Catch her if you can. Britney Richer is known as the fastest runner on the Sultan girls soccer team. “My speed is pretty much my strength,” said Richer, a co-captain whose team completed its season last week. Most calorie-counting speedsters swear by a balanced diet, but Richer prefers Taco Bell.
Beginnings Richer, a midfielder, didn’t start playing soccer until her freshman year. She said she felt awkward at first and was overwhelmed by the high level of play – Sultan won the Class 2A state championship the year before. “I started from a completely clean slate (and) didn’t know much about soccer whatsoever,” said Richer, who recalled clumsy moments like tripping over balls at practice. But eventually Richer broke into the varsity lineup and developed strong friendships.
Favorite athlete World-class female sprinter Marion Jones. Richer said she admires the dedication and willpower of Jones, a former Olympic champion who gave birth to her first child in June 2003 and quickly returned to competition. Last month Jones, previously the subject of doping allegations, was cleared to complete after a test sample showed no evidence of performance-enhancing drugs.
Important lessons learned from playing sports? Coping with stress, developing a strong work ethic and becoming a leader. Richer, Sultan’s senior class president, transfers skills she learned in sports to life. “I’m a busy person,” she said, “but I find a balance.”
I wish I could Run a time of 15.5 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. Richer, who said soccer is a hobby but track is her real passion, had a personal-best time of 16.3 in the event last season. The Sultan girls school record is 16.23. “I’m right there,” she said. “I’m gonna try to break it this spring.”
Hidden talent Richer said she can scarf down more food from Taco Bell in a day than anyone she knows. Her favorite item at the fast-food chain is the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, a corn-shell taco wrapped inside a piece of flatbread and molded together with melted cheese – surely the food of champions.
Inspirations Richer said her mom, Gail Richer, and her former track coach, Dave Weller, have had an incredible positive impact on her life. Weller, who moved to Snohomish and no longer coaches at Sultan, helped Britney Richer cultivate her running ability, Richer said: “In the last three years he built up so much of my endurance and my capability and my attitude. I owe a lot to him.”
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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