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Don’t expect Patricia Green to be around Houma much during the weekends next fall.
But that’s OK.
She’ll be busy traveling to Pineville to watch her baby boy play at the next level.
Patricia’s son, Richard Green, signed a collegiate scholarship on Friday morning to play football at Louisiana College – one of several schools to offer the Ellender standout a spot at the next level.
Green, a 6-foot, 170-lb. multi-sport athlete, said he chose Louisiana College because the school’s coaching staff made him feel at home.
He’s the ninth Patriot graduating in 2017 to earn a spot playing college football.
“It feels good,” Green said this past week – just minutes after signing his scholarship in front of friends and family. “Not everyone has the ability or the opportunity to play at the next level. To know that I was blessed with this chance, it’s a great feeling. I just can’t wait to get started. I can’t wait to get to work.”
“I’m so happy for him,” Patricia Green added, when asked about her son’s decision. “It’s a wonderful feeling as a mother, because he’s chasing his dream. As a mom, that’s all you want – for your children to be happy. I know he wants this, and he worked so hard to get it. I know he will do so well. I will try and make every home game to support him.”
Green said he chose Louisiana College because of how things fell in place on the recruiting trail.
He said the Wildcats have been interested in him for a while, which piqued his interest. Green visited the campus a couple times and said he took a liking to the team’s style.
But he was worried initially about enrolling with the team because of uncertainty at the top of their program.
Wildcats head coach Dennis Dunn left the team recently to accept a coaching position at Pineville High School, which sort of put the program in limbo.
But when the dust settled, it all worked out for Green, because he said the guy who recruited him, coach Justin Charles, will be the team’s next head coach.
“Everything just fell into place,” Green said. “The new head coach is going to be someone who was recruiting me and someone who I really got comfortable with and took a liking to. It just made me so happy. It’s such a relief and such a great feeling for me, because it’s like, man, now, I don’t have to stress any more. Now, I can just focus on doing what I have to do to get better and keep working.”
On the field, it’s a natural attraction, because Green was a man of many hats on Friday nights for the Ellender football team.
This past season, Green played just about every skill position for Ellender, including cornerback, safety, outside wide receiver, slot receiver, halfback and even a little quarterback.
Patriots coach David McCormick said the reason the college-bound senior was so valuable was because of his work ethic and his willingness to do everything asked of him throughout the season.
“To watch him grow from last spring when I got here until now, it’s just such a great thing and it makes me so proud,” McCormick said. “Richard is a kid who took every opportunity given to him. He’s an honor graduate. He’s a versatile player who had so many roles for our football team. He filled spots, and I think that’s what made him so attractive to the coaches out there – that he can do almost anything on the field.”
Because of that versatility, Green said he’s not exactly sure what position he’s going to play at the next level.
He said the Wildcats will probably look for him to play somewhere in the defensive backfield, but the exact position remains up in the air.
Green added that because of that uncertainty, he plans to work “super hard” in the coming weeks and months to get bigger, faster and stronger so that he can be ready to go as a true freshman next fall.
“I will be willing to do whatever they want me to do,” Green said. “I will play whatever position allows me to get on the field the fastest. I want to work on my aggressiveness. I want to get my weight up. I want to work on my ball recognition so that when that ball is in the air, I can find it, time my jump, go up in the air and go get it. Those are all things that I’ll need no matter what position I’m playing, so I’m focused more on getting better before I get there.”
And for mom, she said she’s proud of her son’s hard work, but is most proud of the work he’s done in the classroom and the friendships he’s made at Ellender.
Green is a full academic qualifier and is one of the most well-liked student-athletes in the Patriots’ locker room.
Several classmates attended Friday’s ceremony to offer their support – something the mother said warmed her heart.
“He gets along with his teammates, and that makes me the happiest,” Patricia Green said. “I’m so thankful for them and also to coach McCormick. It’s great, and we’re just so happy and so blessed.”
Ellender standout Richard Green signs his scholarship to play football at Louisiana College.
Ellender standout Richard Green signs his scholarship to play football at Louisiana College.
Ellender standout Richard Green signs his scholarship to play football at Louisiana College.
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