Rikki Rivas isn’t the biggest, but her heart and determination carried her to fulfill all of her athletic goals while at Escalante High School.
“I may be small, but my goals are set high,” Rivas said. “I was taught to always reach for the stars and never settle for less than my expectations. I trust in God and my faith is strong and with him. Through him and the support of my family, I will conquer the world.”
Rivas said her time spent as a Lady Lobo taught her that nothing in life is given for free without dedication and hard work.
“Athletics has taught me that life can be unfair at times, but hard work, faith and support will help me get through the toughest times,” she said. “Nothing comes easy for a shorty.”
The 5-foot Rivas specialized as a libero for the volleyball team and played guard in basketball.
“Rikki had a passion for volleyball,” former Escalante volleyball coach Tara Terrazas-Martinez said. “That is where her heart lies. She became an integral part of her team when she decided that she would carry them defensively. Her teammates trusted and depended on her. She was a very consistent player.”
The only thing that slowed Rivas down was a knee injury during her junior volleyball season, which resulted in a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
“We battled some health issues with her,” Terrazas-Martinez said. “It was a pleasure to coach her, not only as a volleyball player, but a basketball player as well.”
Terrazas-Martin said nothing was more evident of Rivas’ toughness than the 2018 North-South 1A/2A volleyball match, June 7, at La Cueva High School.
“Rikki was the only libero for the North and stayed in the whole game,” she said. “She was picking up hits from the the best hitters in the state. Her serving capped off a great win for the North.”
The all-star game was a special moment for Rivas, not just because she was honored as one of the best players in the state, but she dedicated her performance to her grandmother.
“I dedicated my final all-star volleyball game in honor of my grandmother, whom we lost unexpedctedily in November,” Rivas said. “She was a loving and giving women who impacted my life with her values and morals.”
Rivas said she describes herself as an “outgoing country girl that enjoys life and trusts in God’s path.” She explained her family has played a vital role, even in coaching.
“The coaches that have always stuck by me are my parents,” Rivas said. “They have coached me to have values and morals that will help me get through life and life’s unexpected turns.”
Now that her athletic career is over, Rivas said some of her favorite memories were the simple barbeques and “eating fest” held at her mother’s house and time spent with her father.
“I am going to miss spending time with my dad for athletics,” she said. “I was blessed to have my dad beside me as my assistant coach since my eighth-grade year — and now, all of our fun and good times are memories for us to joke and laugh about. He is more like my best friend.”
Rivas will attend the Vogue College of Cosmetology in Santa Fe, with dreams of returning home to one day open her own salon in Tierra Amarilla.
She said the most surprising thing about her, especially to those who know her family well, is her love for volleyball.
“Many know my father and mother as basketball athletes and their love for the game,” Rivas said. “My true love is volleyball. Volleyball has always been my favorite sport because I have a true talent and love, which makes it come natural to me.”