When it was time for Richard Sharp to pick a college it came down to education and the track and field facilities potential schools offered to help him improve his craft.
He landed on Charleston Southern. On Wednesday, Sharp signed a letter of intent to join the Buccaneers track and field program.
"I looked at where I felt God wanted me to go first and then what kind of sports they could offer me," Sharp said.
"It's like a dream come true. You work at it for four years with the goal of being able to do it at the next level," Sharp said. "To be able to actually accomplish that and do it at a Division I school is just amazing."
Sharp's coaches said he has displayed all the qualities that could make him competitive at the next level. His main disciplines are the triple jump and the long jump.
"He works his butt of every day. He comes every day prepared to work. He doesn't complain about any workload. He's just ready to go get it because he wants to be the best he can be," assistant coach Beau Quiller said. He's progressed every year since he's been here, and I expect him to do the same down at Charleston Southern."
Sharp will be in good hands at Charleston Southern. The Buccaneers currently have two of the top five jumpers in the long jump in the Big South Conference. They also have the fifth ranked athlete in the conference in the triple jump.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Russell/The Aiken Standard