If Coaching Is "All About Relationships"
This Coach Runs In Good Company
Story by Katya Bubeleva

Denny Hammond, one of the winningest coaches in Reynoldsburg’s athletic history, has lived in Reynoldsburg all his life. He went to school here, he works here and when he was done competing, he hit the ground running coaching – literally. He currently coaches track and field at Reynoldsburg High School, where he himself competed before continuing his athletic career at Ashland College. “I’m sure I was like everybody else with aspirations of being a professional athlete or a famous entertainer, but I can remember writing a paper in 7th grade on being a teacher,” he remarks. “When I quit competing, the natural progression was to coach,” he explains. “I really enjoy teaching, and coaching is an extension of the classroom.”

Although his students and friends might see him as sarcastic, Coach Hammond views himself as disciplined.

“Coaching is all about the relationships you make throughout the years,” he says.

“The winning is great,” he admits, but it is seeing athletes of all levels of talent do their best that makes him come away with a feeling of success.

“I have definitely learned more from my athletes than they have learned from me,” Hammond says.

The only drawback to coaching, Hammond concedes, is dealing with the recent finances and having kids not be able to compete because of the ‘pay to play’ fee at the school. “It has definitely had a negative impact, worrying about how we will pay for transportation, equipment, uniforms, etc.,” Hammond says.

At the end, however, things always work out for Hammond. Despite logistics problems he and many other coaches face, he continues to coach and turn out some of the best athletes in the state.