through an Open Records Request by the Star-Telegram.

The findings:

▪ The head coach held two football summer team camps within the boundaries of the school district. Only one is allowed by the UIL, and students were solicited to attend both camps.

▪ A sixth-grade football camp for Carroll students was held at the high school on dates prohibited by the UIL, and Carroll football coaches were paid to conduct the camp.

▪ Carroll football coaches held camps in the Carroll attendance zone that were attended by students who play on the Carroll football teams, which is a UIL violation.

▪ Carroll football coaches instructed athletes in football specific drills outside of the school day during the off-season, which is a UIL violation.

▪ Football sub-varsity athletes were required to go through off-season workouts on game day, which is a UIL violation.

▪ Coaches, who were under contract with other districts, were working with members of the Dragon football team before they officially joined the Carroll program, which is a UIL violation.

On each of the findings, the report includes corrective actions being taken by the district. These include annual audits of all camps by the athletic director, and education provided to players, parents, staff and coaches on UIL rules and guidelines.

This story was originally published February 25, 2018 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Hal Wasson and Southlake Carroll agree on settlement."