Riley Gaines

My education was paid for. So I think there's a conversation to be had about how we prevent those people at the top, like the NCAA, from profiting off athletes in the way that they have been historically. But I believe putting millions of dollars in the hands of 18-year-old boys is deeply irresponsible and will cause major problems.

Well, I am so fortunate to have, I didn't realize this at the time, but of course, as you get older, I realize now how fortunate I am to have two amazing parents who love each other very much, who taught me how to be an independent thinker, how to call out an injustice when you see it. Um, so I could not be more grateful for my parents who were both high level athletes.

Well, I am so fortunate to have, I didn't realize this at the time, but of course, as you get older, I realize now how fortunate I am to have two amazing parents who love each other very much, who taught me how to be an independent thinker, how to call out an injustice when you see it. Um, so I could not be more grateful for my parents who were both high level athletes.

Well, I am so fortunate to have, I didn't realize this at the time, but of course, as you get older, I realize now how fortunate I am to have two amazing parents who love each other very much, who taught me how to be an independent thinker, how to call out an injustice when you see it. Um, so I could not be more grateful for my parents who were both high level athletes.

Uh, my mom, she was a division one softball player. My dad, uh, he's an sec hall of famer football player, uh, went on to play for the Eagles. Um, it's been a good bit in the NFL. And so, um, them having that background inclined, uh, was a big part in me playing sports, I But when I was young, probably eight years old, my dad, he did some different business endeavors.

Uh, my mom, she was a division one softball player. My dad, uh, he's an sec hall of famer football player, uh, went on to play for the Eagles. Um, it's been a good bit in the NFL. And so, um, them having that background inclined, uh, was a big part in me playing sports, I But when I was young, probably eight years old, my dad, he did some different business endeavors.

Uh, my mom, she was a division one softball player. My dad, uh, he's an sec hall of famer football player, uh, went on to play for the Eagles. Um, it's been a good bit in the NFL. And so, um, them having that background inclined, uh, was a big part in me playing sports, I But when I was young, probably eight years old, my dad, he did some different business endeavors.

And so I went with him on a business trip to Memphis, Tennessee. And I will never forget. We are at this hotel. I normally, of course, you know, never really traveled with just my dad. It was always all of us as a family, but it was a fun little bonding trip. So we're at this hotel and he says, Riley, come, come down to the lobby with me. And I'm like, okay, you know, what are we doing?

And so I went with him on a business trip to Memphis, Tennessee. And I will never forget. We are at this hotel. I normally, of course, you know, never really traveled with just my dad. It was always all of us as a family, but it was a fun little bonding trip. So we're at this hotel and he says, Riley, come, come down to the lobby with me. And I'm like, okay, you know, what are we doing?

And so I went with him on a business trip to Memphis, Tennessee. And I will never forget. We are at this hotel. I normally, of course, you know, never really traveled with just my dad. It was always all of us as a family, but it was a fun little bonding trip. So we're at this hotel and he says, Riley, come, come down to the lobby with me. And I'm like, okay, you know, what are we doing?

He takes me to the pool at this hotel. It's outside. It's in the middle of December. And he's like, jump in. I'm like, dad, I'm not jumping in that pool. It's freezing. He pulled back the tarp. He said, no, you're going to jump in. This is your first lesson of mental toughness. You're going to jump in and you're not going to say you're cold. You're not going to, to shiver.

He takes me to the pool at this hotel. It's outside. It's in the middle of December. And he's like, jump in. I'm like, dad, I'm not jumping in that pool. It's freezing. He pulled back the tarp. He said, no, you're going to jump in. This is your first lesson of mental toughness. You're going to jump in and you're not going to say you're cold. You're not going to, to shiver.

He takes me to the pool at this hotel. It's outside. It's in the middle of December. And he's like, jump in. I'm like, dad, I'm not jumping in that pool. It's freezing. He pulled back the tarp. He said, no, you're going to jump in. This is your first lesson of mental toughness. You're going to jump in and you're not going to say you're cold. You're not going to, to shiver.

And I'll tell you when you can get out. I'm like, dad, this is child abuse. You can't make me do that. I'm calling mom. Um, but I listened to him. I jumped in, uh, confused, you know, what is this for? Finally, after five minutes or so of treading in the water, he said, okay, you can come out. And then we go back to the room. I'm still shivering. I'm like, dad, what was that about?

And I'll tell you when you can get out. I'm like, dad, this is child abuse. You can't make me do that. I'm calling mom. Um, but I listened to him. I jumped in, uh, confused, you know, what is this for? Finally, after five minutes or so of treading in the water, he said, okay, you can come out. And then we go back to the room. I'm still shivering. I'm like, dad, what was that about?

And I'll tell you when you can get out. I'm like, dad, this is child abuse. You can't make me do that. I'm calling mom. Um, but I listened to him. I jumped in, uh, confused, you know, what is this for? Finally, after five minutes or so of treading in the water, he said, okay, you can come out. And then we go back to the room. I'm still shivering. I'm like, dad, what was that about?

He said that, like I said, you need to learn mental toughness because physical toughness. Yeah. It's important, but mental toughness will take you further. Um, there's no such thing as cold Riley. He said, there's such thing as an absence of heat, but there's no such thing as cold. It's a mental state. You think you're cold. He said, you're not really. And I will never forget that.

He said that, like I said, you need to learn mental toughness because physical toughness. Yeah. It's important, but mental toughness will take you further. Um, there's no such thing as cold Riley. He said, there's such thing as an absence of heat, but there's no such thing as cold. It's a mental state. You think you're cold. He said, you're not really. And I will never forget that.

He said that, like I said, you need to learn mental toughness because physical toughness. Yeah. It's important, but mental toughness will take you further. Um, there's no such thing as cold Riley. He said, there's such thing as an absence of heat, but there's no such thing as cold. It's a mental state. You think you're cold. He said, you're not really. And I will never forget that.

It has stuck with me since. And every time when I was swimming or practicing and I began to, you know, your legs burn, you feel your body filling with lactic acid. You're tired. You're in pain. I thought to myself, pain isn't real. Just a feeling that I'm having. It's fleeting. It's in the moment, but Not real.