Freshman Riley Tefft has qualified for the 2024 Adidas Indoor Track & Field Nationals at Virginia Sports Center in the 1500 meter race and in Long Jump. Tefft qualified in the Long Jump at Staten Island PSAL Borough Championships with a personal record of 4.68 meters, and achieved her qualification in the 1500 at PSAL City Championships with a personal best of 5:25. In her first Borough Championships as a freshman, she took first in the varsity 1500 meter race against the seasoned upperclassmen of Staten Island.
All athletes work to enter into the exclusivity of being a professional. The same can be said for Tefft, whose milestone has been a long time coming, with her career in track & field beginning when she was seven years old with the Ocean Breeze team. Being a wave runner ever since, she dedicated herself to the sport the next eight years of her life, rising in the sport throughout her adolescence.
With the glory of her triumphs thus far in life, at Curtis, Tefft shines on the girls team, in both accomplishment and skill. To the older members of the team, Tefft is regarded as a leader, particularly by team captain Shirley Ramirez Perez, who shared that: “I see her as an inspiration and always go to her with questions about track.”
Tefft reciprocates this sentiment, saying, “(as a team) we bond really well and motivate each other.” Tefft also shared her own struggles with her leadership position on the team. It is hard for her because there is no one for her to ask advice about certain skills Tefft shared that she is not being “pushed” as hard as she wishes she was during practice. Her performance during meets is all her own mental discipline. The stress that comes with being an athlete hits Tefft the same as any other, but she approaches it in her own way: “I use my stress and turn it into motivation for myself to do better… what started as a pastime as a child became a purpose in my life.”
Tefft sees her future in vivid possibilities, specifically going D1 at the University of Oregon where she hopes to continue her path to the Olympics and beyond. From Curtis High School to nationals, Riley Tefft has her eyes set on more, but for now the Curtis community cheers her along her route to success.
