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Take your chance: Hammond opens up opportunities for others
McIntosh High Athletic Director Leon Hammond believes in the potential of chances.
Early on, Hammond fell in love with sports. He built strong bonds with his teammates, and he learned lessons that would stick with him throughout his life. Growing up in Cleveland with a single mother working hard to provide for the family, Hammond leaned on his coaches for guidance.
“I naturally gravitated to a lot of the males that coached me in sports,” he remembered. “They became father figures to me. They made sure I stayed on the straight and narrow. They made sure I did what I needed to do academically in school, but they also just provided a sense of love and support for me.”
He saw the difference they made, and he made it his mission to do the same. A knee injury ended his college football career and hastened his move into the education and coaching.
Going into his 6th year leading a school sports program with more than 90 state championships in its trophy case, he helps the Chief student-athletes strike a balance between success on and off the field. Wins are important, but so are character building opportunities like volunteering in the community.
“We’re here to teach and educate kids,” he said. “The sports piece is the cherry on top of the sundae.”
In his key roles, Hammond wears a lot of different hats. In addition to athletics, he oversees physical education, fine arts, custodians, safety and discipline, and school drills and also serves as the construction liaison.
With all those differing tasks, his base priority is simple.
“My job every day that I worry about is getting students home safely, all 1,700 bodies home safely, getting 150-plus staff members home safely to their families, and getting myself home safely.”
Through the coaches and community who helped him growing up to the kidney transplant that saved his life, Hammond has seen the power of helping others, and he is paying it forward every day.
“I had a lot of people invest in me and give back to me, and I wanted to be able to do that for the next generation of students,” he said. “I just love giving people the opportunity that I received.”
“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.
Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.
Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2200811.
Posted 10/8/2024