Jimmy, the high school water boy who was cut from the football team, will have the last laugh. He is about to be inducted into Southwestern College's Athletic Hall of Fame.
SWC's legendary athletic trainer Jim Hammond has never played a down but has been the most valuable player of many football teams. Not to mention basketball, baseball, track, volleyball, cross-country, tennis and swimming teams. "Bone" helps keep athletes on the field and in the pool.
"The thing that stands out about Jimmy first and foremost is he's got the biggest heart of anyone I know," said Dennis Petrucci, a fellow trainer.
Hammond was a young teen when his career began. He had aspirations of becoming a football player, but was told he was too small to be playing with the big boys. Hammond's only other alternative was to be water boy for his team.
He is now one of the most well-known athletic trainers in the South Bay and a veteran of the NFL, but Hammond's legacy is still history in the making.
"He's South Bay's Medicare system," said Petrucci.
In his younger years, Hammond attended SWC and said he was happy to come back later as its trainer.
"This all happened before your mother and your father were born, before you were born, before the sprinkler system," he said. "I even graduated in that gym."
After transferring to San Diego State he transferred to the University of Hawaii and back to SDSU again. He studied sports medicine and had first-hand experience with injuries on the field as well.
He has been surrounded by athletes his entire career, overseeing their care and ensuring their safety. He witnessed career-altering injuries and life-changing success stories.
"He's seen so many injuries throughout his career, he'll know what it is before we even finish a complete evaluation," said Petrucci.
Hammond was a trainer in the NFL for 19 years, 14 of which were spent with the San Diego Chargers. Petrucci said former Chargers still check in.
"I'll get a phone call from Kellen Winslow going ‘Hey where's Bone?'" said Petrucci. "Classic football players like Ed White call for him. It's cool to hear and see that he knows all those football guys and they respect him."
Hammond is recognized as the program's founder.
"He's irreplaceable because of his sense of humor and his personality," said Petrucci. "He is what breathes life into this program."
Hammond was elected to the Southwestern College Athletics Hall of Fame this spring. The Hall's committee waived its policy that candidates must wait five years until after they have left SWC to be eligible.
"He was actually caught way off guard," said Petrucci. "Jimmy never got the induction invitation because they mailed it to the wrong place. When we went to a meeting to discuss the inductions the chair, who we thought was joking, said ‘Well if Jimmy would ever reply back' and that's how he found out."
Hammond said he was happy with his induction and that it was a great honor to be in the hall of fame.
"It was a wise choice," Hammond said wryly.
Hammond has a young and witty sense of humor and passion for what he does. Being around the athletes is what some have said is "his love."
"He's 65 and I can't even keep up with him," Petrucci said.
Hammond treats the athletes and trainers as if they were all his kids, doing his best to help them any way he can.
"People don't realize how far he goes for the athletes," said Pedro Villarreal, athletic training major. "He even pays for things like their lunches out of his own pocket."
Hammond said retirement was possible in a year or two, but he has no concrete plans for his future.
"I wonder what I'm going to do, because you're supposed to have a plan when you retire, but I don't," he said.
Hammond's fellow trainers said they do not believe he is preparing to retire.
"He's been saying that for at least five years," Petrucci said.
Hammond said if he retires he is going to spend time away from the training room.
"I haven't seen too many sunsets," he said. "I'm going to go out to Sunset Cliffs and see some of those."
Hammond also joked that he was going to spend a large portion of his retirement doing three things—eating pizza, going to Phil's BBQ and drinking beer.
"I'd like to be in a Coors commercial," he said, tongue planted in cheek.
But first another ankle to tape and a Hall of Fame induction to attend.
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