Riley Gash (‘27) recently pr’d and is at the top of the state rankings for pole vaulting, currently holding the rank of #1 sophomore in California and #4 in the nation. This achievement is not only a testament to Riley’s hard work and dedication but also a promising glimpse into his future in college athletics.
“My goal is to I would play D1 in college, hopefully on a scholarship, but I know that it would take lots of hard work and commitment, so that is why I can never really take a day off,” Gash said.
His most recent remarkable personal record of 15’6 ’’ is a great display of athleticism and hard work. Gash not only shattered his personal best but also set a new record for his age group and for AGHS sophomores.
“I have always been pretty competitive, so I am always pushing myself and finding new ways to improve, whether that is at home and what my outside life looks like or at practice and always trying to get a new PR at the meet,” Gash said.
Gash’s journey to the top has been anything but easy. However, the hard work he has put in has already allowed him to surpass his brother’s PR’s.
(Photo courtesy of Riley Gash)
“I always try my best in practices no matter how I am feeling so that I can perform my best at meets,” Gash said.
Gash sacrifices a lot of his time while doing this sport. Trying to keep in top health and staying rested has a lot to do with his achievements. While managing practices and meets can get challenging, Gash tries his best to always think about what would be best for him, what to eat, and when to sleep.
“Planning my life around the track schedule has been difficult, but I just try my best to drink a lot of water, [and] get good sleep every night,” Gash said. “I also try to [eat] a good dinner before I go to bed, and eat a good breakfast the day of my [track] meet as well.”
Gash has aspirations to compete at a D1 level and get a scholarship. However, he is also aware of the challenges that come with that kind of hope. The pressure to maintain a strong performance while balancing academics and training can be heavy; however, Gash keeps trying his hardest and pushing himself each day at practice.
