From the Segundo Barrio to the Hall of Fame, Nolan Richardson

From the Segundo Barrio to the Hall of Fame

Growing up in El Paso, Texas my younger brothers and I were all in some way connected to the name, Nolan Richardson.  One of my first basketball camps when my father was stationed overseas was set up by Rus Bradburd and Coach Don Haskins.  I was still in grade school when I joined the week long camp which consisted of free meals at the Fort Bliss mess hall, an afternoon of swimming under the hot El Paso sun, and a chance for those that were good enough to show off in front of parents on the closing day of activities.  Years later Rus would go on to write Forty Minutes of Hell, the Extraordinary Life of Nolan Richardson.  

In the highlight tape that I made of my younger brother Josh during his high school years we conclude the video which is posted on YouTube with an old clip we were given from a family friend at a Nolan Richardson basketball camp filmed around 94' at Bowie High School.  Towards the end of the video Coach Richardson is walking with  my brother Josh down the court, then five years old. Richardson is seen encouraging him, and patting him on the head.  At this point I was just starting my first year of high school and was also present at the camp.  Years later my brother and his team led by Coach Arzola would go on to win district, I believe in 2002 and 2003 at Nolan Richardson Middle School, which opened its doors in El Paso in 1998.  

My youngest brother Isaiah's first year of middle school was spent at Nolan Richardson until the district decided to throw the special education program out into H.E. Charles Middle School.  It was my brother's first year playing basketball in the city, before trying out and playing with H.E. Charles Middle during his 7th & 8th grade years.  Had my brother had the chance to stick around Nolan Middle, he could've been a part of yet another district win at Nolan Richardson.  Today, our brother Joshua's name is up on the district banners at Nolan Richardson from the years 02' and 03'.

On August 7th-9th this year, 2014, Nolan Richardson will join several other Hall of Famers for the Enshrinement Ceremonies.  I hope its televised to watch Coach Richardson make history, yet again.  Until that time, I highly recommend that you read Forty Minutes of Hell by Rus Bradburd, if you haven't already... it's a powerful story of El Paso's own, Nolan Richardson.  

Below I've included a recording I took when Coach Richardson visited the University of Texas at El Paso during Black History Month in 2010.  Before walking in to be seated I also got the chance to take a shot of the huge Triple Crown ring that decorated his left hand (included below).  Much respect and congratulations to Nolan Richardson... a life full of struggle, hard work, and will that I'm glad will be recognized at the level of such an honor like the basketball hall of fame.  It's about time.