Ali Riley: New Zealand's loving leader in the stands

Ali Riley feels deeply. Thankfully as someone who emotes with her whole body, joy is a dominating emotion in her life.

Her joy is all encompassing. But I imagine so too is her sadness on the rare occasion that it strikes.

At the 11th hour, Ali Riley announced that due to the unpredictability of a lingering injury, New Zealand's coaching staff opted to remove her from the Olympic roster.

In doing so however, they stripped the team of their biggest asset, fiercest competitor, and unwavering leader.

To compete without her is foreign terrain that I imagine no one wished to traverse. But the decision was made and her teammates were forced to discover who the Football Ferns were without her on-field presence.

In true Ali Riley fashion, after giving herself a moment to sit in the sadness, she continued to be their emphatically supportive captain from the stands, leading by example and leading with love.

As a result, she discovered that the respect and love for her runs deep. In a powerful, tear-inducing display of support and empathy, her teammates performed a Haka for her, honoring her with a meaningful tradition on a meaningful stage, an acknowledgment that she's every bit the heart and soul of the team she's always been.

At every level Ali Riley has given everything

I too have been the beneficiary of Ali Riley's all-encompassing joy, passion for the game, loving appreciation for her teammates, and unrivaled belief in what they bring to the table.

As a Stanford senior given the opportunity to help a freshman find her way, she made me feel valued because she made it a habit to acknowledge and highlight the gifts of those around her.

She gave me the freedom to make mistakes and not feel less than because of them, and provided me with an abundance of encouragement followed by wild celebration when success eventually came.

On the field, she's a whirlwind of energy with talent out the wazoo, and a work ethic that seems impossible to match, though she inspires you to try.

Off the field, she'll pull pranks, dance with abandon, sing Jesse McCartney and One Republic loudly in your ear from the backseat of a packed car, and be a constant reminder that to have a friend who gives so generously is a true gift.

So now Ali, as you navigate the emotional extremes of your 2024 Olympic experience, may you be reminded of the friends and teammates old and new whose lives you've shaped, who have been lifted by your joy, guided by your light, and supported by your love, and may the joy, light and love be reciprocated tenfold.