Lillian Kirry '20 Recruiting Profile

I have always been a fast runner, but going into high school I never expected to win. Surprisingly, I won my first state title my freshman year plus a fifth place title. That success only fueled my determination to compete well.

In my small town and school, money is pretty scarce. Chewelah has had the unfortunate designation as the poorest town in Washington for the last few years. All through middle school and my freshman year, I almost never practiced on a real track. I trained on grass, dirt, and in the hallways of my school. During my freshman year, our team drove 25 miles to and from the nearest track at a neighboring school twice a week to train on adequate facilities.

It was during my sophomore year that I decided to get serious about my dream of competing in college. My school was finally able to fund a new track. Unfortunately, due to the long winters in Washington, my team was stuck training in the school hallways for weeks. However, I remained determined to compete at a high level, and ended that season with another state title and a second-place medal.

My junior year was an amazing year for me. I maintained my 4.0 GPA and I won two state titles plus a second-place title. My coach suggested I compete in the Heptathlon. I had a total of three days of training to learn how to run the 800, throw the javelin and shot put, and to learn to long jump. Surprisingly, I got second in the Washington State Multi-Event Championships scoring 4190.

Although I have been successful, I have always found it difficult to get the coaching I need to help me unlock the untapped potential I know I have. My small town has great coaches but limited funding. We have one coach in charge of all the running and jumping events. I find myself training by myself with very little coach feedback most of the time. Even though I lack some of the coaching that I need, my own perseverance and drive has made me successful.

Everyone knows that being a student-athlete is difficult. However, I feel that I am a true student-athlete. Being a four-time state champion, a two-sport athlete, and a student who has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school while taking all the AP and other high-level courses I can, all show that I am willing to work hard to earn success and be the best. I bring that intensity, determination, and grit to everything I do.

Video Link on Runnerspace from my indoor 60MH Finals: https://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&event_id=1158&video_id=266831&utm_source=athleticdotnet&utm_medium=videothumb&utm_campaign=athleticdotnetbios

Video Link on Runnerspace from my indoor 60MH preliminaries: https://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&event_id=1158&video_id=266312&utm_source=athleticdotnet&utm_medium=videothumb&utm_campaign=athleticdotnetbios

Video Link on Runnerspace from my indoor 200M: https://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&event_id=1158&video_id=266642&utm_source=athleticdotnet&utm_medium=videothumb&utm_campaign=athleticdotnetbios