Tracy Hamm Discusses Experience in Sports, Coaching

Jessica Rosiak, Editor-in-Chief|April 7, 2021

Following a Cohort Academy screening of Coach, a documentary about former Campolindo student Tracy Hamm as she aims for a UEFA A coaching license, Hamm joined the community through Zoom to share her thoughts on being a woman in a male-dominated environment on March 22.

Jamie Donohoe led the conversation. Librarian Sarah Morgan added that “Donohoe was Tracy’s English teacher when she was in high school at Campo many years ago.”

Hamm centered her answers around self-resilience and confidence as she said one must “believe in yourself, and there are a lot of different challenges and obstacles that are going to get thrown at you. There are a lot of opportunities to be uncomfortable and embrace that uncomfortableness.”

Morgan felt that Hamm was “inspirational, down to earth, and gave so much great advice,” highlighting Hamm’s ideas that “being a champion is an all the time thing” and “how you do anything is how you do everything.”

“Her philosophy on building a sense of team and community were incredibly powerful, as was her testament to the importance of an individual’s attitude and effort. I think we, as a campus, could use more of that wisdom to build a stronger culture. Competition doesn’t have to be about being #1 all of the time; it can be about building one another up, and emerging stronger together,” said English and history teacher Shannon Sieckert.

Hamm touched upon the discrepancy between male and female athletes by referencing the documentary and discussing how “men do not realize what they are doing. It is a subtlety.”

Hamm explained that their intentions are probably positive and females must find a “bigger voice” to have those tough conversations and call out a male if they are talking in a patronizing way to females. Hamm continued by discussing the lawsuit by the US Women’s National Soccer Team and how the fight for equality is “moving in the right direction” through “baby steps.”

While Hamm provided a look into a female’s perspective on athletics, the Zoom was mostly filled with teachers. “The meeting was great, but it was a sit and get (we just sat there and listened). Impacting school culture will take action and a lot of time,” said Morgan.