History of the Riekes Center
The history of the Riekes Center begins with its founder and chief executive officer, Gary Riekes, who moved to the Bay Area in 1970 from Nebraska (where he was born) to become a "rock star and football player" by studying music and playing receiver at Stanford University. Gary named the Center after his parents, Max and Dorothy Riekes, in honor of all parents who support their children's interests irrespective of the outcome.
His athletic career was cut short by a freshman-year back injury (but not before his scout team efforts earned him a Rose Bowl Ring for the Stanford Cardinal in 1971). The serious injury was worsened by the lack of proper sports medicine at the time and his own unwillingness to communicate. His back continued to get worse, and after multiple surgeries, Gary was barely able to walk for the better part of two decades.
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.
His athletic career was cut short by a freshman-year back injury (but not before his scout team efforts earned him a Rose Bowl Ring for the Stanford Cardinal in 1971). The serious injury was worsened by the lack of proper sports medicine at the time and his own unwillingness to communicate. His back continued to get worse, and after multiple surgeries, Gary was barely able to walk for the better part of two decades.
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
-Gary Riekes
