Royal High removes football coach as district investigates player incident
AUG 20, 2026
01 · The NewsWhat Happened
Royal High has opened an investigation after video showed football coach Adam Brubaker kicking a football toward a student and striking him in the groin area. Brubaker is no longer coaching the team. The existing coaching staff will take over, and Royal still plans to play Monroe on Friday, one day after the incident became public. The Simi Valley Unified School District is handling the investigation. Brubaker took over as Royal’s head coach during the 2025 season after previously coaching at Panorama. No further district comment was included.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
- Royal’s Friday opener will be played with the existing staff in charge rather than Brubaker, changing who directs the team on game night.
- The investigation now sits alongside the season opener, putting the school’s handling of the incident on the same calendar as the program’s first game.
- The coaching change affects preparation and sideline authority immediately, even though Royal still intends to play Monroe.
“The coaching change affects preparation and sideline authority immediately, even though Royal still intends to play Monroe.”
The Wire Desk03 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
The existing staff deserves credit for keeping the opener on the schedule while the district investigates. Removing Brubaker from the sideline is a direct change in who runs Royal’s program, and the short timeline leaves little room for a clean handoff. Royal will open Friday without Adam Brubaker. The result of the investigation matters more than one game, but Friday’s sideline will show whether the staff can keep the team organized under a sudden change in leadership.