Rock Island High School's head football coach has been named among the participants of the American Football Coach's Associations "35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute" for 2021.
Ben Hammer, who has been the team's head coach since 2017, was announced as one of the 35 coaches nationwide chosen for the program in December 2020. He was picked out of a pool of 150 applicants.
The AFCA's "35 Under 35" program aims to identify and develop "future leaders in the football coaching profession," according to the association.
"It is 100% an honor to be selected to the Leadership Institute but this recognition is much more of a reflection of our whole program," said Coach Hammer. "We have a staff of coaches that work really hard, love kids, and put them first in everything that they do. We have kids that care about each other and aren't afraid to put the team first."
All of the participants will attend a one-day institute that focuses on the coaching profession, ethics, career paths, and family balance. This will take place in 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, Coach Hammer and the other participants will be published in an issue of AFCA Magazine and have articles and videos added to the AFCA Educational Library. They will all be placed on the AFCA Foundation Committee.
