Bell speedster draws inspiration from his single father

Ricky Walton is small in stature, but stands tall in talent and spirit.

The senior wide receiver for the Hurst L.D. Bell football team is only 5-foot-7 and weighs 136 pounds. However, he needs look no further than his own father, Tony Walton, for inspiration.

“They always said he was too small,” Walton said, noting that his father did defy the odds and play in college.

But Walton looks to his father for inspiration in more than football. He said his inspiration for life comes from his dad, a single father who raised Ricky and his younger brother, Kani Bridgewater.

“My dad took me in when I was 7 months old,” Walton said. “My dad taught me everything. He taught me respect.

“He’s been there no matter what I do. Every time I look up [in the stands] and see him, I’m inspired.”

That inspiration has helped Walton reach recent milestones of 50 catches in his L.D. Bell varsity career entering last weekend’s game against Keller, along with more than 550 yards.

“My favorite part is catching the ball and helping my team go down field,” Walton said. “My main goal is to catch the ball and make something happen after I do.

“Yards-after-catch is very big. If I do a 2-yard route and then run for 12 more, it opens up our running game.”

Walton has also enjoyed success as a kick returner in his varsity career. For example, as a sophomore he returned 30 kicks for 374 yards.

As a freshman, Walton watched from his subvarsity position as the varsity advanced to the playoffs for a fourth straight year. He thought he was destined for the same success when he was to reach varsity as a sophomore.

Instead, he and the Blue Raiders have gone through back-to-back 1-9 seasons. This season, as a senior, he and his team are determined to make a run at a postseason return.

“It’s my senior year, and during the summer I realized how much younger players look up to me,” he said. “The past two seasons it was really tough, struggling. We’ve matured as a team. You grow up fast with two wins in two years.”

Walton knows a lot about having to grow up. With no mom around, he and his brother share a special bond with their father, a man whom Walton said was always there for all 11 of his children (eight boys, three girls), though only two live with him.

“My dad loves each one of his kids,” Walton said. “And we all know we can count on him.”

As Kani, an eighth-grader at Bedford Junior High, grows up, Walton is doing all he can as well to help their dad bring him into adulthood. Walton even helped his father coach Kani in peewee football.

“I’m always going to be at all his games,” Walton said.

As good as he is at football, Walton sees track as his way to college. He holds the second-fastest time in Bell history in the 100-meter dash (10.85 seconds), the third-fastest in the 200 (23.38), and the fourth-fastest in the 400 (51.33). He was also a member of the school record-setting 400 relay (41.44) and 800 relay (1:26.80).

“I really think track is my main sport,” he said. “Size is to my advantage.

“I really like the 100 and 4x100, but I’ll run wherever I’m needed.”

He also said one sport helps him be successful at the other.

“Football gets my momentum, my agility, going for track,” he said. “And track helps me build up my speed for football, I can switch gears faster.

“If I could somehow do both in college, I want to do that.”

Bell coach Mike Glaze believes that, despite his size, Walton could find his way onto a college football roster. Walton said he has received numerous letters concerning his track abilities.

“He’s extremely fast, and there’s no substitute for speed,” Glaze said. “I think he’ll have some opportunities. Some colleges have already asked about him.”

But first, there is some business that Walton said is unfinished. He wants to help the Raiders return to the postseason and have a winning season, all the while as his dad watches from the stands.

“It’s our turn,” he said. “It’s time we got back.”

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Bell speedster draws inspiration from his single father."