Ryan Odom, UVA Sports Culture and One Virginia Family

When No. 9 Virginia trekked down the freeway to Charleston, S.C. and played an outdoor exhibition game against No. 24 Vanderbilt, Coach Ryan Odom had a few surprises and tests in mind.

Playing a college basketball game outdoors is extremely unorthodox. However, it is a valuable experiment to see how players respond to inconsistent light and shadows, breeze and other strange factors. Playing against a ranked SEC team is even more valuable.

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Odom also had something in mind – perspective.

Odom as teacher

The operator of Credit One Stadium is Ben Navarro, the father of Virginia tennis legend Emma Navarro. She won a national championship during her time in Charlottesville. Odom would like to do the same.

Before the exhibition against the Commodores, Virginia and Navarro arranged a visit with the men’s basketball team. Odom borrowed a page from Coach Tony Elliott’s book of motivation – connecting the Cavaliers present with Cavaliers past.

“Yeah, we’re pumped that you guys are here,” Navarro said. “It’s super rare to to see a basketball court in our tennis arena, but we love it. It’s so important to just appreciate every day. It goes by so fast, and sports are pretty amazing. Sports gives you so much that you don’t you don’t always get out of life.”

Virginia Cavaliers basketball Coach Ryan Odom talks with tennis star Emma Navarro. | Courtesy Virginia Athletics

“So yeah, appreciate everything that that comes with sports,” Navarro said. “the nerves and and the pressure and the tough days and the excitement of winning and and the hurt of losing, yeah, take it all in. Those are emotions that are hard to come by in your in your daily life.”

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Navarro is not the first Cavaliers to share wisdom with this basketball team. In March, Virginia hired program legend Malcolm Brogdon as a strategic advisor. He will be with the Cavaliers throughout their journey towards a championship.

Odom also arranged visits from Ralph Sampson, Seth Greenberg and others. There will be…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ryan-odom-uva-sports-culture-200004504.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-21 20:00:00

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