 Sydelle
Richard was born, Sydelle Nicole McDonald in 1971
in Hereford, Texas. She was raised in the small rural town
of Dimmitt; located in the Panhandle of West Texas. The
youngest of four children and the only girl, Sydelle shares
a special bond with the two older boys. Born of a mother who
succumbed to a life of drug and alcohol abuse, Sydelle and
her brothers were left to be raised by their grandparents.
In addition to her brothers, Sydelle shared special bonds
with a number of cousins and friends.
Sydelle attended schools in the Dimmitt ISD where she
graduated with honors in 1989. She was very active in
various extra-curricular activities including, basketball,
track, cross-country, FFA (Future Farmers of America), FHA
(Future Homemakers of America) and student council. During
her senior year in high school, Sydelle served as Student
Body President. She was team captain of the basketball team,
receiving All-State honors. She focused and excelled in
activities outside the home in order to keep her mind off
the multitude of problems she faced at home.
In the Fall of 1989, Sydelle entered West Texas State
University, now known as West Texas A&M University. As a
freshman, she worked on and off campus to earn extra money.
She had received numerous academic scholarships and focused
primarily on her studies. Following her high school coach's
suggestions, she decided to try out for the women's
basketball team. After weeks of strenuous practice, she was
offers a walk-on position on the team, which eventually led
to a scholarship. Due to a number of tumultuous issues,
Sydelle transferred to Midwestern State University in the
Fall of 1991. She received a full basketball scholarship.
There she earned her bachelor's degree in Business
Administration. |
