Her drive came from within and her grit developed from playing with her cousins – all boys.

“Sports are just in me,” Larrimore said.

Sports also helped Larrimore adjust to a big school from her small middle school, Isaac Newton Christian Academy.

“Coming out of a smaller middle school, sports were a way for me to connect and get to know people,” Larrimore said.

Devin Larrimore (Devin Achenbach when she graduated from Kennedy in 1999) was a multi-sport athlete. Larrimore played softball, volleyball, and threw shot put and discus.

“I feel that it’s important for students to get to experience multiple sports like I did,” Larrimore said.

Larrimore played first base on her softball team that went to state her senior year. Although they did not win, it was a great accomplishment for her and her team.

“Going to state was so much fun! We were the underdogs. No one expected us to make it, but we did!” Larrimore said.

Volleyball was Larrimore’ fall sport of choice. Her favorite memory was getting the opportunity to play with seniors during her junior year.

“The varsity team that year had been together for three years and were very talented. Sitting with them and practicing with them was such an awesome learning experience,” Larrimore said.

Larrimore played sports all year-round, but she was strongest in the shot put and discus rings.

“I threw varsity shot put all four years, went to state all four years. I was stronger at shot for so long, it wasn’t until my junior year that everything clicked with disc,” Larrimore said.

Larrimore didn’t throw over 80 feet until her junior year.

“One day, it just clicked,” Larrimore said.

In the spring of 1999, Larrimore broke the school record for the first time at Kingston Stadium, and then again at Prairie with a toss of 137 feet and 10 inches.

“I can’t remember much of the details other than being in utter shock that it actually happened,” Larrimore said.

Besides technology advances, life at Kennedy isn’t much different from when Larrimore was there. She loved pep assemblies and hated the parking situation.

“I think the atmosphere at Kennedy was fun and a positive environment,” Larrimore said.

Today, Larrimore is married with four kids. Her advice to Kenndey students now is to “be good, have fun, and treasure the memories, because life flies by.”