On Tuesday, former NCAA Division I swimmer Riley Gaines addressed an audience of students at the Franciscan University of Steubenville with a speech addressing her experience as a collegiate swimmer and collaborator with Charlie Kirk
According to Weirton Daily Times, Gaines related her experience competing alongside trans-identifying swimmer Lia Thomas and how this prompted a change in her life’s aim and mission.
“I thought the NCAA would see it how I saw it and how my teammates saw it and how my coaches saw it,” she said of Thomas winning the trophy of their competition, which ended in a tie. “Nothing hateful about it. Nothing opinionated about it. Looking at the facts on paper in front of us — but lo and behold, the NCAA did not see it that way.”
At this moment in her swimming career, Gaines realized that she “was unwilling to wait for someone else to fix” this issue of men participating in women’ s sports.
During the speech, Gaines also paid homage to TPUSA Founder Charlie Kirk and the influence he has had in her life and the lives of others.
“Not only was Charlie Kirk technically my boss at Turning Point, but more so he was a friend of mine — a mentor, really, to me,” Gaines said. “One of the most intellectual, articulate and effective minds of our time, influencing people like you and people like me. We all watched as he was prematurely taken from this earth, but I feel inspired and I feel hopeful and I feel encouraged seeing all of you.”
Toward the conclusion of her speech, Gaines thanked Franciscan University, the students in attendance, and the TPUSA chapter for putting on an event that had no element of hostility to it.
“Don’t become complacent,” she advised the students. “Success breeds complacency, but complacency breeds failure. It’s the enemy of growth and the enemy of progress — and the war on the woke has not yet been won.”
