Riviera School

Alejandra Gonzalez Rizo, a dedicated educator, brings her passion for language arts and athletics to the middle school cross-country team. After graduating from South Carolina State University with a Bachelor's in English, Alejandra's commitment to excellence was evident as a Division One soccer player and cross-country runner at Dorman High School. With a teaching career spanning three years at Riviera Preparatory, and two additional years before Riviera. Alejandra's coaching philosophy emphasizes teamwork, communication, and discipline. She instills values of sportsmanship and determination in her players, fostering their growth as athletes and individuals. Her goal this season is to help her runners foster a love and respect for the sport of cross-country and to continue personal growth for each runner.

AJ Ricketts joined Riviera as a coach in the fall of 2017. He ran four years of cross country and track at the University of Miami, where he competed in two ACC Championships and NCAA Regional Meets. His top performance for Miami came at the 2014 USF Invitational, where he finished fifth among Division I runners and first for the the Hurricanes. He has since placed in the top 20 of the Miami Marathon, and in April 2018 competed in the Boston Marathon.