Dale grad, trumpet player enjoys being in the Pride of Oklahoma

Since high school at Dale, Cale Richardson has played the trumpet and continues to play the instrument as a member of the Pride of Oklahoma at The University of Oklahoma.

The college freshman said he often travels with the band and recently performed in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 31.

Cale explained the day was super energetic as the band performed in a parade, which is one of his favorite parts of being in the band, as well as the halftime show.

"At halftime, we traveled back down to the field to perform our halftime show, which was our Billy Joel show, recycled from earlier in the season," he said. "After our run, we then went back into the stands to continue to energize the team and the fans through the second half."

According to his mother Jana Richardson, Cale's family is so proud of his accomplishments and loved seeing him perform at the Alamo Bowl.

"We were extremely proud and excited to watch Cale perform at the Alamo Bowl," Jana said. "We had several friends sending us messages throughout the game of 'Cale sightings.'"

The 18-year-old said he loves playing the trumpet because it has brought him so many opportunities, including making new friends and traveling the country.

"It is one of my passions in life and I can’t wait to see where it might take me next," he said.

Jana explained Cale loves playing the trumpet because it's always been a great experience for him.

She said the Pride has been incredible for her son because it helps him with his work ethic.

Cale joined band in sixth grade at Dale High School and was actually educated by the same band director who taught Jana.

"I became a great player because of my great teacher, Mr. Noble. He pushed me to become a three-time Small School All-Stater as well as a crafty jazz musician," Cale said.

Because of the Dale band, he was able to successfully audition and make it into the Pride of Oklahoma, the Jazz band and the Symphony band at OU.

In addition to the trumpet, Cale plays the piano and the guitar.

Cale said he hopes to graduate from OU with a Political Science degree and attend law school, where he can earn a Juris Doctor and start practicing law.

"Whether my passion for music will follow me past undergraduate is still in the air, but I hope to find a system where I can continue to make music at a high level," he said.

Jana said Cale's family hopes he can stay in the Pride and continue playing his favorite instrument.

"We are excited for all of the opportunities that possibly lie ahead. We hope that the lessons learned with the Pride will help in all aspects of his life," she said.

Cale encourages anyone to pursue any passion they may have and audition for whatever they want in college.

"Even if you feel like you don’t have the ability, still put yourself out there because there will be people to help you along the way and you will never find a more inviting family than with people who share your passion," Cale said.

This article originally appeared on The Shawnee News-Star: Dale graduate, trumpet player enjoys being in the Pride of Oklahoma