TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Back in December, Rickards student Casseau Thomas entered a nationwide contest, the $50K Home Turf Takeover, a contest presented by Under Armour and BSN SPORTS. Thomas’ essay of explaining the feeling of Friday night sealed up the Rickards win, but the football program kept it a surprise until Thursday afternoon, and the Raiders’ reaction to their winnings? Worth it all.
“They brought me to the office, told me face to face,” said head coach Quintin Lewis. “I cried. Boo hoo cried. It was amazing. No way we got chosen for that.”
They were chosen. Rickards was the sole winner, out of close to 800 entries, in a nationwide contest.
“Everything looked beautiful, the blue, the white, the shoes. It was just great,” said senior Jordan Kelley.
The recipients of new uniforms, and even the coaches got new apparel. Gameday technology and signage as well as goal post pads were all part of the winnings, totaling $50,000.
“I was shocked. I didn’t know what to say,” said senior Tyson McPherson. “Everything looks good.”
“We had uniforms that didn’t match each other, pants had holes in them, waistbands too loose, jerseys just kind of heavy, too big, too bulky,” said Lewis. “Much needed man, you’re talking 13-14 years of holding on to the same uniform trying to make it work.”
No need to force anything now, as the Raiders will look good on gameday.
“It’s definitely going to be a surreal feeling, especially for the seniors,” said Kelley. “It’s going to be great.”
“I’m ready right now,” added McPherson. “Ready right now!”
To do it for the Southside, at a program that as Lewis put it does more with less, is a little extra special.
“The excitement I saw today is amazing,” he said. “You can tell they’re starting to buy in to Rickards football and have that Rickards pride. That’s what it’s about. The pride for the Southside. A lot of times we get a bad rep. Just having something to be happy for is probably the biggest thing out of it all. It’s going to be amazing.”
Rickards ordered 40 more uniforms on top of the 100 they won, so they now have brand new sets of home and away jerseys, 70 of each.
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