Michael Aaronian
In our family, a Coach is someone who has always been held in high regard. While playing backgammon, we usually referred to our dad as “Coach” because he continually cued us in moves to make. We teased him by calling him that.
Your dad (my Coach Hammond) was the real deal. He did so many great things for me as a coach and a mentor.
When others were being critical of me, he enabled me to build confidence in myself. I will always appreciate and admired your dad for that.
Your dad even guided me to being admitted, as a freshman, into the University of California (my first college choice)!
I can imagine how much you miss your dad. We lost our dad almost 10 years ago. I think about him just about every day. There were similarities among our dads. Our dads got along very well too!
It was because of your dad that I went into coaching and officiating. I have refereed football for over 40 years. Coincidentally, your dad and I even flew on the same plane to Seattle once when I officiated for the Huskies. In high school, a teammate and I went to a UW-Cal game with your dad. I remember your dad cheering “Mush you Huskies!”
Your dad was that teammate’s mentor as well. That teammate coached more than 30 years.
I just wanted you to know a bit about how much I admired your father. I will share more.
With love,
Michael Aaronian
El Cerrito High School, Class of 1976