Rather than give up on athletics all together Riekes became a personal trainer to local athletes and ran a music recording company out of his house. He taught students interested in music to lift weights and athletes to sing and play guitar and most of the students also helped him run this business from home. This began in 1977 with a handful of students, this year alone The Riekes Center will help 5000 students define and accomplish their goals.

The students who could not afford coaching worked around the house to offset their tuition, creating the community atmosphere that is still evident today. The video center where athletes analyzed film of their performance gave birth to the current video arts program. Even the nature awareness program grew out of a football players passion for gardening in the houses backyard.

"The way the center came about was very natural, not contrived at all. It grew despite of me, not because of me, and became an invisible school."
- Gary Riekes

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