Student Athlete of the Week: Arlo Richards

The first thing anyone who knows Arlo Richards will tell you is that he works hard.

Whether he was in the outfield, at the plate, or unexpectedly on the mound, the 2025 Niwot High School graduate gave everything he had on and off the diamond. He was known to frequent the field in the offseason, always putting in the work to get better.

And in the final week of his high school career, that effort paid off.

Richards took the mound and came through in relief during both of the Cougars' last games. He threw eight pitches, six of them strikes, to finish off a win against Wheat Ridge High School. He followed that with just seven pitches to shut down Silver Creek High School, helping Niwot end its season on a high note.

"My mindset going into the last week of the season was to have fun, but also go out there and put up a fight," Richards said. "I wanted to finish the season as strong as possible."

On senior day against Wheat Ridge, he stepped onto the mound with the intent to enjoy it. "I was just trying to have fun because I thought it would be my last time pitching," he said.

Two days later, he was handed the ball again in the bottom of the seventh inning with two runners on base, and focused on staying composed.

"At Silver Creek, I just tried to stay calm and trust myself," he said. "I went out there to attack the hitters and let our defense do the rest." The Cougars had a 9-6 lead but the tying run was at the plate with nobody out. Richards notched the save.

Though he spent most of his time this season in left field, Richards also saw action in center, a position he has long considered his favorite. Regardless of where he played, he proved to be a valuable member of the team.

He finished the year with a .311 batting average and a .447 on-base percentage. He scored 17 runs, tied for the third most on the team, and stole 10 bases, which ranked second.

"Arlo was the hardest-working player on the team," Head Coach Ken Rosales said. "He always strived for perfection and to be a better player."

Rosales said Richards' final appearance against Silver Creek was a perfect example of his reliability. "He came in and did a great job to preserve the win," Rosales said. "Arlo is the type of player who would play anywhere to help the team."

Richards began playing baseball when he was five years old. Over the years, he found a home in the outfield, where he could cover ground and help back up his teammates. While his final week on the mound was a highlight, Richards said his favorite memory from the season was off the field.

"Definitely our trip to Arizona and the memories we made there," he said, referring to the spring break trip the Cougars took to play in a tournament.

Now, he is getting ready for the next chapter. Richards will continue his baseball career at Porterville College in California, where he plans to study kinesiology. He will head out this summer to start training with his new team and take a baseball class ahead of the fall semester.

"I am trying to develop in all aspects of the game," he said. "And I hope to make a good connection with the coach and the players who will also be there."

From the start of the season to the final pitch he threw, Richards led by example. He showed up, played hard, and left everything on the field.

As Rosales put it, "Arlo will truly be missed."