By Jacob Russell\/\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spending time at the neighborhood pool on a hot summer day is a timeless tradition that\u2019s almost as American as apple pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there\u2019s a difference between people who simply spend time at the pool, and people like Russell Odor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Odor, a 19-year-old sophomore from Richmond, Virginia, specializes in freestyle and butterfly for Hood\u2019s swim team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyone who knows him understands that him being a swimmer in collegiate athletics comes as no surprise, after all he\u2019s been swimming both recreationally and competitively since he was 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy parents met while working at a pool, so my whole life has pretty much been based around the pool,\u201d Odor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Odor is majoring in integrated marketing and communications, and while he\u2019s interested in pursuing social media marketing, he isn\u2019t quite set on it yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s also an RA for Smith Hall\u2019s second floor, and when he isn\u2019t busy studying, napping, or practicing for the next swim meet, you can catch him fishing or playing soccer and spikeball in his free time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given how he\u2019s been swimming for almost his entire life, Odor has made a plethora of memories he cherishes. But there are certain moments that he reminisces on a little bit more than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy favorite memories from swimming are all based around the people I\u2019ve met. Swim meets can be days long, so we spend a lot of time bonding with our teammates,\u201d Odor said. \u201cThe team dinners, late nights in hotels, and cheering on my teammates are by far my fondest memories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As far as inspiration goes, Odor credits his parents for being the ones most responsible for crafting the man he is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy parents are by far my biggest motivators and inspirations,\u201d Odor said. \u201cThey both showed me how to love, and I believe that\u2019s the most important thing in life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Odor\u2019s father, who swam competitively at Old Dominion University, continues to be present at every single one of his son\u2019s swim meets that he can possibly attend, always being sure to offer words of encouragement and advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the chaotic life of a student-athlete, and the never-ending, grueling work that Odor has to deal with, he\u2019s happy he chose Hood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInitially, I chose Hood because I wanted to continue my athletic career and see how far I could push myself,” he said. \u201cBut I ended up falling in love with everything about Hood, and I\u2019m proud to call it my home.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"