Hoover High School head football coach, defensive coordinator resign 'effective immediately'
Video above: Attorneys for Hoover football player pursue legal action over practice incident caught on video
Two coaches with the Hoover High School football team have officially resigned.
During a special meeting of the Hoover City Board of Education Thursday, the board accepted resignations submitted by head football coach William Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms, according to Hoover High School athletic director Harley Lamey.
Both resignations are effective immediately. Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Chip English will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the year.
"The past few days have been extremely unsettling for many of our varsity football players, coaches, and the overall Hoover Community," a release on the resignations stated.
鈥淭he safety and well-being of our students and staff continue to be our top priorities.鈥� Superintendent Dr. Kevin Maddox said, 鈥� We maintain high expectations for our employees and students. At this time, our focus is dedicated to supporting our football players and coaching staff.鈥�
Both Gilmer and Helms were placed on administrative leave Tuesday.
Their resignations come shortly after Alabama Rep. Juandalynn Givan announced that she would be pursuing state and federal claims against the Hoover City School System on behalf of a student and football player who she says was subjected to "perverted, abusive" acts at the hands of his coach.
In a Wednesday news conference, Givan, alongside attorney Reginald McDaniel, described a video circulating on social media that she alleges appears to show Hoover High School head football coach Drew Gilmer placing the player's "face near his private area."
米兰体育 13 has seen the video, but we have not independently confirmed it's authenticity. We are choosing not to show it until it is officially released by the school district or legal representatives.
The video was reportedly captured last Friday during a football practice and was uploaded to HUDL, a service that gives players and coaches access to practice and game footage, before leaking on social media yesterday.
Givan and McDaniel are also in contact with another player on the team who is allegedly featured in a second clip circulation on social media involving another member of Hoover's coaching staff.
Givan stated that the boy's parents have contacted the Hoover Police Department to pursue official criminal charges against Gilmer. In her understanding, the investigation is being headed up by the department's special victims unit.
Gilmer was hired as the school's head football coach back in January of this year.
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He replaced former head coach Wade Waldrup, who resigned in early December after only two seasons with the Buccaneers.
Gilmer led Clay-Chalkville to a 31-28 victory over Saraland in the 6A state championship game following an undefeated season in 2023.
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