ST. PAUL, Min. — Kim Royston is now assistant principal of Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul. But before returning to his alma mater to manage and coach, he had the unique experience of being a defensive star for both players. the Wisconsin Badgers and the Minnesota Gophers.
His football journey with the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders began in 2002. He played positions on both sides of the ball, but shined as one of the best cornerbacks in the country at the time, with over 70 tackles in his senior year. It earned him a full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin.
“Just the best of both worlds, and obviously Wisconsin had a strong football program and great academics, so it was a no-brainer at the time,” Royston said.
However, his priorities changed after two seasons with the Badgers.
WCCO
“I got the news that my grandmother, who was really crucial in my life and helped raise me, was being placed in hospice,” he said. “And I have made the difficult decision to leave Wisconsin.”
With a talent like his, Royston was warmly welcomed into the Gopher football program, but lost his full scholarship in the process.
“I knew it was the right thing to do,” he said. “I feel like I didn’t need a scholarship to validate my worth.”
He cemented his worth and then some, leading the Big Ten in solo tackles his senior year in 2011. Royston was also a two-time captain for the Gophers and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the final game that he has ever played. played for Minnesota.
So where do his loyalties lie in this border battle?
“I’m a Gopher all day, every day,” he said.
After graduating from the U of M, Royston returned to Cretin-Derham Hall to coach and work as an assistant principal. More recently, he also became the school’s director of diversity and inclusion.
“It’s important for some of our minorities, especially Black kids, to see someone in a leadership position and say, ‘Hey, I can do that too, if he could do it,’” he said.
Marielle Mohs
