CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — For the first time, Carborro Chapel Hill City Schools retired a high school jersey for one of their former athletes.
Krissy Richardson played for the East Chapel Hill High School Women’s Basketball team wearing jersey number 5. She graduated from the program and was attending ECU. Last year, she died in a car crash, and since then, no one has worn her jersey.
What You Need To Know
Carborro Chapel Hill City Schools retired their first high school jersey for former teammate, the late Krissy Richardson
The next athlete to wear the jersey will have to wait five years and apply to wear the jersey
Krissy’s mom, Pat Richardson, still runs Krissy’s backpack drive through the Monet Richardson Foundation
“Krissy was such an athlete and a student and being back here at East Chapel Hill high school in the gym brings back so many memories” said Pat Richardson, her mom.
To honor Krissy Richardson, the school retired her jersey at a women’s high school basketball game. They are retiring the jersey for five years, and afterward, an athlete will have to go through a rigorous application process if they want to wear it.
“The person that gets to wear it in five years has to share characteristics that she shares. [They] Have to be a student, academia, they have to be an athlete. A strong athlete. They have to be a humanitarian, they have to volunteer in the community, have to have good grades, a scholar. They can't just go in that locker room and pick up that jersey,” said Pat Richardson.
During high school, Krissy Richardson also partnered with the YMCA to start a program that collected backpacks filled with school supplies. That program is now being led by Pat Richardson through the Monet Richardson Foundation.