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Show SportstoculQr Page 14 October 11. 1979 ' Tv , ; , 'I K , S j. ' iU- c;y - : STEVE RICHARDS TAKES PRIDE in ? v-- :)i V bosting his teammates during a game. Here he instructs Doug Johnson, a good teammate. water break. Steve inherited a much of his football talent while playing in the state of Texas. RICHARDS TAKES not-to-oft- Richards stars with Royal s but once by Keith Duncan The opposition loomed ever present again as only short yanls stood between, them and the goal line. Only minutes remained in a battle that Roys Steve Richards wanted to quickly forget but though he and Ms fellow troopers had been beaten without question, the possibility of allowing another six points was in ' .. . question. x Richards pounded the shoulder pads of bigger defensive lineman and though tired and full of fatique, Richards enthusiasm meant something and seemed to draw out the last of what, everyone else had. But sadly enough, Richards never got to participate in the final last stand. Moments earlier a stray hand had found its way through his facemask breaking his nose. The blood had taken its time flow and when a referee noticed it, a motion was made to the sideline. Dont take me out, yelled Richards at the top of his voice in a desperate, pleaful way. Something in that incidence sparked the Royals and they shunned the Clearfield offense. Football, competition, contact, Texas and now Utah are intrique parts of Richards life and always will be. Presently a senior at Roy High, Steve prides himself in being best at whatever he choses to do. Right now thats being a quality defensive back that Coach Ernie Jacklin can depend upon. Of equal importance is gaining an education that Only he himself can be proud to .the . Gradually Steve bridged the gap from the old new with Roy High football playing a large role in that construction. Steve sat back in his familys living room couch last Saturday booming, recovering from the broken nose bedsufTered the day befowbut.more importantly relaxed after taming a mental storm that could haws destroyed everything, including football. From the first day Steve moved to Texas with his family, football and everything associated with it, seemingly ranked No. 1 in his Me. Denton was in the middle of feverish-footba-ll country with two powerful universities located in that single town. High school football rivalries were as brutal as World War II battles and with the Dallas Cowboys Just a jaunt up north, you know what that meant. of. RICHARDS CROUCHES LOW to defend safety position. Hmj I&Qd at his free Richards Move to Texas Steve feels he has learned a lesson in life that most his age sometimes never come to realize, that being patience. The story of attaining that principle is a story witMn itself. It started when Steve and his family moved to Texas, it continued as he grew and made friends in a town 30 miles north of Dallas and climaxed when the family decided to move back to Utah. The love of football and the love for Texas started out like a little boy and his brand new puppy. In the beginning they investigate each other but it doesnt take long for a bond of fondness to develop. The young years that Richards spent in Texas only enhanced his love for the surroundings. v But like most good things, at least in this world, there usually comes and end. It was tragedy, at least in Steves world, when the family decided to move back to Utah and start his ninth grade year. Looking back now, I dont see how some people put up with me, said Steve, Without football I probably wouldnt have made it. . Richards went three days to Roy Junior High before he was back in Texas enjoying his friends and another undefeated football season In Denton. The family had to live during that football season, , found him a place it was over, he was back again in Utah. Finds a Home at Roy High - As little kids, wed almost worsMp Denton high school players and the games they played in. One time a player gave me his chin strap and I thought that was the greatest thing in the world, said Steve. Football was so popular that both home and visiting marching bands would do their thing at halftimer Teams existed for seventh, eighth and ninth grade years and believe it or not, sometimes two teams for a single grade. And all this happening at a single school. The biggest goal among us kids was to someday play for Denton, nothing could compare. In junior high my teammates and I had super teams probably because wed all grown up together. We would have been terrific at Denton High, said Richards. Discipline is Texas schools compared to discipline in Utah schools is another whole new thing according to Steve. Its not as serious a thing here, unless you want it yourself, said Steve. The Royal senior is presently the president of the National Honor Society and he considers good grades as much an accomplishment as a touchdown on Friday afternoon. They grade much harder in Texas, at least in my opinion, said Richards. The students expect strictness from teachers as far as learning goes, its just a natural thing. Steve says that his junior high never had assemblies, at least not like schools in this area. It was these things and a combination of others that made it hard for me to adjust, stated Steve. But the Royals are happiest for Steves adjustment who has been a vital link in Roys football fortunes this past season. Winning on the football team was always important to me and as long as I play will always be important, but winning off the field is as much a part of Me as anything else, he uid. |