Milan Richard's bloodlines are rare and powerful.
His parents, Bill and Veronica Richard, were track All-Americans in 1981 and 1982, respectively, at the University of Georgia. Bill, who is 6-foot-3, starred in the 110-meter hurdles, while 5-7 Veronica was a standout sprinter.
Oh, yes, and his uncle is the great Herschel Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner, a former NFL star and Veronica's younger brother.
Veronica still vividly recalls the day her only child was born. He was just six pounds and 22 inches, but he had very long fingers.
"The doctor was checking his heart beat. He was just three hours old and he already was holding on to the stethoscope," Veronica recalled.
"Congratulations," the doctor said to her. "You have a piano player."
To which Bill quickly exclaimed, "Oh, no! I want a football or basketball player!"
Veronica Richard, Milan Richard and Bill Richard.
Photo courtesy of Janet Durham
Well, Bill got his wish, because Milan has developed into a powerful 6-3, 200-pound freshman two-way end at
Calvary Day (Savannah), a Class A school with 400 students in grades 9-12. He has played mostly JV this year, but has appeared briefly in four or five varsity games, getting in on a possible 40 plays. He made eight tackles in one JV game.
"I just look at him and he is so much better than I could have thought of being at my age," Bill said proudly. "He has broad shoulders and narrow hips. He has an 82-inch wingspan and wears size 14 shoes. He's going to be (at least) 6-5."
Because the family is so close-knit, Herschel Walker never gets any special treatment when he comes home to visit. Milan knew his uncle was famous, but his eyes were opened wide when he began writing a research paper about him in sixth grade.
"I knew he was famous, but I didn't know what the numbers were," Milan related. "I started adding up his numbers (yards gained), then divided and when they popped up on the calculator ….. But he's still Uncle Herschel whether the numbers were there or not."
Milan (and everyone around him) wants to be the first Milan Richard and not the second coming of Herschel Walker. He did wear his uncle's famous uniform No. 34 in Pop Warner football, but he began to create his own identity when he switched to No. 71 entering middle school and now he wears No. 81.
"I'm still my own person," Milan affirms. "I'm not trying to be like him, because I know I never will be like him. There's not really (any pressure), because I am my own person and I know that's what he wants."
Herschel Walker, who was just 5-9 and chubby as a freshman at Johnson County (Wrightsville)
, told MaxPreps, "We want him to have his own identity. Milan has to be Milan. Milan may be better than Herschel. We don't want him to limit himself.
"He certainly has a lot of potential. It's up to how much will he work. He's thinning out and getting a great upper body. I would love to see him play tight end. He's got the speed and hands."
Asked about giving advice, Herschel replied, "I may suggest something to him. I don't want to overload it or make it a coaching session. I just want him to have fun."
Herschel has an 11-year-old son, Christian, who wants to be a gymnast.
"He may get too big, but you don't tell a kid he can't do something," Herschel said philosophically.
Herschel gave Milan his first taste of celebrity at age 10 when he came back for the University of Georgia homecoming game and took him on the famous "Dawg Walk" with the players from the team bus into the locker room. Last summer Milan took his first step toward national recognition when he attended the Football University Camp in Orlando, Fla., He did so well that he was among the elite invited to the Top Gun Camp in Williamsburg, Va., where top players competed from all 50 states.
The multi-talented youngster has played baseball since his T-ball days and once hit a 320-foot home run. He also plays basketball where he is a standout rebounder and has a 32-inch vertical jump. Milan said he has drawn strength from his faith which has also helped him be be a better leader.
"That's one thing I get titled," he said. "I know I'm the guy who can do it (make big plays) and in some situations has to do it. Being labeled a leader, everybody expects you to do it."
Mark Stroud, third-year coach of the Cavaliers, agrees that Milan "has got some leadership potential. He's got all the physical makeup to be a tremendous player. He runs very well and is going to be a very strong, physical kid. He can be a dominant player. We want him to be Milan Richard and not play in anybody's shadow. We try to make it low profile for him."
The Cavaliers lose eight seniors to graduation this year and Stroud sees the possibility of Richard being a two-way starter, but he'll have to fight for his positions next year.
Milan has a favorite player in all three pro sports – Ray Lewis in the NFL, LeBron James in the NBA and Albert Pujols in the Major Leagues. He has a B-plus average in the classroom and believes that good grades are the key to a college scholarship.
"If I take care of my grades, the sports will come," he said.
With both parents and a famous uncle having attended the University of Georgia, is there any choice of college for Milan?
He's got plenty of time to decide, but he said that even if he chooses another college, "It would be tough, but I think I'd still be able to sleep in my own bed when I came home."
