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Baden
Richardson Appreciates Support of Father and Community

Mililani's Hassan Richardson

(Thu) February 11, 2010

Edward Jackson (OIA Contributing Writer)

Parents in many cases play a major role in the development of promising high school athletics. They offer support to their kids in many ways like promoting academic excellence, taking them to practices, and attending games as much as possible.

Linwood Richardson is a parent who has helped his son stride towards excelling in the sports of basketball and football. “I attend most of my son’s games,” said Linwood. “I try my best to help him achieve his dreams. He told me early in his life that playing sports was an activity he wants to do.”  He added that allowing his son to play sports comes with conditions. “He can play sports as long as he does his school work and bring home good grades,” Linwood emphasized.

Linwood’s son, Hassan Richardson, is a 16 year old junior who is a member of Mililani’s basketball and football teams. He has been a key contributor to the winning tradition of these teams and is considered by many around the league to be a Division 1 college prospect.

The basketball team recently won the Oahu Interscholastic Association's Red West Division with a 10-2 record in league play. They are seeded number one in the West for the upcoming OIA tourney. The Trojans’ football team finished third in the OIA West with a 4-2 league record.

“My father has been a big supporter of my playing,” said Hassan. “But he told me that if I don’t perform in the classroom I won’t be allowed to perform in games. So that has been a major factor in my progress in academics.”

Most of Hassan’s life, Linwood has raised him as a single father. “It’s been tough. For a while I didn’t know which direction to take. I wasn’t from Hawaii, but eventually I decided that I needed to do the right thing and be the best father I can. Good things started happening for me in Hawaii and this gave me the opportunity to be a positive person for my son,” said Linwood.

Hassan started out playing Pee Wee Midgets and Pop Warner football. “Playing on those teams was a lot of fun,” said Hassan. That experience helped him evolved into a prime receiver for the Mililani football team. He was recently named to the All-State honorable mention team by the Honolulu Star Bulletin.

“I love being a receiver, running down field and catching the ball,” Hassan explained. He pointed out that he hopes to attend a couple of football camps this summer to help him improve his skill level.

In basketball, Hassan plays the forward position and is a regular double-digit scorer. Against Waipahu in January he scored a career-high 28 points. Basketball coach Ed Gonzales says Hassan is a great rebounder who can shoot the median-range jumper.

“Taking him to the different practices when he was smaller was challenging,” noted Linwood. “But somehow he always got there. Now he’s big enough to get to practices on his own, however, I place a lot of restrictions on him to make sure he does the things that will help him over the long run.”

Hassan says he appreciates the support from his father and the community of Mililani. “Everyone has been very supportive of me. I know I have people in my life that really cares what happens to me.”


 

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