If there is one particular staff member who could kickstart your high school English classes freshman year, help in the final stretch of AP Lang or even be your soccer coach for all four years, it is Derek Larkins. Whatever the case is, Derek Larkins is an amazing and beloved teacher and coach. But something students might not know of Larkins is that he actually went to Peninsula High School. 

“I have nothing but good feelings toward Peninsula but this is my home,” Larkins said. “My emotions are at PV High.”

To be fair, during the time that Larkins was in high school, Peninsula was the only public high school in Palos Verdes. But at Peninsula, Larkins made the best of it. 

“I was in ASB my senior year of high school and emceed pep rallies and just really enjoyed the high school experience” said Larkins.

And of course Larkins played high school sports to the fullest. 

“In high school I played both soccer and baseball,” Larkins said. “[But] I love all sports and I just happened to be decent at soccer.”

Besides both sports and being in ASB, Larkins also enjoyed his classes. Two of his favorite teachers were his English teacher and his baseball coach as well. 

“I really liked all my teachers,” Larkins said. “If I’m being honest I think that’s one of the reasons why I went into education.”

Larkins loves teaching his English students. He also loves the stories he teaches and storytelling itself.

“Just teaching itself,” Larkins said. “You fall in love with it, with the books you teach. I feel like along the way John Steinbeck became my favorite author because of the teaching of ‘Of Mice and Men.’”

Larkins has another role on campus. He is the adviser of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at PVHS. And Larkins’ faith is a huge part of who he is.

“Why am I coaching?” said Larkins. “Well because God wants me to. At least that’s what I feel.”

And with all of these aspects of  Larkins we get an amazing teacher, coach and man.

“I have the English teacher side and the soccer coach side but there is definitely a union between the two and I always tell my soccer players, ‘you’re more than just a soccer player,’” Larkins said.