Adam Brubaker, a second-year football coach for Royal High School in Simi Valley, California, was fired just hours before the school’s season opener on Friday after a truly wild incident during practice. The coach was caught on video kicking a football directly into one of his player’s groins, a move that sent the kid writhing in pain and ultimately cost Brubaker his coaching post.
The Outburst That Cost Brubaker Everything
The whole mess went down Wednesday afternoon. Apparently, a defensive player had allegedly tackled an offensive player during practice, something Brubaker was absolutely not on board with. The coach, clearly fed up, then kicked a football straight into the defensive player’s groin. The video, captured by a camera used for HUDL, showed the player collapsing in pain, with teammates and other coaches rushing to check on him. Brubaker himself was nowhere in the footage after the kick. The dismissal came swiftly, decided after a meeting at the Simi Valley Unified School District, leaving Royal High to scramble for a new plan just as their season was about to begin.
Brubaker’s Side of the Story and His Track Record
According to Brubaker, this wasn’t just some random fit. He told Sports Illustrated he was frustrated because he’d had “at least a dozen conversations” with the player about not taking guys to the ground during team drills. He called the player a “great kid” but “intense,” admitting he “had enough” in that moment. Despite the obvious anger, Brubaker said he apologized to the player after practice, and the player accepted. He also claimed it was “a one in a million shot” and an “accident” to a local news station. Interestingly, Brubaker stated he had a chance to delete the practice film but didn’t, feeling that “tampering with the footage would be worse.” Before this second year at Royal, where he led the Highlanders to a 3-7 record in his first campaign, Brubaker also coached Panorama High School in 2012-13, finishing 1-9 and not returning for another season.
As Royal High School heads into their season opener without their coach, this whole situation is a brutal reminder of the immense pressure in high school sports, and the line that coaches absolutely cannot cross. The focus now has to be on the player and how the team moves forward from this unbelievable start to their season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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