Proud dad, former Gamecock Ryan Brewer enjoys new role: girls soccer coach
Ryan Brewer spent much of his two daughters’ soccer careers as a typical dad watching from the stands. That’s not been the case this season.
The former South Carolina running back, who starred for Lou Holtz’s Gamecock squads in the early 2000s, was pressed into duty when Hammond School needed a girls soccer coach.
Under Brewer, the Skyhawks won a region championship and advanced to the SCISA 4A semifinals following a 6-1 win over Hilton Head Christian on Tuesday. Hammond defeated Pinewood Prep in the semifinals Thursday and will play Porter-Gaud for the state championship on Saturday at Cardinal Newman.
“It is do-or-die time. The playoffs are always fun,” Brewer said Tuesday after the win. “These ladies are working their tails off and having a blast out here.
“It’s been fun being out here. I have grown to know what to do and what not to do with these ladies. I push them in the right direction. They are teaching me more than I am teaching them as a person.”
Hammond’s need for a girls soccer coach arose in January, just two weeks before the start of the season. Skyhawks athletic director Jeff Barnes, Brewer’s college roommate, approached him and asked if he could step in after head coach Rafael Marquez stepped away from the program for personal reasons.
Brewer accepted the position after giving it some thought. He’s known most of the players since they were young and coached some of them in youth soccer.
Brewer has been a fixture around Hammond, where his daughters Elle and Brooks are standout soccer players. His wife, Liz, works in the Hammond athletic department, was a volleyball standout with the Skyhawks and is a member of the school’s hall of fame. Elle, a senior, signed with Winthrop, and Brooke, a sophomore, also is a college prospect.
“I was really scared because obviously he played football so I knew we would run a lot but definitely be in shape,” Elle Brewer said.. “I was definitely terrified in the weight room and sore. But it is definitely what we wanted.”
Brewer, who is known for his prowess on the football field, said he was actually a better soccer player growing up. He never played for his high school team because soccer was in the fall, the same time football was played.
But Brewer played for a club team and made it to the Olympic developmental team. He eventually gave up soccer for football, but his last soccer match was a memorable one. That’s when he received the only red card in his career and was ejected.
“There were a bunch of college football scouts who flew in to watch the game. During the game, one of the opposing team’s players jumped on me while another guy was pulling me down from behind. I grabbed him and slammed both of them to the ground and I was given a red card,” Brewer said. “That’s when the coaches said, ‘Well, I guess he’s gonna play football.’ ”
Ryan Brewer was a beloved figure during his time as a Gamecock. He is best known for his performance in the 2001 Outback Bowl against Ohio State. Brewer was a 1998 Mr. Football in Ohio and set the state record for single-season rushing yards (2,836), a mark that has since been broken.
During the bowl game against his home-state team, Brewer rushed for 119 yards, three touchdowns, earned MVP honors and was carried off the field by his USC teammates following the 24-7 win over the Buckeyes.
After college, Brewer signed a free-agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens and was one of the last players cut. He went on to play in NFL Europe before retiring following a knee injury.
During his playing days, Brewer was known for his toughness and grit. He’s brought those same characteristics to Hammond’s girls soccer team.
“I want them to bring the intensity. I want them to set the tone. That is the type of team I want out there,” Brewer said. “This isn’t football — we can’t run through people. But at the same time, you see how physical we are on the field.”
Brewer didn’t show much emotion on the sidelines during Tuesday’s match. That’s mainly because the Skyhawks dominated from the beginning. His daughters said he is not afraid to show his emotions and doesn’t let the players get away with much, adding extra conditioning if players are late to practice or not giving their best effort.
“Got pulled out of a game. I just wasn’t playing my best,” Elle Brewer said. “… He sat me down and said you better pick it up. He just gave me the little look. … But it has been so much fun. It has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
While Ryan Brewer has brought an intensity and toughness to the program, he also has brought a lot of fun.
He’s been adamant on encouraging his players to show their emotions and imploring them to celebrate after goals, much like NFL players do after scoring touchdowns. During Tuesday’s match against Hilton Head Christian, Elle Brewer grabbed the ball after scoring and mimicked throwing a bowling ball with her teammates serving as the pins.
After Kate Weston scored her goal, she and her teammates formed a circle and did the children’s game duck-duck-goose. And following Logan Rivers’ third goal (also known as a hat trick), the players ran toward the sideline, Brewer took off his hat and saluted Rivers, the team’s top goal scorer and American University signee.
“I watched the boys’ games out here and when they score they go crazy. You watch the ladies and it is, ah yeah, and not much excitement. I don’t want that anymore. I want celebrations,” Brewer said. “I want the celebration to be unique and it brings a little more fire or energy.”
As far as his future with the program, that hasn’t been discussed yet, but Brewer would be open to coming back next season. He already has the support of one of his players to come back next year.
“I hope he coaches next year,” Brooks Brewer said. “I think we have become really good and worked hard every day.”
This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 8:50 AM.
