Riley Gaines is a former competitive swimmer who has made headlines for her campaign against transgender athletes in women’s sports. But before she became a political activist, she was a star swimmer who followed in the footsteps of her father, Brad Gaines, a former NFL player with a Hall of Fame history. In this article, we will explore the relationship between Riley and her dad, and how he influenced her swimming career.
Brad Gaines: A Football Legend
Brad Gaines was born in 1967 and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a talented athlete who excelled in football and track. He attended DuPont High School, where he broke the school’s rushing record with 1,324 yards in his senior season in 1985. He also made the All-Metro Team as a defensive back.
Brad chose to play football at Vanderbilt University over Texas, because he preferred to play offense rather than defense. He became a running back for the Commodores and had a stellar college career. He won four SEC championships and set several school records, including most rushing yards in a game (321), most touchdowns in a game (5), and most career rushing yards (3,171). He also earned All-SEC honors three times and was named the SEC Player of the Year in 1988.
Brad’s most memorable moment came in 1987, when he scored the game-winning touchdown against Tennessee with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter. The play was dubbed “The Miracle at Dudley” and is considered one of the greatest plays in Vanderbilt history.
Brad was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played for two seasons with the Eagles, but suffered a career-ending knee injury in 1990. He retired from football and was inducted into the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. He also joined his siblings, Chris and Greg, in the DuPont All-Sports Hall of Fame.
Riley Gaines: A Swimming Sensation
Riley Gaines was born in April 2000 to Brad and Telisha Gaines. She has three siblings: Taylor, Bradford, and Neely. Riley inherited her parents’ athletic genes, as both of them were also active in sports. Her mother played softball at Donelson Christian Academy and Austin Peay, while her father played football at Vanderbilt and in the NFL.
Riley grew up in Gallatin, Tennessee, where she attended Station Camp High School. She started swimming at a young age and quickly showed her potential. As a junior, she won the 100-meter butterfly and 100-meter freestyle at the TISCA High School Swim & Dive Championship in Knoxville in 2017. She also set state records in both events.
Riley joined the University of Kentucky’s swim team and continued to impress. She made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2019 and the All-SEC Second Team in 2019 and 2020. She also participated in the 2021 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, where she came second in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay and seventh in the 200m freestyle race. She made the All-SEC First Team that year.
In 2022, Riley became the SEC Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year, an award that recognizes excellence in academics and athletics. She graduated from Kentucky with a degree in kinesiology and health promotion.
Brad Gaines: A Supportive Father
Brad Gaines has always been supportive of his daughter’s swimming career. He often attended her meets and cheered for her from the stands. He also gave her advice and encouragement along the way.
In an interview with The Tennessean, Brad said: “I’m very proud of her. She works hard at everything she does. She’s very disciplined. She’s very focused.”
He also revealed that he taught Riley how to swim when she was four years old. He said: “I just threw her in the pool and said ‘Swim.’ She loved it.”
Riley has also expressed her gratitude for her father’s support. On Father’s Day, she posted a picture of them on Instagram and wrote: “Happy Father’s Day to the only man that can rock a tank top like you do and p.s. you don’t have to write ‘Dad’ at the end of every text. I have your number.”
Riley Gaines: A Controversial Activist
Riley Gaines has also been involved in politics since she graduated from college. She has advocated against the inclusion of trans women in women’s sports, claiming that they have an unfair advantage over cisgender women.
She has lobbied her state representatives to pass a law that would ban transgender women from women’s sports. She has also appeared in campaign ads for US Senator Rand Paul and former US Senate candidate Herschel Walker, both of whom share her views on the issue. She has also spoken at a Donald Trump rally and a Turning Point USA event.
Riley’s activism has sparked controversy and criticism from many people, especially from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. They have accused her of being transphobic, ignorant, and hateful. They have also challenged her claims with scientific evidence and personal testimonies.
Riley has defended her stance by saying that she is not against transgender people, but only against their participation in women’s sports. She has said that she is fighting for the rights and opportunities of cisgender women athletes, who she believes are being discriminated against by the current policies.
Conclusion
Riley Gaines is a former competitive swimmer who has a close relationship with her father, Brad Gaines, a former NFL player. Brad inspired Riley to pursue swimming and supported her throughout her career. Riley has also become a political activist who campaigns against transgender athletes in women’s sports, a position that has caused controversy and backlash. Riley Gaines dad is a significant figure in her life and career.