Name: Riley Dravet

Sport: Football

Position: Defensive Back/Corner

Year: Sophomore

Hometown: Wheaton

High School: Wheaton North

Lily Goodfellow: When did you start playing football?

Riley Dravet: I was probably four or five years old. I started off with flag football, then pee wee football, then middle school, high school and now here. So I would say about 15 years ago.

LG:What do you enjoy most about playing for COD?

RD:I would definitely say my teammates and my coaches. I’ve formed a lot of friendships that I’m sure will continue. Friends that will probably be at my wedding, be my best men. I think I’ll be friends with them for my whole life. So, the friendships that I’ve formed while at COD are the best part.

LG: What are your greatest accomplishments in football?

RD: I would say just being a good teammate because you win and lose a bunch of different games, but how you are as a teammate I think matters a lot more. So, I’d say being a good teammate is my greatest accomplishment.

LG: How do you get motivated before a game?

RD: I don’t do too much to get motivated. Actually, Guy Goss usually pumps up our teammates before the games. He has a pregame speech that is very energetic, so I would say that gets us going a lot.

LG: What has football taught you about testing your personal limits?

RD: I would say it has taught me that you need to go 100 percent with whatever you do and always persevere. In football, there’s been times when I’ve wanted to quit, but I know that if you start something you need to finish it. So it has taught me to keep pushing through even when you don’t want to. 

LG: Who is your biggest supporter?

RD: I would probably say my mom because she comes to a lot of my football games, and she lets me live in her house while I’m at COD, and I very much appreciate that. She’s helped me out a lot throughout the way.

LG: Who has been your favorite teacher and why?

RD: I would say my English teacher this semester. Her name is Professor Salas. She does a great job of teaching the curriculum and she has good, realistic expectations. The course load is nothing crazy, but she still does expect a lot out of us. She created an environment where everyone can talk and share ideas.

LG: Do you enjoy any other sports?

RD: I like to play basketball. I used to play it in high school and middle school. I’ll probably start playing again once I’m done with football.

LG: Where do you see yourself in five years?

RD: Hopefully somewhere warm, maybe in the south, and hopefully with a good job.

LG: What are you studying and do you have plans to transfer to another school after COD? 

RD: I’m studying finance, and yeah, I want to go to a four-year school. Wherever I can get the most money, so where it’s affordable and where I can study finance with a focus in computer science and coding.

LG: What one word best describes you?

RD: That’s tough. I’d say perseverance.

LG: Thank you so much, Riley.

RD: Thank you so much!