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Jim Oddo shows no signs of slowing down.
Actually, Oddo, beginning his 36th season as Charlotte Catholic's football coach, has added to a hectic schedule. He is North Carolina's Shrine Bowl coach, which has meant travel across the state this summer, added hours examining film and tons of meetings and phone calls.
Oddo, 73, is the dean of Mecklenburg County coaches and has more victories (298) than any coach in county history.
That number mounts as Charlotte Catholic, among the state's best 3A programs, layers victories every season. The other number – Oddo's age – makes some wonder if he'll soon retire.
The enthusiasm in his voice and the desire on the field quickly dismiss those thoughts.
“Football is kind of my thing,” Oddo said. “I've played since I was in elementary school. I thoroughly enjoy the interaction with the young men. It's still fun interacting with the other coaches.”
Oddo said he has a yearly self-assessment to determine if he'll coach.
“It depends on how I feel, and I like it because it keeps me young,” he said. “If it's not fun, or we're not succeeding like I think we should be, then I'll know it might be time.”
That possibility seems a long way off.
The Cougars were 11-3 last season and went three rounds into the N.C. 3AA playoffs before losing to Kannapolis Brown. Six starters are back (meaning 16 graduated), which launched Oddo and his staff into overdrive to blend the new faces with positions.
“Coach Oddo has taught me so much about football,” said Kevin Christmas, Catholic's athletics director who is in his 15th season as an assistant coach. “He's probably forgotten more football than most of us have remembered. Coach Oddo takes pride in everything he does.”
Oddo is a legend around Charlotte Catholic. On game nights, he usually wears a red baseball cap and patrols the sideline.
Like most successful leaders, he's surrounded himself with excellent assistants. He listens to them, relies on them and holds them accountable.
“We'll come in at halftime and he'll ask all of us what we see,” Christmas said. “He's willing to make adjustments based on that. He has given us more power, and trained us.”
“Coach Oddo's leadership is what stands out. He works as hard as anyone I've ever seen. He's diligent about breaking down game film and working on a game plan.”
Charlotte Catholic is favored to win the ME-GA 7 3A/4A, a new conference it joins this season. It has most of the same teams as the Queen City 3A/4A, which the Cougars dominated by not losing a conference game during the four years it existed.
This season, East Gaston is new to the conference, and Berry is out.
Oddo, in addition to his new starters, will prep for a tough nonconference schedule that will include South Mecklenburg, Providence, Charlotte Country Day, Charlotte Latin and East Mecklenburg.
He's not averse to jumping into a three-point stance, or running through a play as demonstration during practice. His players aren't old enough to remember, but he was All-ACC as a center and linebacker at N.C. State.
When he began at Charlotte Catholic, the roster was a lot thinner and victories weren't as plentiful. The Cougars were scrappy, and often had 170-pound offensive linemen. Or a 145-pound halfback was assigned to block a 200-pound linebacker.
Christmas said the team's played to Oddo's personality – scrappy and determined.
“I'm mellower now,” Oddo said. “I was a lot more boisterous years ago, but I guess now I'm more laid back. Some of that comes with experience, some with age.”
Oddo said when he began, his goal was to put his team in position to win. He's orchestrated a program that now expects to win, and has deep, stable roots.
“We have one of the finest support groups around,” he said. “We have six elementary schools and a middle school. Our fan support is excellent. Our fans outnumber others even in most of the games we play on the road.”
And, Oddo doesn't get caught up in the win-loss numbers.
“I really don't know how many games I've won,” he said. “I hear one number, then someone says it's a different number. I just try to win them one at a time. The next game is the one I'm concerned about.”
