A famous saying goes, “A grandmother is both a sword and a shield!” Undoubtedly, a grandmother can be a source of support who can also provide the strength and tools needed to stand storms. When it comes to standing up for oneself and also the community as a whole, we’ve seen how Coco Gauff raises her voice to defend what’s right. She’s just 20, but her ability and courage to take on challenges are really quite admirable. However, according to Gauff, these challenges are nothing if it’s compared with the challenges her grandmother had to go through at this age. Recently, we saw Gauff getting a bit emotional over her grandmother’s heartwarming words for her.

Gauff’s grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom, was the first black student at Delray Beach’s Seacrest High School. Odom has battled even greater challenges than those brought by a sport. For example, in 1961, during a time of segregation and prejudice, Odom was banned from a bus carrying white pupils, and teachers even asked her not to use the same loos. Not only that, despite being a sprinter and captain of her old school’s basketball team, Yvonne Lee Odom was cruelly denied the chance to play at Seacrest simply because she was black.

It had shattered her dream of a college sports scholarship. However, Odom now has perhaps achieved her unfulfilled wishes through the eyes of her super-talented granddaughter. While speaking about Coco Gauff in a recent video clip, we heard her say, “Coco to me was destined for greatness! Coz as a little girl she displayed that in many ways. I love you. I always say I love you but do your best. You know I’ve always said that because when you do your best, win or lose…you already made me proud. Always do your best and you know that your granddad said, ‘Never Say Die, (laughs).‘” Coco Gauff commented on that post put up by Fast Living Productions LLC’s IG page with three ‘heart’ emojis. Later on, she even shared that on her IG story with a caption saying, “Love my grandma 🥲.”

Coco Gauff has now become a a source of inspiration to all the kids back in Delray Beach, where Odom lives with her husband Eddie. The grandparents live just streets away from their grandchildren. Speaking about her super-talented granddaughter, during the 2018 French Open girls’ singles, Odom said, “Proud is not a word that does enough to say what I feel. I am so happy she has played her own game. I have watched her for years and I have seen her practice, practice, and practice. Her competitiveness is enormous. I knew it was going to show itself at this championship. I have seen that fire and I know how good she is.“

This wasn’t the first time that we saw her grandmother heaping praise on her incredible talent. Yvonne Lee Odom once spoke about how people initially used to address Coco Gauff as, Odom’s granddaughter, but now things have reversed. People now refer to the old lady as “Coco’s grandmother.” How did Odom inspire Gauff to create her own voice and be an identity that would represent the community on the global map?

Coco Gauff reveals how her grandmother has inspired her in her journey to achieving greatness on and off the court

We’ve often seen Gauff speaking against anti-LGBTQ laws in her home state of Florida. We’ve also seen her demanding racial justice at a BLM rally and there have been many such instances in which we saw her taking a few bold steps and raising her voice on what she feels is right. Speaking about her real inspiration to speak her mind on and off the court, Coco Gauff once revealed, “She’s (grandmother) the sole, or one of the main, reasons why I use my platform the way that I do and why I feel so comfortable speaking out.“

She explained all the hardships that her grandmother had to go through during her childhood. According to Gauff, “For her to go through what she did during that time [makes me think that] putting out a tweet or saying a speech is so easy compared to that. That’s why I have no problem doing the things that I do. She always reminds me that I’m a person first instead of an athlete.” Coco Gauff revealed how her grandmother has taught her to approach every situation with kindness and understanding.

Even during the 2023 BJK Cup when Yvonne Lee Odom was there to show her support for her granddaughter, we saw Gauff sharing a few heartwarming words for her ‘true inspiration.’ In front of a jam-packed stadium, Coco Gauff said, “Yeah, my grandmother. Grandparents in general just mean a lot to me. I know a lot of you probably know what my grandmother or grandfather has done for this community regarding racial justice, equality, and equality in general.” She said that she’s grateful to be a part of a family that has often been involved in several noble endeavors in favor of the society. We encourage you to share your thoughts on the journey of Coco Gauff and her grandmother in the comment box.