Brophy Prep father-son duo want to close with a state volleyball title
They've been together on hockey rinks and volleyball courts. They've shared pain and triumph, and many, many wins. Now they're hoping to close out the 2023-24 high school year with something Tony Odani wasn't been able to accomplish with his two older sons.
Win a state boys volleyball championship at Phoenix Brophy Prep.
Connor Oldani, a 6-foot-5 senior outside hitter, has helped the Broncos to a 27-3-2 record with four matches to go before the 6A state tournament begins. He leads them with 351 kills and a 52% hitting percentage. He has 766 career kills.
But father and son want to close this chapter of their lives with a win.
Last year, their season ended with a 3-0 loss to Gilbert Perry in the semifinals. Two years ago, it ended with a 3-1 loss to Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor in the semifinals. That O'Connor team finished 44-0 and No. 1 in the nation.
During Connor's freshman year, Brophy's season ended with a 3-0 loss to Premier Region-rival Perry, which went on to win the state title in the next match against O'Connor.
This Brophy team is ranked No. 15 in the nation.
This team features Tony's wife Renee as an assistant coach. Connor is the third of their sons to come through the program. Tony said for the last six years, he's had at least one son on the team. At one point, all three were on the Brophy team.
Riley was a 2021 outside hitter. Patrick graduated last year.
"It's been a really special thing for us," Tony said. "This team in general, we have nine seniors, all of whom are really tight on the court as much as they are off the court. It's been a great experience watching these guys bond. It's been hard to find roles for all nine seniors to have a stake in what we're doing. But it's been a really special group."
For the last three years, Tony helped coached Connor's club hockey team at Brophy Prep.
This was the first year Tony wasn't a coach on the club hockey team.
"The hardest thing is turning off coach and turning on parent," Tony said. "I'll find myself at night, when Connor's in his room doing his homework, I'll barge in on him and say, 'Hey, this rotation, why did we do this?' "
Connor, who has signed to play Division I college men's volleyball at Grand Canyon, said he has enjoyed the balancing act between father and coach.
"It's been different," Connor said. "I've always been the third son who could watch them. Now, it's like, just me. I have to always be attentive to the whole part of the coach."
Connor said there's differences in his dad as a coach between hockey and volleyball.
"In hockey, he's an assistant coach, so he can be more of a dad," Connor said. "He can help people with different roles.
"In volleyball, he is more direct. The sports are different, but it's still both team sports and you can't do everything on your own."
Connor said he only stood 5-7 when he first got to Brophy. He didn't think he'd grow much more.
"But I kept growing and for two years I focused on volleyball to get better at that," he said.
There's about a month left before a state champion is crowned. It's getting near the end. Emotions will be there. But the focus is on winning it all.
"This team is different from any other team I've been on," Connor said. "Everybody gets along. It's helped us win close games, because we don't freak out on each other. We stay positive."
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Oldani father-son duo goes from Brophy boys volleyball to hockey
