CHESTER, Pa. – There are a lot of goals student-athletes have.
They want to win a championship, lead the team in scoring or make an all-conference team.
For Widener University student-athletes, they have added another goal to their list: doing what is right all the time.
That's because last Sunday night in the Alumni Auditorium, they had the privilege of meeting Kyle Richard, a former SUNY Cortland football player who is now a national speaker advocating for violence prevention, to discuss the importance of being an active bystander.
"I just thought it was really cool to have him come to our school, share his story, and talk about the importance of being an active bystander," Widener senior girls basketball player Nicole Barnes said. "No matter what, you just have to do the right thing. The outcome might be what happened to him, but it could save someone's life. It's just so important to stand up in what you believe is right."
As Barnes alluded to, Richard interrupted a sexual assault in progress at a party during the summer of 2017. He pursued the assailant, who ended up shooting Richard twice, hitting him once in each leg. The bullets missed Richard's major arteries and bones by millimeters, but he was taken to the hospital. Richard recovered from the injuries in time to play most of his junior season on the gridiron.
Now, Richard goes around the country to tell his story and utilize his voice to promote active bystanders, positive manhood, and violence prevention awareness for athletes, coaches, administrators, and other organizations.
Richard's discussion with Pride student-athletes was part of Widener's Green Dot program, which is a national program that "relies on the premise that if everyone does their small part and commits to individual responsibility, the combined effect is a safe campus culture that is intolerant of violence."
"It was a great honor to have Kyle talk with our student-athletes," Widener Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator Larissa Gillespie said. "We thank Kyle for sharing his story and his continued advocacy for the importance of being an active bystander. It has inspired us all."
Senior Josh Witte of the men's soccer team echoed this sentiment and wants to make sure he makes the right choices in his life just like Richard did in his situation.
"Kyle inspired me to want to be the best version of myself every day because at any moment my character could be tested," Witte said. "Kyle's character was tested in a split second when he couldn't think, he just reacted. This emphasizes the fact of being the best version of yourself at all times and holding yourself to that higher standard. From this presentation, I am definitely more aware of common situations and will be make sure to always be there to help."
Sophomore Brynn Foley of the women's soccer team felt that Richard's story hit home since he was a Division III student-athlete just like her. In addition, she hopes Widener student-athletes can continue to step up, make the right decisions, and serve as excellent role models.
"On a campus like Widener, student-athletes have a big presence," Foley said. "By setting a great example for everyone, we can make the community a better place."
