By Angelo Perry, Cordova High School
On a hot spring day in May, Louisville resident Donovan Radford went outside only to find his basketball missing. The next day, he stumbled upon his neighbor dribbling the basketball in front of his house.
“I was mad and frustrated when I first saw him with my basketball,” Radford said.
The week after, Radford found the basketball on his neighbor’s lawn and returned it to his house. The next day, Radford’s next door neighbor came looking for the basketball.
Instead of arguing, Radford decided to gift the basketball to him because he felt his neighbor wanted it more, he said.
Chevette Radford, Radford’s mother, said this was just one tale showcasing Radford’s kind personality, calling him a sweetheart. Rather than going by sweetheart with his friends, Radford goes by “Scotty.”
Radford is a sophomore at Ballard High School in Louisville but is from Hoover, Alabama. He moved to Louisville in kindergarten.
He describes himself as a calm individual who likes to have fun and learn new things.
Radford is a multisport athlete who balances his time playing soccer for two teams including Ballard Bruins and the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy.
He also spends his spare time swimming, golfing or traveling. Radford said these hobbies are his safe place and always make him feel comfortable. Not only did Radford grow up playing sports, but he also watched ESPN and SEC commentary, mostly about his favorite football team, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Starting this year, Radford tried golf and took a liking to the sport. He said golf makes him feel “free and focused,” and golf helps him shake off negative vibes.
“Playing with my friend in the backyard is one of the best things to do in the summer,” Radford said.
He said he also enjoys listening to Drake’s music, calling him his favorite rapper. Drake and other celebrities drive Radford to become successful because of the way the music makes him feel inside. It drives him before a game and calms him down when he is mad or frustrated. His parents also inspire him by pushing him to improve in school and to focus on his education. They know when to give criticism and when to praise him.
“His greatest strength is that he goes 100 percent when he’s focused,” Chevette Radford said. “The only problem is that if he’s not, the energy goes away.”
Radford’s carefree personality makes it difficult for him to focus. Most of the time, he doesn’t stick to schedules or organize his plans. Instead, Radford’s motto is to live free and have fun.
However, his carefree personality has consequences.
“Sometimes I’m late to practice because I’m unorganized,” Radford said.
Even running six extra laps haven’t changed his last-minute tendencies.
Radford dreamed of becoming a sports anchor since he was a young boy. Ultimately, this dream led him to journalism.
Radford said he plans to attend the University of Alabama for broadcasting, and focus on sports journalism. He said he hopes to land an internship with the SEC Network.
“Being an anchor for the SEC is my dream job,” Radford said
Meanwhile, Radford goes to workshops and records football games to prepare for SEC. After recording the games, he edits small clips of the games to prepare for his future. Radford shares the videos and commentary on the games with his friends.
Radford is following in his mother’s footsteps by attending the Xposure High School Journalism Workshop. His mother attended the workshop 30 years ago and encouraged Radford to apply. Radford said he plans to improve his writing and gain new skills, getting him one step closer to his dream.
Radford has an outgoing personality, which made him think that he could be a great anchor. This could create connections with people who could get him an internship to SEC.
A friendly personality would also guide him to any job he wants, making it easier for people to relate and understand him, his mother said. Radford has the potential to become an anchor for SEC because of the experience he is getting now, she said.
“He will fit in good, he were nice and joined the broadcasting club at school to help,” Chevette Radford said. “He’s just a natural fit for the SEC.”