For the first two years Tucker Hamrick taught and coached at Landrum High School, he lived in Landrum athletic director John Cann’s basement.
Landrum is like family to Hamrick. That made his decision to leave Landrum for Chapman a tough one.
The Cardinal coach has accepted a position to be an assistant principal at Chapman High School. Hamrick has spent the last 12 years at Landrum.
“I want to concentrate more on the education side of things,” Hamrick said of the move.
That was apparent in his coaching style as well.
“As a coach, I tried to teach the kids the sport, not just coach it.”
Hamrick has been the softball coach and football offensive coordinator for the last four years so he will leave a void.
Hamrick is the mastermind behind Landrum’s wide-open spread offense on the gridiron. The Cardinals are coming off of one of its most successful seasons ever. Landrum finished 9-3 last season and Hamrick’s offense was key in the run.
The Cardinals have not yet named a new offensive coordinator for the upcoming football season. That offense, however, will remain in place, head coach Russell Mahaffey said.
“Coach Hamrick was a great football coach,” Mahaffey said. “He has a great offensive mind.”
Hamrick spent the first eight years of his career as the junior varsity baseball coach and an assistant for the varsity baseball team before taking over the softball team four years ago.
Since taking over the softball program, the Lady Cardinals were dominant. Landrum won the region championship every year in Hamrick’s tenure and played for the Upper State Championship all four years. He was 75-25 as coach.
“He did a great job with our softball program,” Cann said. “He was close with those girls.”
This was the path he wanted his career to take so he’s excited about stepping into the administration, however, there will be plenty to miss.
“I’ll miss the games,” he said. “I’ll miss Friday nights and our softball games. I’ll miss everything about it.”
The loss of Hamrick is one that Cann sees as bittersweet, considering he rented the basement of the Cann home before he got married.
“I feel like he’s a son to me,” Cann said. “We’re going to really miss him, but at the same time we wish him the best.”