By: Josh Schmidt

Maryland guard Travis Valmon fell in love with basketball when he was in third grade. Eventually he began to run track — it was in his blood — but the sophomore guard jumped at the chance to lace up the spikes this spring for the first time in years at the Kehoe Twilight Meet.

At the Maryland track and field team's final home meet on May 4, Valmon took the opportunity to enter his father's sport for a quick race. His father Andrew Valmon, Maryland's head coach since 2003, had a front row seat to see his son come out of the blocks.   

“I limited my practice with him and let my assistants do a lot of training, I only wanted to see that ending result,” Andrew said. “It meant a lot to me to be there with him when he did that.”

Travis, who has played two seasons with the Terps, ran a 49.82 in the second heat of the 400 meter race. His basketball teammates also made their way over to Ludwig Field to catch the action, cheering on their friend as he made his way around the track.

Andrew has led the Maryland program for 15 years after an incredible career where he won multiple world and Olympic gold medals in 400 meter races and relays.

Meredith, Andew's wife and Travis' mom, is a seven-time U.S. champion and two-time Olympian in the 800 meters. Despite their backgrounds, neither Andrew or Meredith ever pressured Travis to run track growing up or in college, something he grew up thankful for.

Travis was born in Maryland when his father was still coaching at Georgetown University. While he tried out various sports while growing up, basketball had always been his main passion. The Rockville native attended Georgetown Prep before ultimately deciding to walk-on to the Maryland basketball program.

“It was all his decision, neither me or my wife wanted to push him,” Andrew said. “When he made his decision to come to College Park it made it a lot easier to root for him and support him at games.”

Travis' first memories of the College Park campus are intertwined with his earliest memories. Each year he would come to nearly every track meet to support his father, but he would also attend plenty of football, basketball, and soccer games as well.

“I never imagined myself at UMD but one thing led to another and it's been the best decision I could ever have made,” Travis said.

Sometimes the pair will randomly run into each other on campus and other times Travis will stop by Andrew's office in XFINITY Center, so there's no denying that they've grown even closer in recent years. As they see each other more, both Travis and Andrew have seen other sides of each other.

“I couldn't ask for more from a kid,” Andrew said. “He's getting ready to be a grown man and one key part we talk about is responsibility. He's just dedicated to being the best he can be in every way.”

Not many father-son pairs get the opportunity to have this athletic bond, so when training this spring Travis did his best to soak it all in and appreciate their relationship which has only grown stronger in their time in College Park.

“He's always been one of my biggest role models,” Travis said. “As a father, a coach, an athlete, and as a friend I really respect him.”