Rich Hammond, the fiery 29-year-old head coach of the Gilroy
High football team, has given his resignation to Athletic Director
Jack Daley.
In three seasons on the job, Hammond, also a math teacher at the
school, compiled a 23-11 record, which included Tri-County Athletic
League titles the past two seasons and an appearance in the Central
Coast Section Open Division title game in 2008.
The back-to-back titles and CCS championship game appearance
were both firsts in school history. Gilroy’s only other league
title came in 1981.
UPDATED 8:03 P.M.
GILROY – Rich Hammond, the fiery 29-year-old head coach of the Gilroy High football team, has given his resignation to Athletic Director Jack Daley.
In three seasons on the job, Hammond, also a math teacher at the school, compiled a 23-11 record, which included Tri-County Athletic League titles the past two seasons and an appearance in the Central Coast Section Open Division title game in 2008.
The back-to-back titles and CCS championship game appearance were both firsts in school history. Gilroy’s only other league title came in 1981.
Hammond cited the fact that his wife, Katie, being pregnant with the couple’s first child as a motivating factor for the decision. The couple, which currently lives in San Jose, would prefer to move to an area with a lower cost of living so Katie can stay home with the baby.
Hammond will continue to teach the rest of the school year.
“We decided over the break, with having a family and all those sorts of things, I’m gonna look for another job that allows us to decrease our cost of living and gives us some leeway,” Hammond said.
Hammond notified Daley late last week of his decision and told his players Monday.
“It’s coming completely from a family standpoint,” Hammond said. “I have nothing but good things to say about our kids. You try to weigh what’s good for your family compared to what’s good for your football family. It made it a difficult decision and kind of a dilemma.”
Hammond said he is looking for a teaching position that would also allow him to continue being a head football coach. He said he has applied for positions in and out of state but declined to name any of the schools.
“I would like to coach,” he said. “I just need to do it where cost of living is lower.
“It’s difficult because I love working with the people I work with.”
The loss of Hammond could have a major impact on a program that showcased one of the best passing offenses in the state. In the past two seasons, GHS threw for more than 8,200 yards and a total of 78 touchdowns. The Mustangs averaged more than 40 points per game in the 2008 season, which ended with a first-round playoff loss to Serra.
“He certainly has brought a lot of outstanding things to the program,” Daley said. “We have to work hard to find someone who can fill his shoes.”
Craig Martin, who has served as Gilroy’s Assistant Head Coach under Hammond for three seasons and the two under the prior head coach, Darren Yafai, echoed Daley’s thoughts.
“It’s huge,” Martin said of Hammond’s departure. “When Yafai left it was huge because he had been kind of an anchor [at GHS] for seven years. Then Rich comes in and takes us to the next level.”
Daley said no decision has been made on who will take over the program next season.
Hammond’s most obvious stamp on the program came in his second season, when he installed a spread, hurry-up shotgun attack.
“One thing I stressed to the kids is that the success of the program hasn’t been just the work of the coaches,” Hammond said. “I don’t have any doubt that the kids will continue to put in the time and the effort to be successful.”
