New Hoover High School head football coach Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms have been placed on administrative leave, effective immediately, while the school system investigates a number of incidents that occurred during practice.
Although a specific reason for the leave has not been given, video has surfaced of two separate incidents of coaches apparently mistreating their players.
Hoover City Schools superintendent Kevin Maddox said the coaches were put on leave "to ensure a thorough and impartial review of recent developments."
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. We are taking this matter seriously and working diligently to resolve it promptly and fairly,” Maddox said in a statement.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, the Hoover Bucs Football Twitter account urged the school board and others to talk with players, parents and coaches "before making any decisions" because the players "love playing for this coach."
Gilmer became Hoover's football coach in January after a seven-year stint at Clay-Chalkville High School, where he won two state titles. Helms followed Gilmer from Clay-Chalkville.
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