Coach Fired
A high school football coach was fired after kicking a football that hit a player in the groin
Royal High School's head coach, Adam Brubaker, was fired by the Simi Valley Unified School District just hours before their opening game of the season. The decision came after an incident during practice where Brubaker kicked a football that hit one of his team's players in the groin area.
The incident was caught on camera by a school campus camera, which showed Brubaker advancing toward a player and berating them. According to Brubaker, this was because the player had pulled a running back to the ground, a play that is banned during practice due to its risk of injury.
Coach's apology
Brubaker apologized for the incident, calling it a "one in a million shot". He told ABC7 Eyewitness News that he felt a great deal of remorse for what happened and had apologized to the player after practice. Brubaker understood why the school district made the decision to remove him, despite considering the incident an accident.
The player had to be removed from the field by other players and coaches, who were upset with Brubaker's actions. Brubaker's dismissal was announced to the team's families by the school's principal, and he was replaced by Cody MacArthur.
Incident details
The school district's decision to fire Brubaker was reportedly based on the incident, which occurred during practice. The incident has been described as an accident by Brubaker, but the school district clearly took a different view.
As reported by Dexerto, Brubaker said that nothing has been harder in his life than the last three days, and that it has been an absolute trying time for him and his family. The incident has sparked a reaction from the team and the school district, with Brubaker's dismissal being the ultimate outcome.
Aftermath
The school said it would name an interim head coach soon, following Brubaker's dismissal. The decision to fire Brubaker was made just hours before the team's opening game of the season, leaving the team to adjust to the change in leadership.
The incident and its aftermath have been reported on by various news outlets, including ABC7 Eyewitness News, which interviewed Brubaker about the incident. According to the source, Brubaker's apology and explanation of the incident as an accident were not enough to save his job as head coach.
