Richie Leonard IV spent a good chunk of the last 10 months rehabbing a season-ending injury he suffered just four games into Florida State’s season. But between his schoolwork, learning a new offense and pushing to return to the field in 2025, Leonard has been active with his other passion: Community service.
Leonard has spent time holding football camps in his hometown, Cocoa, as well as Argentina. He’s also sponsored AAU basketball teams in Tallahassee and Cocoa.
“My family is full of people who serve the community,” Leonard said. “I come from a long line of teachers. My mom is a teacher. My grandmother is a teacher. My dad serves the community in a multitude of different ways. It’s something that’s been instilled since I was growing up.”
Leonard has organized football camps at his old high school in Cocoa the last two years. The Richie H. Leonard Football Camp is free and attracted nearly 300 youth participants in its first year. Beyond the on-field workouts, Leonard was able to share his background in football from his 35 college games at Florida and FSU.
And he’s planning to send care packages for patients at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where his mom, Prishonda, received chemotherapy treatments in 2021. Prishonda is a breast cancer survivor.
Leonard clearly keeps a busy schedule. And he hammered that work ethic home with campers this summer.
“One message that I tried to hit home at that camp for kids is you have to do more,” Leonard said. “If you just do the prescribed work, the team practices, if you just do the same thing as everybody else around you, even if you’re more talented, eventually it’s going to catch up to you. You have to do more.”
Leonard has pushed himself to do more and in May took part in a week-long trip to Argentina that was sponsored by FSU’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He spent time helping coach youth and adults in Argentina who want to learn more about football.
“Trying to grow the game down there,” Leonard said. “It was an awesome experience. We got to put on youth camps for kids. We got to work with adult leagues. It was awesome being able to experience a different culture while growing this great game of football.”
For his work on and off the field, Leonard has been named to the football coaches’ association’s Good Works Team. In recent years, the team has recognized Seminoles like Dillon Gibbons (2022) and Camren McDonald (2021) and since the award’s creation in 1992 has honored Mavin Saunders (2017), Alec Eberle (2016), Christian Ponder (2010), Sam Cowart 1996), Wayne Messam (1995) and Corey Fuller (1992).
While much of the attention has focused on FSU’s transfer offensive linemen — Gunnar Hansen, Micah Pettus, Adrian Medley and Luke Petitbon — to rebuild the line, Leonard potentially fits in well at a guard spot. And like Hansen and Pettus, Leonard brings SEC experience.
“Him coming back into the program for another year, and just seeing his heart, he embodies service,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said. “Whether it's in the community, whether it's within his football team, whether it's within the guys that are on that offensive line. He's a natural leader. Those guys (teammates) see him and they understand the work.
“Even this spring, coming off the injury, there were times where we were trying to almost limit some of the things that he was doing. Every opportunity that he could jump in, that he could be a part of, that he could be active. He was present. I think the guys respect his journey, and obviously how much it means. He's been wonderful.”
Leonard said the 2025 Seminoles “one of the closest teams I’ve ever been a part of.” He’s enjoyed building relationships with the new and returning linemen, and Leonard has embraced offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s desire to have a physical run game.
“That comes with playing the position,” Leonard said. “If that doesn’t excite you, then you’re playing the wrong position.”
Leonard said he is fully healthy after his injury last September. While spending much of the fall and spring rehabilitating, and watching the Seminoles struggle on the field, Leonard is looking forward to the season ahead.
“In our program we’re taught to be able to handle adversity and we’re put through adversity for moments like that,” Leonard said. “It’s really just helped me and helped us as a team to grow. I’m excited for this year.”
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