“Best Seat to a Great Career” for Piedmont

Jacksonville, AL – Personality emotional expressions show after Odam is the last player for Piedmont Coach and father in Northeast Regional defeat to Plainview

Joe Medley Joe Medley

The pair of Jonathan or Alex Odam are much for speeches, or at least, not for public consumption however Jonathan’s tense left foot spoke on Thursday. It told the story of the father who just played the final match of Jonathan’s famous high school career and was expecting inevitable press questions following another promising Piedmont season came to a dead beginning with Plainview in the Northeast Regional. It was enough to be awed by an exciting first quarter of two highly skilled, fast-paced teams slowing down and burning into the perennial state champion Plainview’s victory of 68-47 at Pete Mathews Coliseum. It was enough to watch every Piedmont attempt to run end up with the typical Plainview quick-fire outcome … A 3-pointer or turnover, a swift pass, then three. There’s something interesting about those efforts to make an effort, even. “We struggled,” Jonathan Odam said and his voice lost the battle. “That’s my team. I wouldn’t trade the 15 Bulldogs for anyone else in Alabama. Alabama. I’ll bat for these guys at any time.” That was difficult enough.

With Alex sitting next to him, Jonathan Odam tried to summarize the significance that was the situation. Jasper State’s Ray Harper will coach Alex Odam in the smooth point guard’s upcoming “Red Mamba” game, which will be played at the same stadium in which Alex’s high school years concluded. Dad had the privilege of coaching Alex in all of his games for Piedmont from the 2017-18 season. From Jonathan’s position in the back bench could see all 3,229 points, which is a score that was enough to put Alex first on the Piedmont all-time list, with 10th place on list of AHSAA’s top players. “The most I could tell you is that I was in the best seat to have a successful professional career,”” Jonathan said, wiping his eyes with his left. “I loved watching him and being his coach. “He probably didn’t appreciate the same way than I enjoyed it.”

The coaches who coach their children must keep their children their teammates convinced of the fairness of all this. The fact that coaches coach their children the hardest is a common occurrence. Fathers and sons are together in the car to leave for home, however. Every time they take a break to pose for photos with a new milestone-marking ball it’s the time to practice those difficult drills that go from the seats of the passenger to the driver and back. “You don’t want to be aware,” Alex said, making the room laugh. Jonathan claimed that the two of them Alex “almost were at war in the course of a night.” “It wasn’t something that happened frequently,” Jonathan said.

Many coaches who taught their kids advised them by the older Odam. This list includes White Plains’ Chris Randall and Spring Garden’s Ricky Austin and Hokes Bluff’s Jason Shields. “They all claimed it was difficult,” Jonathan said. “The most effective thing to do is put it away at the gym. I attempted to do that every evening. There were nights that we were unable to do so carry the burden home and nearly came to blows. “He’s level-headed. He calms me down. He does this in games. He also does the same thing at home. Thanks to Odam, the pair did not come to blows which is probably my intention.” This is a taste of the personal aspect from one of Calhoun County’s acclaimed basketball teams from high school. For the basketball aspect there’s no shortage fans lining up to sing praises of Alex Odam. It’s clear that he’s a father’s son. is evident. [read more…]