Raising the Bar: The Alma Richards Story: How A Boy From Parowan Reached Olympic Gold Through Grit, Faith, And Determination

Raising the Bar: The Alma Richards Story: The remarkable journey of a dropout-turned-Olympic champion who defied the odds, soared to greatness, and left behind a legacy far beyond gold.Born in the quiet frontier town of Parowan, Utah, in 1890, Alma Richards seemed destined for an ordinary life. He dropped out of school in the eighth grade, working as a ranch hand with little belief in the value of education. But fate intervened when a passionate teacher recognized something in Alma potential that even he couldn't see. That single moment of belief lit a fire that would carry him from the fields of southern Utah to the global spotlight of the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden.

In Raising The Bar: The Alma Richards Story, readers are taken on an inspiring journey through Alma's humble beginnings, his transformative return to the classroom, and his meteoric rise as a high jump phenom. Battling social expectations, limited resources, and self-doubt, Alma ultimately became Utah's first Olympic gold medalist and one of the few Mormons of his time to gain international fame.

But Alma Richards was more than just an athlete. After his Olympic triumph, he dedicated his life to education, serving as a teacher and mentor for over four decades, inspiring generations to strive for excellence. This book explores not only his physical leaps but also his leaps of faith, intellect, and spirit.

Rich with historical detail, emotional depth, and universal lessons about perseverance, identity, and redemption, Raising the Bar: The Alma Richards Story is a stirring tribute to a forgotten American icon. It's a story for dreamers, underdogs, and anyone who's ever been told they weren't good enough.