Riley Shaffer was born on February 18, 2004 in Texas to Michael and Jennifer Shaffer. She has two sisters, Braeden and Myka, a dog named Boomer, a bunny and a cat. Currently, Riley is an honor student at Connections Academy and she will graduate from high school in 2022. During her spare time, she enjoys drawing, cooking, paddle boarding and running.

Riley started gymnastics when she was five years old at a local gym due to natural abilities. She trained at Aerial Athletics in San Antonio, TX for five years, between 2012-2017. At the 2012 Level 6 State Championships, she finished sixth in the all-around and fourth on floor exercise. She moved up to level 7 in 2013 where she placed third in the all-around with a 37.700 and second on balance beam.

In 2014 as a level 8 gymnast, Riley scored a 37.300 in the all-around and finished fifth on balance beam with a 9.750 at the State Championships. She qualified to the Region 3 Championships, finishing fifth on balance beam with a 9.575. Riley was named to America's Top 100 on balance beam in level 8. Riley competed level 9 for the next two seasons. She placed in the top ten in the all-around with a 37.175, fourth on balance beam and sixth on floor exercise at the 2015 Region 3 Championships. In 2016, Riley finished seventh in the all-around with a 37.450, fourth on floor exercise and sixth on vault at the Region 3 Championships. She qualified to the Level 9 Western Nationals, finishing second in the all-around with a 37.525, third on balance beam and fifth on uneven bars and floor exercise. Riley was named to America's Top 100 on floor exercise in level 9.

As a first-year level 10 gymnast in 2017, Riley placed third in the all-around with a 37.750, first on vault and second on balance beam at the State Championships. At the Region 3 Championships, she finished fourth on vault and fifth on balance beam. Riley also participated in national elite qualifiers where she qualified to hopes pre-elite. In the fall of 2017, Riley's coach opened his own gym, so she followed her coach to Mavericks Gymnastics. In 2018, Riley finished fourth in the all-around and fourth on vault at the State Championships. At the Region 3 Championships, she placed eighth in the all-around and fifth on floor exercise. Riley qualified to the Junior Olympic Nationals where she placed 24th overall out of 57 gymnasts.

In 2019, Riley earned a bronze medal on uneven bars at the State Championships. She qualified to the Junior Olympic Nationals after finishing seventh in the all-around and fourth on uneven bars at the Region 3 Championships. In 2020, Riley qualified to the Level 10 State Championships but was unable to compete due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Riley trains 30 hours per week at Mavericks Gymnastics in San Antonio, TX under coach Steve Arkell. Riley is working hard to qualify to the Junior Olympic Nationals the next few years. Her long-term goal is to obtain a Division I college gymnastics scholarship.