Hammond’s Brooks Brewer Photo by Mike Maddock
For longtime South Carolina Gamecock and Hammond Skyhawk fans, the numbers 4 and 21 have been synonymous with the Brewer family.
Ryan Brewer made the No. 21 famous during his four-year career with the Gamecocks’ football team, which were highlighted by a pair of Outback Bowl wins over his hometown Ohio State Buckeyes in 2001 and 2002. Before coming to South Carolina, Ryan’s jersey number of choice was 4 at Troy High School in Ohio. His No. 4 has since been retired at the school in his honor.
Liz Price Brewer wore No. 4 during her Hall-of-Fame volleyball career at Hammond and then later at South Carolina. Hammond retired the number in her honor.
Now their passion for sports and certain jersey numbers have been passed on to their daughters, Elle and Brooks. They both play volleyball and soccer at Hammond. Elle is a junior and Brooks is a freshman.
“It’s a lot of pressure, but it makes me a better athlete because it puts pressure on me,” Elle said. “It makes me want to do well. Everyone knows my mom played volleyball. Everybody watches me play and calls me a ‘mini Liz.’
Hammond’s Elle Brewer Photo by Mike Maddock
“My dad played soccer in high school. I’m a very vocal person. I put a lot of pressure on my teammates to be good, to be the best they can be. I will pick them up if they are having an off day. My dad taught me that. My mom did as well.”
For Ryan and Liz transitioning from being athletes to parents/spectators has been quite the experience.
“The hardest part is trying not to live vicariously through them,” Ryan said. “You feel every movement they make out there. As a parent you have the pride and joy of watching them play. At the same time, if they do something wrong or if they fall on the court or on the field, you feel it. It feels like you are going through every emotion with them, every play with them. We talk to them. We try to sit away, so we don’t yell too much. It’s hard, super hard, to watch and not get too caught up in it.”
Hammond Hall-of-Fame volleyball star and USC player Liz Price Brewer Contributed by South Carolina Athletics
“It’s a completely different angle for us,” Liz said. “It’s fun to watch them compete. They are both very competitive girls. We love to watch them compete. It’s a lot of fun for us to watch them live out their dreams and compete on the volleyball court and soccer fields.”
According to Liz, Elle and Brooks started playing soccer for S.C. United when they were three years old. They later picked up volleyball while playing with their mother in the front yard and during trips to the beach.
“We had no idea what we were doing when we started on the volleyball court,” Elle said. “Mom came out and hit balls with us. We had a volleyball net in our front yard. She taught us how to pepper. It’s made me and Brooks better.”
For Liz, watching her daughters play the same sport she played at the same school she attended has been special.
“It’s fun to watch them put on the Hammond jersey and compete here,” Liz said. “It’s come with a little brainwashing with the Skyhawk fight song. I work here, so I still do it. It’s an amazing feeling watching them compete for the high school I went to. Ryan and I use to come here to watch football games before we had children because we had friends who coached football here. It’s great to watch Elle and Brooks love the school I loved so much that meant so much to me.”
Former South Carolina football star Ryan Brewer Contributed by South Carolina Athletics
Hammond finished 7-10 during the 2023 volleyball season. However, one highlight for Elle was her promotion to the front line. For the year, Elle had 95 kills, 128 digs, 33 aces, and 11 assists. Brooks finished with 19 digs and 14 kills.
“I’m excited about playing on the front row because I grew enough,” Elle said. “I was always the shortest and skinniest person on the team. I hit the weight room. Now I’m the tallest person on the team. Growing is probably my biggest accomplishment. I just like growing. It was kind of fun.”
While Brooks is still waiting on growing taller, she enjoys sharing this experience with her sister.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Brooks said. “We both push each other to do our best. If Elle wasn’t on a team with me, I don’t think I would be good at all. She’s helped me out a ton.”
“We push each other to be the best we can be,” Elle said. “We’re sisters, but it’s always a competition of who is better at this or who is better at that.”
When spring rolls around, the Brewer girls play soccer at both the club level and for the Skyhawks. Elle plays center back and is one of the team captains. Brooks is a forward/midfield.
Currently, Hammond sits at 7-4-1 overall and 4-1 in SCISA Region 1-4A. For the season, Elle has played in 11 games. She has seven goals and six assists. Brooks has played in eight games and has three goals.
For any parent, walking that fine line between being a fan and offering advice can be challenging. Being former Division 1 athletes adds to the dynamic. However, for the Brewers, their role is simple.
“We are they’re parents first,” Liz said. “The first thing I always tell them is I love to watch them play. I just love to watch them compete in anything they do that brings them passion, love, and joy. We just like to watch them and support them. That comes first. They have to love it. I’ve told them, if they wanted to quit something tomorrow, regardless of how much we love it, they have to love it first. We don’t want them to ever do something because of us.”
“At the same token, they are competitors,” Ryan said. “We are competitors. If they are going to be on the court or on the field, they better be out there to win. Every minute they are out there, they better be doing the best they can. That’s the only thing we will ever get frustrated about, their effort. If they aren’t putting the effort in, we do get angry. I will get vocal. They take it in stride. They are coachable kids. They work their tails off.”
While sports are important to the Brewers, the numbers on their jerseys are as well. The No. 4 is a family favorite, dating back to when Liz and Ryan wore that number at their respective high schools. They even have it on the license plates of their cars. Brooks and Elle have also grown fond of the No.21. During volleyball season, Brooks wears No. 1 while Elle wears No. 21. Liz’s No. 4 isn’t available since it’s retired. In soccer, Elle wears No. 4 and Brooks is No. 21.
“We both wear No. 21 in club,” Elle said. “No. 21 wasn’t available my first year with varsity soccer, so I went with No. 4. When Brooks joined, No. 21 was open so she went with that. We both had the numbers we wanted, so we are both happy. It’s a good honor. It worked out perfectly.”
While Elle and Brooks still have a lot of time left in their high school careers, Liz and Ryan know their girls have accomplished a lot already due to the effort they put forth.
“I’m proud of how hard they work,” Ryan said. “People don’t see the work behind the scenes. They train with me and Liz. They work on running and their touches. Elle has become a weight room warrior.
“It’s hard having two former Division 1 athletes as parents and living with the pressure of both of them having their jerseys retired. It’s a lot of pressure. Elle handles it well. Brooks is following in her footsteps. It’s great seeing them battle. Seeing them both on the field together is special to watch.”
“Their work ethic is second to none,” Liz said. “We try not to put that pressure on them. It’s inherently put on them by the outside world. I’m proud of the way they work. Sometimes I look at them and think they work harder than I did. The sky is the limit for them. If they want to play in college, I hope their dreams come true. If not, I’m sure there is something down the road that God has planned for them. I’m just really proud of who they are becoming. It’s been a fun journey so far.”
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