Gilroy High football coach, San Benito High alum, submitted
resignation last week
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 23-8 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, is 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 graduated from San Benito High in 1997, and was previously an assistant coach for the Haybalers.
He’ll continue to teach the rest of the school year at GHS.
“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.”
