Track: King's Fork's Ricks looking to run into history

SUFFOLK

Keith Ricks will be trying to make history next week when he competes in the Group AAA state outdoor track meet. 

His goal is to become the first state champion in King’s Fork High’s five-year existence. 

“That would be big,” said Ricks, a senior. “Me and coach (Cecil) Phillips have been talking about that since day one.”   Ricks nearly accomplished his goal in March at the state indoor meet. He came into the finals of the 55 meters with the fastest time in the state at 6.32, which also ranked him seventh nationally in the event this season. Ricks led halfway through the race but pulled up with a hamstring injury less than 10 meters from the finish line. 

“My heart just dropped because he had a chance to be the first state champion in school history,” Phillips said. 

The injury kept Ricks off the track for nearly a month, but he came back even stronger. He is currently the only sprinter in the state this season to be ranked in the top 10 in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. 

Part of Ricks’ motivation comes from growing up in a talented family. His brother, Marvin, was a five-time Division II All-American at Norfolk State. His sister, Kisha, also ran at Norfolk State. His sister-in-law, Ruchelle, was an All-American at Norfolk State and ran for her native Virgin Islands in the 1996 Olympics. 

“So when I walk in the house and there are all these NCAA plaques to look at, it definitely motivates me,” he said. “It doesn’t put pressure on me, but it does motivate me.’ ’ Ricks also has another motivation. His mother, Mary, died in a car accident when he was very young. He wants her to be proud of him. 

“I remember everything about her, like how she did things and how she acted,” he said. “And I often wonder how my life would be different if she were alive. But I’ve got a strong family support and everything has come together.” 

That includes college. Ricks is headed to Virginia Tech on a track scholarship. 

“It was a big thing for my family the day I signed,” said Ricks, who also had interest from Georgia, Tennessee, UNC and Syracuse. “I work as an office aide at school and one of the ladies there said, 'I know your mother is smiling down on you.’ ” 

Ricks hopes to give his family more to smile about at next week’s state meet. 

“Hopefully I can come out with a win,” he said. “I’m more hungry now because of what happened indoor. I can definitely taste it.” 

More on Ricks:

Class: Senior 

Sport: Track 

Claim to fame: Ricks is one of the best all-around sprinters in the state. He has run 10.75 in the 100, 21.39 in the 200 and 48.87 in the 400 — times that all rank in the top 10 in the state this season. He also has gone 23-4 in the long jump this season, which ranks eighth. 

Bet you didn’t know: King’s Fork coach Cecil Phillips nearly made Ricks a hurdler. “When he transferred here from Surry, I noticed he had good height, he was fluid and had nice speed. But when we looked up his stats from the previous season and saw he ran 10.8 in the 100, we quickly scratched the hurdle idea.” 

Favorite runner: Former Wilson star and Olympic hopeful LaShawn Merritt. “He’s just talented. And we used to run for the same track club (Real Deal Track Club).”