Richards was a member of the youth system of Jamaican National Premier League side Seba United while attending Cornwall College in Montego Bay, where he won the DaCosta Cup and Oliver Shield.
He moved to the United States to play college soccer in 2003.

Richards played two years at San Jacinto College in Houston, where he scored a record 45 goals in two years, including a school-record 25 as a sophomore.

He then moved on to Clemson University, where he led the team in scoring as a junior with 12 goals and nine assists.
Richards scored the game-winning goal in three NCAA Tournament matches and scored in Clemson's 2-1 loss to New Mexico in the College Cup semifinals.
One summer, he led the youth soccer camp at Clemson University where he coached the likes of Emmett Lunceford, Robert Sullivan, and John Birnie.
As a senior in 2006, Richards had 11 goals and nine assists in 19 games, as Clemson lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Richards was named a second-team all-American.
Richards was a member of the youth system of Jamaican National Premier League side Seba United while attending Cornwall College in Montego Bay, where he won the DaCosta Cup and Oliver Shield. He moved to the United States to play college soccer in 2003.
Richards played two years at San Jacinto College in Houston, where he scored a record 45 goals in two years, including a school-record 25 as a sophomore.
He then moved on to Clemson University, where he led the team in scoring as a junior with 12 goals and nine assists. Richards scored the game-winning goal in three NCAA Tournament matches and scored in Clemson's 2-1 loss to New Mexico in the College Cup semifinals. One summer, he led the youth soccer camp at Clemson University where he coached the likes of Emmett Lunceford, Robert Sullivan, and John Birnie. As a senior in 2006, Richards had 11 goals and nine assists in 19 games, as Clemson lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Richards was named a second-team all-American.
Dane Richards