Atascocita High School’s Paris Kimble Caps High School Career as a State ChampionAs Paris Kimble walked up to the rack to grab her shot, the thought of finality entered her mind. “It was my last ever throw of my high school career, and I wanted to end it with a new personal record, and I did just that,” Kimble said. On a soggy Saturday in May, Kimble got into her position, spun around on the wet concrete ring inside Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas and let it fly in the Class 6A girls shot put event. The shot flew through the air as the final moment of her high school athletic career at the 2023 UIL State Track & Field meet and banged into the ground at 45-feet-6.75-inches – a new personal record. Setting a personal record anytime is a major feat but for Kimble to do it in Saturday’s weather conditions, sitting through a two-hour rain delay and throwing in a puddle of water, was career-defining and KImble credited her positive attitude about the situation to overcome it. “Those weather conditions on Saturday were no joke,” she said. The University of Houston-signee’s final throw of the day sealed the Class 6A State Championship in the girls shot put. Her third throw of the day, 45-feet-4.50-inches had her in the lead heading into the final throw. Once Kimble had secured the state title and made her way to the medal stand, she found her mother, Haley. “I hugged my mom first and told her ‘Happy early Mother’s Day’,” Kimble said. “I hugged my dad (Cedrick) as well.” Throwing in track and field wasn’t Kimble’s first passion in sports. “If Paris went back today and told the 8th grade version of myself that I was a state champion in shot put, I would be in disbelief,” she said. The senior’s first love was playing softball. She started playing when she was five-years-old and played it up until her sophomore year of high school. She also played basketball from idle school through her sophomore campaign. “Dropping those two sports was a hard decision, but one that had to be made,” Kimble said. “With that decision, coaching, support from family and friends, and the big man above, I’ve ended my high school career as a state champion, and I’m so grateful.” The summer of 2019 is when Kimble started taking throwing discus and shot put seriously going into her freshman year. “I’ve invested so much time and effort into this sport, and accomplishing something like this makes me feel like it was all worth it,” she said. Now with her high school athletic career capped with a state championship, Kimble hopes her legacy in the halls of Atascocita High School is larger than her feats in the throwing ring. “I want to be remembered not only for my accomplishments but as a person with a huge personality as well,” she said. “I hope people remember me as the super friendly, outgoing, and encouraging upperclassman.”Source:
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