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\u2019 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\u2019 reaction to their winnings? Worth it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey brought me to the office, told me face to face,\u201d said head coach Quintin Lewis. \u201cI cried. Boo hoo cried. It was amazing. No way we got chosen for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
They were chosen. Rickards was the sole winner, out of close to 800 entries, in a nationwide contest. <\/p>\n
\u201cEverything looked beautiful, the blue, the white, the shoes. It was just great,\u201d said senior Jordan Kelley.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was shocked. I didn\u2019t know what to say,\u201d said senior Tyson McPherson. \u201cEverything looks good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had uniforms that didn\u2019t match each other, pants had holes in them, waistbands too loose, jerseys just kind of heavy, too big, too bulky,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cMuch needed man, you\u2019re talking 13-14 years of holding on to the same uniform trying to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n
No need to force anything now, as the Raiders will look good on gameday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely going to be a surreal feeling, especially for the seniors,\u201d said Kelley. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be great.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m ready right now,\u201d added McPherson. \u201cReady right now!\u201d<\/p>\n
To do it for the Southside, at a program that as Lewis put it does more with less, is a little extra special.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe excitement I saw today is amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can tell they\u2019re starting to buy in to Rickards football and have that Rickards pride. That\u2019s what it\u2019s 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\u2019s going to be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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