By Joseph Halm
VSN Correspondent
Mount Carmel setter Emma Richey knew she wanted to play at a Division I college since she was nine years old.
On Thursday, Nov. 21, that dream became a reality as Richey signed her National Letter of Intent to play beach volleyball at Division I Jacksonville University.
“Ever since eighth grade, everything I did has been pushing me to this moment right here,” Richey said. “The journey has been so fun. Every memory is one that I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget any girls I’ve played with at Mount Carmel or any of my coaches.”
Richey added that she was both thankful and relieved that her future as a Division I volleyball player has been secured.
The journey has been a long one.
She recorded her 3,000th career assist during the indoor season at Mount Carmel earlier this year. She finished her Cubs’ career with 3,309 assists.
“I wouldn’t have gotten 3,000 career assists without each of my teammates and coaches,” Richey said. “That achievement was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Now, I’m just excited to play at the next level.”
Richey played indoor volleyball, basketball, softball, and beach volleyball as an eighth grader before slowly paring down her athletic focus. As a freshman, she dropped basketball before focusing on indoor and beach volleyball as a sophomore. She turned her club focus to beach as a junior, and the rest is history.
Former Mount Carmel coach April Hagadone, who coached Richey as a freshman and sophomore, said her focus set her apart.
“She has that special work ethic, and she became a staple in the lineup her sophomore year,” Hagadone said. “She grew into a leader on and off the court. We definitely saw from a young age that she always had drive. When someone comes in with that drive, you know they can continue at the next level. She just always had that little bit extra, so we knew that she was going to do great things.”
Current Mount Carmel coach Taylor Ricaud agreed: “We knew that she would continue because she loves the game. She loves to compete. You just know when you see someone like her. Today is fun. It’s exciting to see the next chapter, so we can’t wait to watch her continue to play and compete.”
Laser Focus
Richey has trained under coach Joey Keener at Coconut Beach in Kenner for the past five years. She won numerous local beach volleyball tournaments and earned high finishes at Regional AVP and P1440 tournaments in Gulf Shores, Ala., and Clearwater, Fla.
Keener first met Richey when she was 12.
“She was young and hadn’t really been on the beach that much, but you could see the passion that she had,” Keener said. “She’s a passion kid. She’s going to work hard. She’s going to challenge herself, and she’s not going to back down from anything that we put in front of her.”
That competitive nature has been the driving force for Richey’s success.
“One of Emma’s greatest strengths is that when she comes out to play, she elevates everyone around her,” Keener said. “That’s a skill that some people don’t have. It’s a skill that comes naturally to her. Even if I’m having an off day, I get around Emma, and she’s like a ray of sunshine.”
But don’t let that positive energy fool you; Richey’s focus on perfection was highlighted when she had to switch gears from indoor setting to beach setting, Keener said.
“She struggled with that transition at first, but she didn’t back down until she perfected it,” he said. “She just continued to work, and sometimes she would be harder on herself than I would get on her. She’s kind of a perfectionist. Even if I say that’s pretty good, she doesn’t stop until it is perfect.”
Fitness Fanatic
Richey’s journey to Division I volleyball also started in the gym, far away from the sand courts.
Strength and conditioning coach Nick Brattain has been working with Richey for about three years and said her focus on getting her workouts in is a big reason for her success.
“From the beginning, she knew she wanted to be a collegiate athlete,” Brattain said. “She was very focused on that. She wanted to be physically and mentally prepared for the next level and wanted training to achieve that. That’s the first thing that stood out to me. She was intent on her goals, and there was nothing that she wouldn’t do to achieve those goals.”
Brattain said his training regiment often pushed her out of her comfort zone, but she never shied away from the challenge.
“Early in her career, it was very global training to try to be the best athlete she could be, and then, she started to specialize,” Brattain said. “When we knew that beach (volleyball) was going to be her thing, that’s when we really started to hone in on those skills — the quickness, the ability to cover the whole court, the stamina to be able to last throughout weekend tournaments. Because she had worked on being a good athlete for so many years, it was very easy to specialize after that.”
Beach Bound
Richey, who boasts two high school beach volleyball championships, said she put all her focus her junior year on beach volleyball and grew to love the sport even more.
“As I was growing up, I played pretty much every sport, but I just developed a soft spot for volleyball,” Richey said. “After playing three sports during my eighth-grade year at Mount Carmel, I just started decreasing a sport each year, and eventually, I was playing just volleyball. The sport is special. It teaches you discipline, teamwork and how to communicate well. It creates a special bond with your teammates.”
Now, Richey said she’s ready to contribute immediately for the Dolphins and wants to add some NOLA spice to Jacksonville.