Decorated wrestler starts career

November 17. 1993

Originally published by The Daily Collegian (Fresno State)

For a guy who was a fugitive in high school, Keith Richards has had a relatively stable, winning wrestling career.

The promising newcomer has yet to begin his career at Fresno State, but he comes in with this glowing record: four state championships in four years in high school.

If that’s not enough, try this: He won all his titles attending four different high schools in four years--in two different states.

Still not enough? He had only three losses in his high school career--backed by 170 wins.

Richards redshirted last year and has now taken his place in the Bulldog starting lineup at the 158-pound spot. Head Coach Dennis DeLiddo says it’s just a preview of things to come.

"With guys like Keith, my job’s a little easier. He’s the kind of wrestler that if he does well, the whole team will do well," DeLiddo said.

The Trinidad-born Richards prepped in Oklahoma his first three years before moving to San Jose for his senior season. He wrestled at Monroney, Midwest City, and Douglas High in Oklahoma City his freshman, sophomore and junior years. As a senior, he wrestled at Mission High in San Jose.

The reasons why he moved around so much?

"My parents moved around a lot. Especially my mom. She moved around and I just followed. But that didn’t stop me from doing the best I could do wherever I went."

Do four more championships wait in his Fresno State future? Richards hopes so, but downplays the pressure brought on by his past success.

"No, it’s not the same, because college is so much different from high school," he said. "Winning four straight was great, but it reall doesn’t matter much now."

Richards cemented his starting spot--and a spot on the team--by impressing at last week’s intrasquad meet.

"That’s the beginning," he said. "You have to make the team before you can be everybody’s All-American."

Richards doesn’t have any Division I experience yet, but DeLiddo sees great potential in him.

"Too many people think that if you’re young at this level, you can’t be any good. I don’t believe in that. We’ll be young this year, but Keith can be one that keeps us in the hunt. He looks to have a real good freshman season."

In the year he spent redshirting, Richards has learned that the difference between high school and college wrestling is night and day.

"In high school, it was easier to intimidate people to succeed and I was head and shoulders above the rest. Here (at Fresno), you have to work on how to beat an opponent and have your moves down pat or you’ll be humbled real quick. Also, up here you’ll never get to the point that you’re too good. Everybody has the same potential and talent you have."

Richards said he was attracted to FSU by the tradition the program holds.

"Everybody here seemed to be a two-time state champion and All-American," he said. "Here we have a lot of guys who maybe are just starting their careers (at FSU) but have been doing this since they were growing up."

Competition between wrestlers means you can tell a lot about who will win and who will lose, according to Richards.

"There’s a lot of tenacity when you step onto that mat," said Richards. "It comes down to who’s the meanest and who wants it the most. If you have a good move, you can stay with that.

Usually, it’s best to change your style, according to who you’ll compete against." He credited DeLiddo for having a program where wrestlers are responsible for their moves both on and off the mat.

"DeLiddo is the best coach I have ever had," he said. "And I’ve had a lot of coaches. He helps me realize that I have to have a game plan to beat somebody that’s tough to beat. In high school I pretty much did things on my own. I can’t fire from the hip anymore."

"He doesn’t so much as coach as he watches over us and makes sure that we do things right in practice and in meets. And he’ll watch you. He’ll make you go to class--he’ll show up at your class to make sure you show up. And if you don’t, you’ll get a call in a minute."

What will be going through Richards’ head when he takes the mat for the first time at Division I?

"How much I want it, how much I want to win, and how much I want to beat the other guy," he said. "I’ll be relaxed and calm. I’ve been working hard to get this, and it’ll be just another day. I’m going to win a lot of matches and gain my position in the ranks."