Murray vaults to success

Senior Riley Murray is a member of Milton’s soccer and track team.

According to Riley, she’s been playing soccer for eight years and doing track for three. She added that her family is a big inspiration for her and were supportive of her decision to do track and soccer.

“My family always pushes me to be better, and I want to make them happy,” Riley said.

According to Riley, the main challenges she faced were injuries and confidence issues when she first started sports. She said that she combatted those things by working around them and doing the best she could regardless.

When Riley isn’t doing sports, she said that she enjoys watching movies in her spare time.

“I’ve probably watched every movie there is on Netflix,” Riley said.

Despite not having a particular athlete that she looks up to, Riley said that her main motivator is Milton Athletic Director Mr. Rod Harris, who is also her soccer and track coach. He encourages her to improve on the field, she said.

According to Coach Harris, Riley is a good student, athlete and teammate.

“Riley is an incredible young lady and insanely talented when she’s on the field,” said Coach Harris. “She works hard and does everything that’s asked of her.”

Coach Harris said that he pushes Riley and she always rises to the challenges that he throws at her. He recalled a soccer game against Hughesville during her freshman year as proof of her determination.

“I put her up top in a forward position, and she had about fifteen opportunities to score, and missed all of them,” Coach Harris said. “But she kept trying and kept going, and at that point, I began to see improvement in her.”

According to Riley, sports prepared her for the future by giving her the determination to better herself. She said that she hopes to have a future in business at Slippery Rock University, and she will continue doing track in college.

Update: Riley broke Milton Girls’ Vaulting record at the Lock Haven University Invitational on April 30. Coach Harris said that Riley vaulted at a height 12’3”. The previous record of 11’0” was set by 2013 graduate Vicki Soltys in 2012. Riley’s vault beat that record by 1’3”.