The promise of NIL was meant to empower high school athletes. But it has also given player agents greater prominence across football. One Florida high school head coach used that to fill his own pockets in violation of state rules.

A report by the Palm Beach Post has revealed that Hector Clavijo III, the head football coach at Santaluces Community High School, struck a deal with one of his players to serve as the player’s unlicensed NIL agent. He was paid $7,000 for his services, with $5,000 coming via bank transfer and $2,000 via Zelle.

The school district launched an investigation into Clavijo in July 2025 after receiving a complaint alleging a violation of Palm Beach County School District policies, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) bylaws, and various Florida statutes. As per the 9.9 bylaws mentioned in FHSAA, “No school employee, athletic staff member, or representative of a school’s athletic interests (boosters) may engage in NIL representation.” 

As per the IG office of the district, Clavijo exploited his relationship with the student athlete ‘by engaging in and financially benefitting from NIL contract negotiations as an unlicensed agent for a student that he both coached and taught at Santaluces High School.’

In his defense, Clavijo said that he “messed up by, I don’t know, being too nice.” Surprisingly, the head coach thought his misconduct stemmed only from his failure to enter into a written contract with the student. He was unaware that his position doesn’t allow him to act as a NIL agent for his own player. Moreover, the investigation found that Clavijo didn’t even have a license to act as a registered agent in Florida.

The findings that Clavijo violated FHSAA bylaws and Florida statutes have since been forwarded to the school district’s chief of human resources. There is a separate investigation being conducted by the FHSAA’s eligibility and compliance office. If the FHSAA reaches a similar conclusion, both the head coach and the high school can face sanctions.

Before the latest incident, Clavijo also came under the school district’s Office of Inspector General’s scanner for failing to account for public funds in 2024. The matter concerned discrepancies in Santaluces’ GoFan athletic accounts when Clavijo was the acting assistant athletic director.

All about Hector Clavijo

Santaluces High School hired Hector Clavijo back in December 2021 after he led Champagnat Catholic to consecutive FHSAA state titles the previous two years. Right after his hiring, Clavijo publicly announced what he wanted to achieve at the school: to put Palm Beach County football on the map. And the results followed.

Just in the first season, the head coach turned a one-win team into district champions. Over his four years at Santaluces, Clavijo’s record is 30-14. In addition to his coaching gig, Clavijo has listed himself on social media as the “Director of NIL” and “Director of Coaches Division” for Agency 1 Sports.