Report: Ex-Hoover (Ala.) football players file lawsuit alleging abuse from coaching staff
According to a report from AL.com, two former Hoover (Ala.) High School football players have filed a lawsuit seeking $30 million — alleging that the “Hoover Board of Education was negligent in the hiring of Drew Gilmer and Adam Helms.”
In August, Gilmer and Helms resigned from their positions after videos of a Hoover football practice went viral showing a coach thrusting his groin onto a downed player.
“The past few days have been extremely unsettling for many of our varsity football players, coaches, and the overall Hoover Community,” Superintendent Dr. Kevin Maddox said in August. “The safety and well-being of our students and staff continue to be our top priorities. We maintain high expectations for our employees and students. At this time, our focus is dedicated to supporting our football players and coaching staff.”
The lawsuit filed by two former players “accused the board, Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox and Hoover High School Athletic Director Jack Lamey of negligent hiring, training, supervision, monitoring and retention of the coaches,” per AL.com.
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The lawsuit claimed that Gilmer and Helms have an “abusive history.”
“At no time did the Board and/or its members, Maddox, or Lamey conduct a thorough employment history of Gilmer and the numerous complaints against Gilmer and his abusive conduct of student athletes that was well known in the community and at each prior school where he coached,” the lawsuit added.
“If so, they intentionally ignored the warning signs of Coach Gilmer’s irrational and extensive abusive conduct history and negligently and/or with reckless and wanton behavior chose to hire Gilmer and Helms knowing the risk and foreseeability that Gilmer and Helms’s abusive conduct towards student athletes would result in and cause injury and harm to students as suffered by the minor plaintiffs.”
Hoover finished the 2024 season under Chip English with a 10-3 record, ranked No. 7 in the state of Alabama per the On3 Massey Ratings.