Former San Benito player Rich Hammond now coaches at GHS
Gilroy – Three years ago when Rich Hammond was a Gilroy High assistant football coach, his friend and former San Benito star Brian Baxter approached him with a noose.
“He asked me if I wanted to do the honorable thing or if he should climb up to the pressbox, string the rope around and do it for me,” Hammond said.
Such are the emotions that run high during the Prune Bowl and the week leading up to it. For Hammond, the emotions are definitely mixed. After all, he was a Haybaler who played in two Prune Bowls. In fact, his brother Mike, who works in Hollister, has been trying to glean information from him. His dad, Bob, worked the chains for San Benito for 12 years. Rich Hammond knows his brother and dad will be rooting for the ‘Balers.
Only Rich Hammond, SBHS class of 1997, will be trying to lead Gilroy to victory over the ‘Balers. As first-year GHS head coach, he wants his players to be fired up for the game as much as he is. And yet he realizes he’s got to stay consistent with the way he’s been this season.
“You don’t coach any differently,” Hammond said. “What you do is get the kids to realize how important this is. It’s a piece of history. This series has been going on since the 1920s. How many teams west of the Mississippi have played that long? Also, they’re playing for a trophy (since 1956). That’s what significant.
“Our kids are fired up because there is more on the line this year. They’re playing for second (place in the TCAL). San Benito is already in the (CCS) playoffs. Our kids need to win this game to get there. If you can’t get fired up this week then you shouldn’t be playing football.”
Hammond recently reminisced about his days as a player. His junior year, San Benito won 28-13.
“I remember tipping the ball away,” said Hammond, a defensive back. “And coach (Tod) Thatcher told me I had to catch that ball the next year.
“In my senior year, I tore my MCL in the first quarter. Gilroy scored on that series (when he got hurt). We came back and won 12-7.”
Hammond was back at San Benito as an assistant coach from 2000-02. The ‘Balers won in his first and third seasons on staff. In 2001, Gilroy won in Hollister and the Mustangs’ players ate fried chicken on the field until the lights were turned off at Andy Hardin Stadium.
“That loss turned our season around,” Hammond said. “Gilroy was the best team we faced that year. They lost their best two running backs when they were injured jumping out of a tree.”
Hammond was an assistant at GHS in 2003. He remembers the teams being tied at 7 in the second quarter when the Mustangs drove to the 1 and failed to score. San Benito turned around and drove 99 yards and ended up routing Gilroy 41-6.
During the Chris Cameron years, the ‘Balers are 10-2 in the series. Hammond insists that isn’t because San Benito is more talented.
“Chris has done a fantastic job of getting his players to play hard and rallying people in the community,” Hammond said. “When you win, people get in your corner. It’s a real priority of that community right now.
“We haven’t built that culture here. We haven’t had the success they have had. I pattern myself as a coach after Chris, who was my high school coach. No ifs, ands or buts about it — we want to be like Hollister.”
