Pike Valley’s Hutch Hammer is focused on becoming a more dominant player as he prepares for the upcoming football season.
After gaining valuable varsity experience as a freshman, Hammer said his biggest goal is continuing to develop physically while helping the Panthers take a step forward as a team.
“In this upcoming season I am most looking forward to my own improvement, specifically becoming a more physical force,” Hammer said. “I would also love to see my friends succeed just as much as I do.”
Hammer saw action in all nine games last season, showcasing his versatility by playing defensive end, outside linebacker, middle linebacker, right and left guard, and tight end. That experience has helped shape his offseason priorities.
Hammer said much of his offseason has centered on strength training.
“During this offseason I have been mainly lifting pretty hard and pushing myself,” he said. “I also love playing basketball and it is the main way I get my conditioning.”
One area Hammer has targeted is improving his explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. To accomplish that, he began preparing well before the team’s summer workouts.
“I would love to improve on my explosive ability coming off the line of scrimmage,” Hammer said. “To prepare for that I started lifting at the end of basketball season getting my form down on squat and cleans. Because of this I was ready for summer weights and perform much better in the weight room.”
While Pike Valley’s 2025 season fell short of expectations, Hammer hopes the Panthers can make a deeper postseason run this fall.
“Last season didn’t go so well so just being able to win a playoff game would be great,” he said. “Personally I would love to finish the season with maybe like five touchdowns and 15 TFLs.”
Away from football, Hammer is considering a future in aviation. He said he is interested in attending Kansas State University Salina to study aeronautical engineering.
“My future plans at this point are mostly undecided,” Hammer said. “At this point in my life I think I might try to go to K-State Salina and major in aeronautical engineering. And with that find a job repairing and manufacturing planes and jets, for either the military or a commercial company.”
