Powerhouse LA high school football coach mired in controversy fires back at peeved parents: ‘I will not apologize’

Westlake High School football coach Rick Clausen says he will not apologise for how he runs the programme, after parents accused him of possible recruiting violations and said they had hired investigators. The dispute has drawn attention to the rapid turnaround of a team that had struggled before he took over.

Clausen became head coach in 2025, leading Westlake to a 10-1 record in his first season after the previous year’s 0-10 finish; the team is 7-3 this season. He said players earn their places through competition and dismissed the parents’ complaints, while they have not established that recruiting violations occurred. Westlake is scheduled to play Dana Hills in a postseason game on Friday.