Rik Richardson is the president and coach of Athenian Athletics. He founded the club in January, 2000. Coach Richardson wanted to provide a support system for elite post collegiate athletes to fulfill their Olympic goals.

The club had the honor of being represented in the 2000 Summer Olympics by Clement Chukwu and Fabian Rollins. Chukwu, who represented Nigeria , won the silver medal in the 4 x 400 meter relay.

Richardson was born in Oakland , CA. in 1952. In high school he ran track as a distance runner at Livermore High School . After graduating in 1970, he ran at Chabot Junior College . Continuing his college career at California State University at Stanislaus, he held the 3,000 meter steeplechase record (1974).

Richardson started his coaching career in l975 with high schools in the California Bay Area. He won league championships at Granada High School in Livermore, CA. (l975, l976), Harbor High School in Santa Cruz , CA. (l980, l981), and San Ramon High School in San Ramon, CA. (l983-1985).

Starting track programs is not new to Richardson . When he first went to Michigan , he reformed the Ann Arbor Track Club (AATC). What had been a road racing/recreation club was taken to a new level with the addition of a competitive track and field team.

Richardson 's accomplishment with the AATC included 800 meter runner Trinity Townsend making the USATF National Team in l998. Richardson also changed the AATC by developing a highly successful youth program. In his tenure with AATC he produced over two dozen AAU All Americans and three National Champions.

Richardson also started the track and field program at Concordia College in Ann Arbor , Michigan in 1997 and the track and field program at Rochester Community.

At the College in Rochester , Minnesota , Richardson produced seven community college All Americans over his four year tenure. In his second year at RCC Richardson had the distinction of being second place finisher in the Minnesota Community College Conference. But after Richardson left Rochester , the program was discontinued.

Prior to focusing all of his energies on the Athenian Athletics, Coach Richardson had the privilege of working under his mentor hall of fame Coach Bob Parks at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Now he is pleased to have Coach Parks on his staff following his retirement from EMU.

Richardson returned home after taking a sabbatical from coaching. He then was an Associate Head Coach at Las Positas Community College (2003) where he fielded the first full men's and women's teams in a number of years. He also coached Jayde Solorio who broke the long standing female record in a 5k race for Las Positas. He also helped send three runners to the California Community College State Championships.

After meeting longtime track hero Coach Frank Gagliano (Nike Farm Team Head Coach, Palo Alto), they came to an understanding that what Richardson did in Michigan could be done here in the Bay Area.

Richardson now lives in Sunol , CA with his fiancé Sheryl Collins.