Dragon Youth Football dismissed volunteer coach Steve Powers after parents discovered his wife faces federal sex trafficking charges, the organization confirmed in an Aug. 3 email to families.
DYF President Andrew Greever told parents the removal happened before any team activities or practices began, according to a copy of the email obtained by the Houston Chronicle. He acknowledged the organization should have exercised greater judgment when evaluating the broader circumstances of the appointment.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Powers had been assigned to coach at least two grade levels within the all-volunteer program.
The dismissal came one day after Amy Smith, an advocate for abuse survivors who runs WatchKeep.com, posted about Powers' coaching assignment on X on Sunday, Aug. 2. The post drew more than 42,000 views.
Smith said parents told her they did not learn Powers had been approved as a coach until after DYF's camp kick-off event in early August.
The federal case
Steve Powers' wife, Jennifer Powers, 45, was arrested Sept. 26, 2025, after a 10-count federal indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn charging her and retired New York financier Howard Rubin with sex trafficking and transporting women across state lines for commercial sex acts. Both face 15 years to life in prison if convicted on the top charge.
Prosecutors allege that between 2009 and 2019, Rubin and Jennifer Powers recruited women to travel to a soundproofed penthouse near Central Park where Rubin sexually abused them beyond the limits of their consent. According to NBC DFW, the pair allegedly spent at least $1 million financing what the FBI called a national trafficking network.
Rubin allegedly funded virtually all aspects of Jennifer Powers' life, totaling roughly $8 million between 2018 and 2023, including the down payment on her Southlake home, her children's private school tuition and legal fees. Both Jennifer and Steve Powers were also charged in New York for filing joint tax returns that failed to report millions received from Rubin.
Jennifer Powers pleaded not guilty and was released on $850,000 bond with an ankle monitor. She had worked as a Carroll ISD substitute teacher until the district dismissed her following her arrest.
DYF's screening gap
DYF is an all-volunteer youth flag and tackle football program in Southlake with close ties to the Carroll Dragons high school program. It operates independently of Carroll ISD, but many Carroll students come through DYF.
Greever told families that Powers passed the organization's required volunteer screening process and met eligibility standards at the time of his approval. But he said passing that screening did not remove DYF's responsibility to consider broader community concerns.
The organization said it plans to review its volunteer approval process. DYF's first games of the 2026 season are scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29.
Carroll ISD said Steve Powers is not and was not a district coach or employee. The district previously reported Jennifer Powers' case to the State Board of Educator Certification.
Pattern of scrutiny
This is the second time in 2026 that youth sports vetting in Tarrant County has drawn public scrutiny. Earlier this year, Smith exposed that Tommy Whiteman, a registered sex offender and former MLB prospect, was coaching children at the Texas Home Educators Sports Association's Fort Worth location. Carroll ISD had approved Whiteman as an off-campus physical activities provider for a student in 2022-23 and again in 2024-25. Former Southlake Mayor John Huffman resigned from the THESA board after backlash over that hiring.
Dragon football families told Smith they fear retaliation if they speak publicly about Powers' hiring. DYF did not respond to the Star-Telegram's request for comment beyond Greever's email statement.
