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By John Bechtle (Published 8/04)
Local fans looking to lock in on a feel-good story during the upcoming 2004 Olympic Games from Athens, Greece, need to look no further than the story of own of their own—USA volleyball player Riley Salmon.
The 1994 graduate of Clear Creek High School will lead Team USA into action beginning August 13 with hopes of landing the big prize—the gold medal. Then again, Salmon, now 28, has landed quite a few big prizes since picking up a volleyball for the first time in 1992.
How he got to where he is today is truly a story with many possible titles. Salmon's mother calls it vindication. His wife, the former Maria "Millie" Rodriguez, calls it awesome, and admits she's watched her husband, whom she met while they both attended Clear Creek High School, become a man on the volleyball court. Maybe it's a Cinderella story, but then again, not. This is a story about a man determined to reach his goals, a man who has made the sacrifices to realize his dreams. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing No. 16 for Team USA, outside hitter Riley Salmon.
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Humble beginnings greet skinny kid
Salmon grew up playing Little League baseball in the Bay Area, and even then his mom, Jenna Clepper, could see her son had some talent. But as Salmon entered Clear Creek at 13, he had decided baseball wasn't his thing. A short stay on the tennis team produced amazing results as Salmon often dominated play.
"Riley has always been a very gifted athlete," said Clepper. "He always seemed to have the ability to try something and be very good at it. When he went to Creek and played tennis so well that first year, I couldn't believe it. I remembered asking him 'How'd you do that?' He said, 'Consistency, mother,' and that's really what it was. He had the drive to stick with something and be great at it."
But soon tennis would not fit the bill. Salmon next decided basketball would be his game, sometime during his sophomore year. Today, he'd probably like to thank some of those maintenance workers who were refurbishing the court at Creek, forcing a cancellation of the pick-up basketball game. Not having any competition on the basketball court that day changed Salmon's life forever.
Salmon wandered over to the other gymnasium where a friend was playing volleyball among a group of boys club players. At that time, the club sport for boys was in its infancy, but the players and volunteer coaches were serious. Salmon had found his love. Clear Creek's boys club team was then coached by Todd Porter, who is now the varsity girls volleyball coach at the school.
The league consisted of several high school teams from around the Houston area, including Clear Lake, Episcopal, St. John's, Kinkaid and others. Salmon's wife, who graduated from Creek two years ahead of her future husband, recalls seeing Salmon at Episcopal in action. Then, she remembered the "skinny" kid who had played tennis."I played volleyball in high school and went on to play in college, and I never knew that Riley had picked up the game and had loved it so much," said Millie Salmon. "It was a surprise to see him there, but you could tell he was talented."
Before he finished high school, Salmon went on to play for the Junior Olympic program through Club Texas, then coached by Nick Rivera of St. John's. Rivera said Salmon's ability obviously has much to do with where the player has landed, but there's much more to the equation than that.
"Riley has a deep love of the game and has always wanted to get better," Rivera said. "I know that volleyball had a lot to do with keeping Riley interested in school and his grades at the time. We had strict guidelines as far as grades, and he was determined to maintain his participation. Aside from that, Riley always wanted to do something to get better. That trait has stuck with him the entire way.
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College gig comes
Salmon may have been one of the elite players coming out of Texas in 1994. However, the state lacks boys high school or men's collegiate teams.
Thus just how talented Riley Salmon was on the collegiate volleyball court, though, was to be determined. He landed an invitation to play at Pierce College in California and went on his way. At this point, Salmon had decided to become a volleyball superstar. Nobody was going to stop him."I was glad he got involved with volleyball and he had something to focus on, but we also wanted him to get his education," Clepper said. "Riley couldn't say the word 'JOB' without stuttering. My husband Mike and I told him we would help him with his tuition those first two years, but admittedly we were doing that paycheck to paycheck. He knew after those two years he was going to have to contribute a portion of it if he was going to move further."
So, even after a solid stay at Pierce on the court, Salmon's career reached a bit of a crossroads in 1996 or so. College tuition was a bit steep, and his parents had already done their part. By this time, Salmon found himself back in League City. He discovered the sand volleyball game, which helped prolong his career.
First playing at Stewart Beach in Galveston and other local sandpits, Salmon eventually decided to try the AVP Tour. Over the next couple of AVP seasons he had scored several top-20 finishes. The income, however, was another story. "Riley was working his way up, but wasn't doing all that well," said his mother. "There's not a lot of money involved unless you are an elite player. The money is in Europe."
Salmon did indeed catch a break when a scout, Tim Kelly, noticed him in mid-1999. At that point, Salmon was working for as a warehouse supervisor for General Electric. Millie Salmon, who was dating Riley seriously by now, got the call at work. Her boyfriend was leaving in a week. He had been invited to play for a professional men's team in Italy and was going to give it a shot.
"He told me he was leaving in a week," Millie Salmon recalls. "I knew the chance that this could come true was there because the scout had seen him before and promised to get back with him. They didn't get together that time, but Tim had seen him again and asked him to go.
"I told him to go for it. I said, 'you have the potential, so go give it everything you have and make it happen.' I knew Riley was not much of the 9-to-5 guy and that he had so much more potential, so I wanted him to chase his dreams."
Salmon did take the chance and has now played the game in Italy, Greece, Puerto Rico, Russia and other big-time volleyball countries. Obviously, the finances have turned around with the signing of professional contracts, but Salmons' family admits their loved one is playing for much more.
In 2001, Salmon was named a member of the U.S. men's national team, where he has continually been a dominating performer.
A year later, he played professionally in Puerto Rico, his wife's homeland. The two were married there in 2002, and Millie Salmon cherishes seeing her husband play for Puerto Rico. "Puerto Rico is my homeland, and I never envisioned seeing my husband play for Puerto Rico," Millie Salmon said. "It's still unbelievable to me that I was able to see that. When we were married, the team and everybody involved outdid themselves. I will never forget it."
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The 2004 Games
Team USA qualified for the Olympic Games by winning the gold medal with six straight wins at the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. In the championship match, Salmon delivered nine kills to help his team to victory. Rivera saw Salmon compete during the event and said the local player played a huge role for the U.S. "They had to win that event to get in," Rivera said. "It was the final qualifier, and Riley definitely stepped up and played a big-time role.
In Athens, Team USA, ranked fifth going in, hopes to deliver the final kill by winning gold. His mother and stepdad, Jenna and Mike Clepper, will be there along with his wife, Millie. The mere thought of the Olympic moment makes each of them teary-eyed.
"Riley's first goal was to play professionally, which he has done," Millie said. "His second goal was to make the national team. He did that. Now, he wants to win gold at the Olympics. Riley has had to make plenty of sacrifices along the way, but he is where he has always wanted to be. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry. I couldn't be happier for him.
"Really, when I think about the moment, I'm speechless. I remember watching the Olympics on television. For me to be there watching my husband compete is almost unbelievable. It's starting to hit me now, and I almost can't talk about it without crying."As for Riley Salmon's mother, she has some of the same feelings. The Cleppers wouldn't have missed this trip for the world. Asked what the moment is like, Jenna Clepper said, "I'm proud, it's overwhelming. I'm ecstatic. I feel vindicated."
Vindicated indeed. A former high school club player has made his way to the Olympics. He's the lone Team USA member with only junior college experience to make the team. Such humble beginnings, but such a determined spirit to make it this far. Plenty of folks along the way didn't believe. Yet obviously the USA believes in more than just miracles, they believe in Riley Salmon.
"I have never stopped believing in him," Jenna Clepper said. "I'm so proud of him I could burst. No one will ever understand how much I love him. The first time Riley came back from playing volleyball in another country, he kissed the ground when he got off the plane. He's proud to be an American, and proud to be an Olympian."
Millie Salmon said her husband has signed with a team in Greece, Olypiakos, for a season that begins just after the completion of the Olympic Games. Rivera said Salmon will also return to Puerto Rico in February or March of 2005 to play for Corozal, an elite team in that country. "That team is for real," Rivera assured.
The Salmons have already discussed their feelings for 2008 and the Olympics, and Riley, who will then be 32, plans to play for Team USA again should he earn a spot. A great thought for sure, but his mother is convinced the story, at least for now, will have a perfect ending.
"They're going to take the gold," she said. "That's how this story's going to end. I just know it."
Surely it will, especially with all Salmon has done to get to Athens. Maybe 10 years ago few people believed in Riley's Salmon's dream. Now, everyone believes.
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