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(Episode 134) For the Love of the Game featuring Kymora Johnson's mom, Jessica Thomas-Johnson

·45 min·3 clips

Jessica says Kymora Johnson's own turning point came after being disqualified from a national tournament.

1. Good Ole Podcast Episode 134 combines Virginia spring football updates with a women's basketball conversation centered on Kymora Johnson's mom, Jessica Thomas-Johnson. 2. Jackie Franciulli hosts the show for Wahoos 24-7, and Jessica Thomas-Johnson joins as Kymora Johnson's mother and the guest for the "For the Love of the Game" segment. 3. The episode asks what Virginia sports looks like right now, from Tony Elliott's spring football roster to Kymora Johnson's ACC Tournament run. 4. Jackie says the media saw only 20 minutes of Virginia's first spring football practice, which limited what could be learned on the field. 5. Tony Elliott's post-practice comments focused on injuries, including Antonio Clary, Sage Ennis, Trey McDonald, Cam Robinson, James Jackson, Noah Josie, and Kael Boley. 6. Jackie also mentions defensive lineman Jason Hamm, defensive back Kiki Adams, defensive back Caleb Hardy, running back Noah Vaughn, and punter Daniels-Parks as part of the injury picture. 7. Drake Metcalf is described as non-contact while returning from an Achilles injury, and Blake Steen, Grey Ellinger, Dane Walensky, and Houston Curry are also listed as unavailable. 8. Jackie says the biggest visual takeaway from practice was size, naming Munro Mills, Kevin Wingington, Jacob Holmes, Hunter Osborne, and Dakota Tweety at about 240 pounds. 9. She says Virginia looks bigger in the trenches and notes that quarterbacks Daniel Kalen and Chalen Morris were only seen running, not throwing. 10. Jessica Thomas-Johnson enters the second half to talk about Kymora Johnson's season, her first-team All-ACC recognition, and what it means to play for the hometown team in Charlottesville. 11. Jessica says she is "incredibly proud" of Kymora for following her heart, adjusting to roles, and navigating roster changes around her at Virginia. 12. She describes the college schedule as intense, saying a simple nail appointment required a screenshot of Kymora's full day in notes. 13. Jessica recalls years of family sacrifice during travel basketball, high school basketball, and soccer, including time spent away from younger siblings. 14. She says Kymora's own turning point came after being disqualified from a national tournament, which made basketball feel like an opportunity she could not waste. 15. Jessica explains that Kymora's recruiting path was a slow and steady rise, not an immediate rush, until the final summer when interest surged and phone calls became overwhelming. 16. She says Kymora was 16 during that recruiting pressure, cried from the volume of texts and calls, and eventually needed a break from the process. 17. Jessica calls Virginia's coaching staff genuine and says both she and Kymora left the first meeting with the same feeling about the program and the people in it. 18. The conversation stays warm and personal, with Jessica laughing about coach conversations, summer travel, baking a pound cake for the team, and driving to JPJ or North Carolina around Kymora's schedule. 19. Listeners who follow Virginia women's basketball, hometown athletes, or family-centered sports stories will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting only game analysis or minimal off-court context may skip this one.

As heard by us

A brief spring football check-in that opens into a more personal women's basketball conversation.

The episode splits its time between a limited spring football update and a longer women's basketball conversation. Jackie Franciulli keeps the football section tight: only one spring practice had been held, and the media saw just 20 minutes, so there is not much room to read…

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Why you'd press play

You want a quick Virginia check-in with a family-side view of Kimora Johnson.

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