Home team advantage: Alumni coaches invest in the next generation

By Simone Denard

College athletes are often challenged with balancing a complex range of responsibilities — from attending and studying for classes to training rigorously and performing at their peak in their sport. Howard athletes are no exception, with many of them traveling from across the country to partake in the University’s athletics program. Fortunately, the athletes are not navigating their commitments alone. Coaches play an essential role in guiding athletes on and off the field, court and track. Among them are David Oliver (’04, B.A.), Camille Navarro (’22, B.S.) and Christian White (’23, B.A.), coaches who bring a unique relatability to their roles because they also played sports at Howard.

Oliver is a former track Olympian and serves as the current director of track and field at Howard. With dreams of attending a college located in a big city that has a history of prominent alumni, Oliver accepted a recruitment offer and moved to Washington, D.C., to run track for Howard. As director, he crafts programming and training plans for each season while overseeing students’ workout and practice schedules.

“I’m a firm believer in timing. I’d retired from my career as a professional athlete and after being contacted by our athletic director for the job, I figured that this was my next journey in life. Working in this role has been very fulfilling,” said Oliver.

Oliver’s highly successful professional career taught him the importance of having a phenomenal coach. He values the honesty imparted in him by former coaches and works to implement a similar coaching strategy with Howard track and field athletes.

Similar to Oliver, Navarro draws from her interactions with influential coaches as a softball player when working with current Howard athletes. In her role, Navarro manages equipment orders and travel logistics for games, and assists with early morning practices.

“I never thought about coaching as a career because I was not a very vocal player but having served the program for the last three years, I could see it becoming a long-term career for me,” said Navarro.

Navarro emphasizes mental health, regularly encouraging her athletes to take time to care for themselves outside of softball. Many athletes deal with anxiety while performing their sport. Juggling her own form of game-day anxiety, Navarro sought the support of the team’s sports psychologist throughout her time at Howard.

“I was an anxious player. Now, as a coach, I get nervous about the way the athletes perceive themselves and their performance. I like to let them know that I’m here for them and that there are resources available to them,” said Navarro.
The softball team recently hired a player development coach who works firsthand with the athletes. Navarro’s holistic approach to coaching supports athletes’ growth on and off the field. She seeks to encourage her athletes to do the introspective work necessary to not only discover who they are as athletes, but who they desire to be as women.

White, defensive quality control and assistant special teams coach for Howard football, was both a star linebacker and leader among his teammates. White chose to attend Howard because of the rich culture evident upon entering Howard’s iron gates for the first time. Following his final season playing for Howard, White returned to assist the team. His magnetic energy and ability to keep players motivated prompted faculty to keep him around full-time.

“I like to mentor people; that is who I was as a player as well. This role seemed to fit the more time I spent in it,” said White.

Football is a sport that is often hard on the body, requiring mental endurance and grit. While working with the players, White reiterates the necessity of perseverance. With an understanding of the requirements athletes must fulfill academically in addition to their athletic responsibilities, White creates authentic relationships rooted in empathy.

“Knowing football is not enough to make a good coach. Understanding the life that these athletes live attending an HBCU [historically Black college or university] in an urban city is important. I can relate to my players because I went to Howard and have lived in the DMV [Washington D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area] my entire life. I have that relatability to connect with students coming from both urban and rural hometowns,” said White.

Through their experiences as former Howard athletes, David Oliver, Camille Navarro and Chrisitan White combine technical expertise with honesty, encouragement and strategy to provide remarkable coaching. Whether it’s Oliver’s disciplined leadership, Navarro’s empathetic guidance or White’s passionate mentorship, each coach exemplifies what it means to give back to a program that helped shape them. Their return to Howard as alumni coaches highlights the powerful legacy of Bison pride. By investing in today’s athletes, these coaches affirm the importance of alumni presence on campus and the lasting impact of the Bison experience.