"I really had no idea because it was something that was never mentioned but I went down for a trial and had an amazing four years in America so now I'm back working for the company that sent me over to obviously provide opportunities for other athletes who can experience something similar."
A spokesman for the agency, Adam Dennison, speaking from Sydney, says there's a common misconception it's a free scholarship no matter how good you are.
"Last week we had a 19-year-old boy in Auckland who was fantastic but he has not completed year 12 so we can't do anything with him," says Dennison, adding selected players won't necessarily go on to foot it with Real Madrid.
The agency, he emphasises, simply provides a bridge to enlighten inquisitive youngsters and their families who face the mammoth task of deciding what university to attend in a pool of 2500 for soccer across the US.
"We have to make the best deal for everybody. We have to make sure it's the right fit and the people too, because they don't want to go there and just play too much or not play enough," says Dennison, making it clear they aren't necessarily full scholarships; they can vary from $500 up to $70,000.
Richards says finding the balance between pedigree athletes and sound academics is the trick.
"There are kids who are really academic but may not be the greatest athletes in the world or the greatest athletes in the world who aren't the best academically."
Therein, he says, lies the amazing thing about the American system that offers countless choices through the number of institutions and the propensity to offer tailor-made deals to suit many requirements, including those of first-year uni students from overseas.
The agency, which former professional footballer Marco Maisano established in 2006, has now embraced New Zealand Football. The extent of scholarships is a collaboration between the institutions and the coaches.
"Each coach may have different opinions on players. We may have an athlete who we think is unbelievable and promote him to a coach but he may say he's not interested," says Richards, juxtaposing that scenario with an athlete who has an academic bent but may fit the coach's mould.
The agency held three trials in Australia and have embarked on their maiden scouting trip to New Zealand.
They staged trials in Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch, Hawke's Bay and Waikato.
After any trial they take the home-based coaches' evaluation sheets and make a shortlist of 80 players for a series of interviews for 75 spots.
In Napier, 250 youngsters registered but only 90 turned out at NBHS grounds on Monday night.
Familiarising the families with what the agency is about is crucial and also it's imperative the institutions are affordable.
However, students will be able to find avenues for earning some money to supplement their lives in the US.
"During the first year you can work on campus for up to 20 hours a week, which is what I did, doing stuff in the library. It wasn't glamorous but all that helps because it went straight into my tuition," says Richards.
Later on, there's the opportunity to work off campus 20 hours a week.
"There's always the opportunity to do some coaching with local kids and tons of other work in the land of opportunity."
With the American women's team winning the soccer World Cup last year, female athletes' profile in the US was high.
"All 23 girls in that squad went through the college system so they are doing something right," he says.
A contingent of female footballers also turned out at NBHS grounds on Monday to display its talents.
In the US, they have what is called "Title Nine" to ensure whatever resources are invested into male students are matched for females.
"There's no women's gridiron or wrestling there so all those scholarship funds are put towards women's softball so, again, there's tons of opportunities for girls," says Richards.
In New Zealand, the agency has three other codes it has forged ties with - hockey, golf and tennis.
Depending on how this visit transpires, the agency plans to visit New Zealand every two years.
