Patients at the Cooper Clinic in Fort Smith might not realize that Dr. Derrick Richardson once pursued a different career. But when his baseball days were done, Richardson quickly returned to his other love: medicine. The Fort Smith native, now 44, has been a gastroenterologist – dealing with internal medicine – for 11 years, the last eight in his hometown after spending three years in St. Louis. “It’s good to be home, good that I developed a skill where I can practice in my community and give something back, whether it’s in sports or medicine,” Richardson said. Sports has always been important to Richardson – he finally quit playing basketball at age 42 – but family and patients are now his focal points. “There was a time,” Richardson said, “when I wondered, ‘What’s next?’ What’s next is about the kids, about giving them opportunities and ensuring they’re going to be good adults.” Richardson and his wife Janet – who has a masters degree in social work – have three children: Emily (13), Adam (11) and Olivia (8). Emily is a talented and promising gymnast that is attending school and training in Dallas. Richardson has helped coach Adam’s basketball teams. “I’ve rediscovered sports through my kids,” said Richardson, who is understandably proud of his children’s academic prowess. “Adam is a pretty good athlete and was on a basketball team that won AAU nationals. You want your kids to be good but it was a tough decision to let Emily move to Dallas. She loves it, though, and really has a passion for gymnastics.”