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Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Echoes of the Yard. I'm your host, Kendyl Terrell, a soccer player here at Jackson State University, and this podcast is for all sources HBCU, from the guests to the topics, the good and the bad. We're here to talk about it all. For the 12th episode, I am joined by Kerry Richardson, a basketball player from Morehouse College. Say hello. How y'all doing? How y'all doing? So, okay, tell me about yourself. Give them a little bit of background, where you're from. Like, how you were raised. Like, let's hear a bit.

So, I'm from Riverdale, Georgia. Well, I was born in Atlanta, from Riverdale, Georgia. And I got a sister, raised in a full-parent household. So, I came up playing sports. My first sport was football. And then, you know, I kind of like telling this story a lot. Like, I start playing football, and then people kind of get a little bigger. So, I like to protect my body. I started wanting to protect my body more. So, my dad kind of introduced me. He introduced the game of basketball to me. So, I got into basketball. So, I started. I grew up playing, basically, football and basketball. And it all went through that throughout high school. And I was able to get to the college level and play at the college level. And then, here I am now at the pro level. So, it's just one-by-one, middle school, high school, college level, and then the pro level. So, yeah, that's how I started it out.

Okay, so when did you realize you wanted to pursue it in college? Like, when was that? When was the moment, like, you were like, oh, no, like, this is what I want to do. This is where I'm going. So, I knew, like, around my 11th grade year when I really just started to take the game more serious. I started to figure out ways I can get recruited and, like, what I need to do. Like, what I need to do for my body to be ready, things I need to work on with my game. And, yeah, that's about it. I started really just looking forward to college. And the route wasn't the best. Like, I didn't have the easiest route. Like, it was kind of, it was tough.

There was a lot of ups and downs that came with it. Because I came out of high school with one offer. Like, literally, I had one offer. Yeah. But I took it. I went in and took it. And from that point forward, it was just, like, a long journey that I do over again. So, you said it was a little bit of a rough journey. You attended four different, like, colleges. So, tell me about your journey and how you ended up at Morehouse. So, my first school, I started out in North Carolina. Lease McRae College in the near Appalachian State. And I was there for one year. I just wanted something. I didn't see myself graduating from there, to be honest. Like, I wanted something better and bigger.

So, this coach from Polk State, Florida, which is a junior college, community college, he had kind of hit me up in my DMs, whatever. He seen I was in a transfer portal. He was like, hey, you ever thought about JUCO? And I'm like, JUCO? I'm like, no. I'm always had a negative connotation. about JUCO. Don't hate on us. Don't hate on us, JUCO products. But I, for every respect, I was like, JUCO? Why would I? Come on now. And then I did my research on it. Like, I like to be understanding. So, I did my research on it. And he was telling me about a route that I could possibly take. So, he told me, you come to JUCO. You come in, do your thing, stay focused on your grades, and I can get you to Division I school.

And that was one of my main goals. I wanted to play Division I basketball at the highest level possible. So, I'm like, that sounds good. I never thought of it that way. I just didn't know. I didn't have that much knowledge. So, I went JUCO. I went JUCO for a year down in Polk State, Florida. Played a year there. I was just, that was probably one of the best experiences of my life. Like, just being surrounded by, you know, one of the best experiences of my life, just being surrounded by dogs, people that's hungry, people that's fighting with you. We both trying to get somewhere. So, I did my year at JUCO. And then, after JUCO, I stuck to the plan. And I got a chance to play Division I basketball.

And that was at Texas A&M, Corpus Christi. And I did my year there. A lot of ups and downs to that one, too. It was during COVID. Oh, COVID was hard. Yeah, COVID was tough. So, I think I did my year there. And then, I think the coach had got, he had retired. He retired there. And as athletes, we know how things go. And as staff, like, a coach retiring and a new coach come in, kind of trying to bring his guys in. If you ain't performing, you might be out. Yeah. Like, you ain't doing what, if you don't like what you bring into the table, you might be out of there. He gonna try to find you a new home.

So, but I kind of was getting, yeah, I was, I already had entered the trans portal anyway before he had came. So, he kind of, that kind of put me at a, I'm not saying a bad situation, but like, kind of his bad side, whatever. But I didn't have no room to fill. Like, so, I had to be on my grades, right, everything. But it didn't work out, but we're just okay. And I ended up having to transfer again. I went to, that's when I went to. I tried to find, like, a better place that would, that wants me and a place where I can thrive it. So, I thought of Morehouse, Morehouse College. And I'm like, let me go to Morehouse. Because I tried Morehouse coming out of high school.

That was, I wanted, I tried out for Morehouse, but I didn't really like the offer they were giving me. So, I just went ahead and went to the school in Appalachian State. So, I'm like, but I kind of, I wanted, always wanted to go to Morehouse. I just knew it in my head. I knew it. So, yeah. Yeah. It's crazy. It came back around full circle, and I ended up at Morehouse, and it was up ever since, like. So, speaking of Morehouse, you achieved 1,000 career points at Morehouse, and you led the team in scoring and rebounds. Okay. From someone, I recently just accomplished 50 goals in my collegiate career for soccer. So, like, just being at the top of those levels, being that person, like, how was your mental, like, what were you going through?

Like, did you feel a lot of pressure on your shoulders? Like, where was your head at? During that moment? I did, kind of, but sometimes you just got to, you got to know what your main goal is at the end of the day. You're going to get pressure a lot, but you, once you focus on your goal, all the pressure just block out. It blocks out. It erases. You're just like, all right, I'm here to do this, and I got to, I got to, I got to achieve that goal, and I got to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. So, everything else just literally blocks out, like, you might, you're going to feel pressure at first. You're going to feel a little pressure. It's always going to be tough.

But once you go back to your journal, I got a journal right here. Like, once you go back to your books or whatever, you check everything off, everything else is going to fall in hand. Like, it's going to fall in line or whatever. So, you just got to stay focused. Make sure you focus on your goal, whatever you want to accomplish. Everything else is going to be easy. So, yeah. So, when you hit your 1,000 career points, like, what were you feeling? Like, was it a shock to you? Like, were you kind of like, wow, this has been a long journey? Like, what were you feeling? I was actually mad. Like, I wasn't mad, but, like, I was actually, like, upset because I was supposed to hit, I was supposed to already hit it.

I had a senior night, and I was supposed to hit it on senior night, but I ended up hitting it, like, in the playoffs. And, like, senior night, my teammates was hyping me up. They was telling me, it was like, hey, you're 30 points away. Because I was on a roll. Like, I had scored, like, I don't know how many points I had before that, but I was on a roll. I was putting up decent numbers. Like, I was just in a zone. And senior night, it was like, all right, we're going to give you the ball, Kerry, every time. I just. I was just passing it. I was just so happy. I was just in a moment with senior night. I'm like, hey, this is my last time being here.

Like, let me do it. Let me try to do everything right. But I still had a good game. But I wanted to hit it my senior night, which would have been better, but I didn't. I got a chance to hit it, like, during the playoffs, and they celebrated me for doing that. So, it was cool either way. It just, it felt good. It felt good to finally do that. So, you're a mass communications major, and I can tell. No, because you can really hold a conversation. What made you want to go into mass communications? So, I really wanted to focus on my communication skills more. Like, I just wanted to be better at it. Like, because growing up in high school, like, I was never the best communicator.

Like, I was so quiet, and I didn't really like talking to people. Like, once you grow up, you got to get out of that. You got to. You want to. You don't want to ask questions. You got to. Like, it's all about life. Like, so. And that happened. That happened, my college, that happened, like, around my sophomore year or junior year. I started to communicate more. That's when I really got into the major, after COVID, which is my junior year. So, yeah, I grew up quiet. I just grew up a quiet guy, and I wanted to find ways that I can reach people more, just find ways to show people that I care. So, I just started asking more questions, and it was just the science of it.

I just love the science of communicating, finding ways to sell your products, finding ways to. Oh, for sure. Yeah, finding ways. That's how you, like, build your network. Yeah, yeah. Finding ways to talk to your teammates on the court. It's certain. You got to talk. It's certain ways we talk to people. Like, you know? Yeah. So, I just, like, and that's all in mass communication. You got to know ways, different ways to reach people, know different ways for people to reach you. So, that's why I went ahead, and I rock with communications. I like that. So, focusing, like, strictly on Morehouse, like, how would you rate your overall experience as a student? Like, one out of ten, how was it as a student? Ten. Not yet quite an athlete, but, like, a student.

Student, I'm not going to say ten. I'm not going to throw it all the way up there. I give it a, it could have been better. It could have been way better. I just, I would say overall, I'd give it an 8.5. Okay. I give it a nine. That's still pretty high. That's good. But that's personally me, because I could have made it better. It was things that I was still learning about Morehouse that I'm learning now. Like, dang, I wish I would have did that. I could have made it a ten. Right. But. It's all good. So, like, resources-wise, you could have made it a ten? Yeah, resources. Okay. And in class, I wish I would have been able to focus more.

I was more focused on basketball in my last years at Morehouse. Like, it was just like, I got to get it. I got to get to that pro level. But if I would have went there, like, all my four years, I would have been able to, you know, focus on different things and know how to move around Morehouse, you know, know what I need, know the people, know the right people to contact, the right people to get in contact with. So, I would say 8.5. So, yeah. Okay. So, as an athlete, what are you giving it? Athlete, it's a ten. It's a ten. Really? Because that was, that was like, I feel like I was at my best and I was able to lead my team.

I was able to finally lead a team as a, as a senior. Like, it just felt good when everybody looking up to you and they listening to you and they, it just felt good. It just give you a different type of motivation. Like, you got, you got your, it's like you just, you got your warriors around you. They like, we got you. Yeah. We going on. We going on. Wherever you go, if you go, we go. So. So, it just felt good. I feel like that's why I give it a ten. It was like, I gave it my all. Like, literally my last game, I had the best game of my career. So. Wow. That's actually, that's crazy. Like, I feel the same way. I'm in my last year here at Jackson State University.

Like, I got a big year because of COVID. So, and it just feels so good to be surrounded around, like, girls that, like, want it so bad because, like, I feel as though we've been in situations where seniors were already married and seniors were already living their lives after college. But, like, I feel as though the senior group now, and, like, the girls come in, we want it so bad. So, it's just, like, the focus is just on a different level. Yeah. And that's what I really appreciate about it. So, how does Morehouse, like, basketball compare to other schools you played for? Morehouse basketball, definitely, I'm definitely going to be that guy that's saying it needs a lot, it needs some improvement.

But the coaches there, they push, they push you to a level, they just, they old school, so they're going to put you, they're going to put you through a lot of things. Like, they push you to a different level, whatever. But I say, like, basketball-wise, it's up there. Like, it's their job to push you, whatever. They might kind of slack a little bit, but they're going to make sure you're getting work done. And that's why, for the past years, Morehouse basketball has been at the top. Like, for the past, I'd say, five years, we've been at the top. Wow. And it shows, yeah. So, do you think playing for an HBCU has made it easier or harder for you? I think it made it easier because you've got your people around you.

Your people. I would say at Morehouse, it was easier, too. Like, we had Clark around the street. Clark, like, Clark Atlanta is like our cousins. They literally across the street from us. So, they would come to our games and support us. We would go to their games and support them. And it's like, it's like us against them, basically. So, when we play in Clark Atlanta, it's a fight. It's a fight. But that's for another day. That's the story of another day. But, yeah, it's like, the HBCU culture is like, you know, we all we got. Like, we support each other a lot in different ways. So. Yeah. That's one thing I explain to people. Like, the one thing, like, I appreciate being at an HBCU so much is, like, you don't have to be scared of being in your own skin.

It's like they applaud it. It's like they build you up and give you that confidence to be who you are. Because we alike. We alike. Yeah. We got a lot of similarities. So, they're like, I can relate to that. Like, be you. Be yourself. Like, and it's just powerful. Yeah. I really love that. So, when you look back on your journey, what mistakes do you think you made? I feel like I could have. Time management. I could have managed my time a whole lot better. But social media, it just, it was a big, it played a big part. I just always, social media a lot. And I try to stay off of it. But, you know, coming up, social media is, it's in front of us now at this point. But.

Yeah. I mean, it's how you build your network, though. Like, NIL and stuff like that. It's like they put social media at the front now. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, that was one of the things. Yeah. Yeah. A couple hours. Like, if I would have, if I, you can't get those hours back. The hours that you spend scrolling, the hours you spend scrolling, you can't, you can't get them back. So, I would, I would say that. And it, and that could have been times for me where I can, I could have been doing some work that I could have made up on, but instead I'm on social media. So, I would say time management. Just know how to manage your time. And once I figured that out, I was good.

But I can, I can, I can definitely, I know a lot of times where I put myself. In a hole because I didn't manage my time right. And I could have made things a lot more easier for myself if I did. So. So, you think you made your journey a little bit harder by like. I did. I definitely did. Okay. Okay. That makes a lot of sense though. So, like, did transferring like so many times, like not only did it affect you athletically, obviously, but like socially and academically, like did it affect you any? No, definitely. It definitely did. So, when you transfer, especially to Morehouse, a lot of credits from those other schools do not transfer in. Oh, true. So, you, you got to take a lot of different other classes, a lot of the introduction classes that Morehouse has.

And so, it, it did, it did. Like, yeah, it definitely had a toll on me. Socially, uh, yeah, socially too. That's, that's one thing. You got to get new friends every year. Like, it's. But don't you think it's easier as like an athlete to get the social back? It is, it is. But you just know you leaving your, like COVID, COVID was probably the saddest year in my JUCO year. It was like, because we didn't know we was leaving. Like, we just end up. We end up leaving it like, guys, we got to evacuate. Um, uh, just we'll see each other soon. Like, we just got to leave. And we, we left and COVID hit. And that was like, that was it.

We never thought we would have, like, when someone didn't even get to say bye to each other. We just straight up left. It was like, all right, bro. I'll see you. I'll see you soon. Take care. And, uh, yeah, now we all, we own about our journeys doing, doing what we love to do still. But the COVID thing, that was socially that affected. It affected me a little bit, but, um, that's what, that's, that's part of life though. You got to move on. Um, you, you'll see him, you'll see him soon, but socially definitely. Cause I went to Lee's McCray. I got friends at, um, North Carolina friends and Florida. I got family in Texas. You can, you can, I can say that now because I've been through, I've been everywhere.

So yeah, definitely a plus, definitely a plus. And like some negative downfalls, like not being able to say goodbye, but also having like roots in different States. So like, I definitely appreciate it. I appreciate that. So when you hear the word adversity, like what comes to mind? Adversity. Um, I would say just being able to get through any obstacle, like no matter how hard it is, there's going to be a whole lot of things thrown at you. You got to be able to get through it. Like I, like my whole career, it was always, uh, obstacles kept throwing at me. I'm, I'm up and it's always something to just get thrown in a way that kind of knocked me down. So you just got to find.

Like I said, at the beginning, you just got to find a way to be focused on what your goal is. Like, why are you here? What am I trying to accomplish? Where do I want to be in two years? So once you start thinking of it, thinking of it like that, thinking of your future, everything is going to be easier. So that's why I see adversity, but you can always avoid adversity. You can make adversity easy or you can make it hard, but I, I made mine a little bit hard, but so it's all, it's all about, you know, making sure that you got, you got everything together. Yeah. So what advice would you give people facing adversity? Um, just stay motivated. We all going to face adversity.

So just, uh, just to stay grounded, stay motivated, control what you can control, like control, please do that. Control what you can control. Um, stay focused, just stay focused, stay focused on your goal. That's why I would say if you're going through adversity, always know your why, know why you're doing it. So, and it's okay to, um, like I said, I got a journal, like it's okay to always journal your things. I'll write your thoughts now. So when you are, cause like sometimes people need to see it visually. Sometimes people need to see what their goals are instead of like telling themselves over and over again, they need to see and see them accomplishing them. So exactly. And it's only the beginning too.

Cause like I, I experienced adversity overseas, but I knew to come back to this journal and, um, and write down what I'm experiencing and, uh, write down my why. Right now, why my experiences, why am I going through this and come back to it when something bad is happening and it can all, it can clear your mind up. Like, here we go again. Um, so what's going on now? So just journal, journal your thoughts and that's, that can help you. That can take you a long way. So. So as a Morehouse graduate, like what's next for you? Like what, what do you see coming up for yourself in life? I just want to help people. Um, I want to continue to develop my game in basketball. I want to play as long.

As long as I can and play at the highest level as I can and make a lot of people proud. Yeah. I love that. I love that actually. So our last question is presented by our sponsors, Cricket Wireless. So shout out to Cricket, a proud supporter of HBCU culture and community. How has going to an HBCU influenced the person you are today? It has definitely like, it has a big influence on me. It just let me know that I have a lot of people in my circle. It has, I have people that I could come back to. It's just, I got, I got to go. I have a bigger family than the one that I got, uh, than the one I was born with. So it just let me know that.

So I would say, yeah, you're not, you're not out here alone. It's okay to ask for help. And, um, I got that at Morehouse. That's good. Well, I thank you so much for joining us. Like I've genuinely gained something from it, just especially going into my next after my HBCU. So it's very good to hear like, you know, journaling. Cause I used to, so I'm definitely going to dabble in that just because I see you're still at it. So I just thank you for sharing. Your experience isn't coming on with us. Definitely. Kendall, I appreciate you. Yeah. I love, I love telling my story one day. We all got to tell our story. So it's exactly, exactly. And I'm here to help you with that. Thank you. I appreciate you. I appreciate it. Of course. So listeners, thanks for tuning in. We've got tons more great guests and we'll continue talking about HBCUs from all angles. So make sure you rate review and subscribe so you don't miss out on more of Echoes of the Yard. Thank y'all so much. Bye.