Royal High School head football coach Adam Brubaker has been fired after video showed him kicking a football into a teenage player's groin during practice in Simi Valley, California.
School administrators confirmed on Friday that Brubaker was relieved of his coaching duties following a review of the incident and practice footage by the Simi Valley Unified School District. He had initially been placed on administrative leave after video of the altercation went viral across social media.
Practice outburst video
The video captured Brubaker screaming at the player, identified by the coach as Julian, before approaching him and booting a football directly into his midsection. The impact struck the youngster in the crotch area, causing him to instantly collapse to the turf in pain.
The furious outburst was reportedly triggered after the player tackled and accidentally injured one of the team's star players during the practice session.
The incident created instant controversy across the local high school sports community as the team was actively preparing for its 2026 season opener.
Coach response and apology
Speaking out after the video gained national attention, Brubaker admitted that he chose not to delete the practice footage and apologized to the player following the workout.
"I had a chance to delete the practice film and I didn't. I felt that tampering with the footage would be worse," Brubaker said.
"I walked up to Julian after practice and apologized. I explained myself to him, and he accepted my apology," he said.
Coaching history at Royal High
Brubaker previously coached at Panorama High School before taking over the Highlanders program at Royal High School in mid-2025.
He led the team to a 3-7 record in his first season at the helm before his tenure was abruptly cut short over the practice altercation.
Royal High School is a public high school in Simi Valley, located in Ventura County, California. High school football programs in the region operate under school district oversight ahead of the regular season schedule.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Simi Valley Royal High School for comment.
