Balance, drama & baseball

Christopher Riley

BY DEXTER MCCREE & Peturla Scarlett

ST. PETERSBURG — Christopher Riley is an outstanding individual. Despite obstacles, he has found a way to excel in his four years of high school and make the little moments count.  From volunteering with the Miracle League—where his younger brother is currently a member of the team—to being a part of the Theater Honor Society and making his high school varsity baseball team, he is astonishing.

“In my freshman year of high school, I struggled with keeping up with the demands and rigor of having honor classes while balancing the demands of playing baseball,” said Christopher.  “The way I overcame having failing grades is I began to manage my time better by prioritizing my time and putting more effort into academics.”

Christopher knew even then that his grades would play an important role in his life and therefore his future. Ever since his early education at Bay Vista and Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Schools, he was taught by his parents to uphold high standard and be an overall good student.

“My parents, (Chris and Chelsea Riley) are my daily role models and I look up to them,” said Christopher.  “My dad is a firefighter and my mom is a school teacher. They instilled in me to be kind, respectful to everyone you meet and work toward excellence. My mom often says that your conduct in school is just as important as the grades you earn.  I am thankful for their amazing support.”

He remembers the teachings and their benefits from his childhood. As a result, he enjoys giving back to the community and plans to attend St. Pete College to study communications. He also hopes to get involved in their arts program since he had such a wonderful experience in the drama department at The Boca Ciega High School.

The impact of working behind the scenes creating set designs and constructing them with his hands has him hopeful of latching on to the arts program in college.

Sports have also played an important part in his life. Christopher has been playing baseball since he was six years old. He loves the sport and being a part of a team because it requires people skills —the kind of skills that will become extremely important as he majors in communications.

“As I begin my next chapter in life, I am excited about the adventures and opportunities that I will get to experience,” he said. “I hope to research and seek opportunities in becoming a sports statistician.”

In 10 years, he sees himself working in the front office of the Tampa Bay Rays. Being that person behind the scenes, researching the whys, hows and wheres of sports would be something he would enjoy.