Michael Perkins‘ switch to coaching boys basketball this winter after 21 highly successful seasons as Flowing Wells’ girls coach is an uncommon move, but it has been done before at the northside neighborhood school.
After the late, great Ed Nymeyer guided the Caballeros to boys basketball state titles in 1962-63 and 1967-68, he led the Lady Cabs to the 1990-91 championship game. That followed a stint as an assistant with Pima Community College. He also coached the girls volleyball team at Flowing Wells to a state title in 1991.
The immediate change from one program to the other at the same school is unique.
“I want to be able to have a positive impact on our boys’ program and be able to build something that we’re proud about,” Perkins said. “Certainly, for a long time, I’ve been proud of what we’ve been able to do in the Lady Cabs basketball program.”
Perkins established himself as one of the top girls basketball coaches in the state.
He won 377 games in his 21-year career, including a state championship in 2007-08, four state runner-up finishes, six state semifinal appearances, six Flowing Wells Holiday Shootout championships, and 16 playoff appearances.
He has coached 25 players into college basketball.
“It was an incredibly hard decision,” Perkins said of pursuing the boys’ coaching position at Flowing Wells. “It’s one of those things that you’ve given 21 years to something, and I’ve loved and cherished my time in the Lady Cabs basketball program.
“It was just time to do something different, to make a change, to now give that love and attention to the boys’ program.”
He is taking over a program that was 33-100 over the last six seasons. The Caballeros have only three winning seasons over the last 18 years and advanced to the playoffs only twice in that span.
In the 21 years Perkins was the girls’ head coach at Flowing Wells — starting in the 2004-05 season after he served as a manager and scout player for Arizona women’s basketball coach Joan Bonvicini — the boys program had six different coaches.
“I know they haven’t had a winning record in a while, but I know they’re going to come out here and work hard and compete; they’re great kids,” he said. “It’s something that, when the opportunity becomes available, you always have to consider your options and what’s out there. I just felt like it was the right time to make a move.
“I don’t know a whole lot (about the individual skills of the boys team). It’s one of those things where it’s really difficult when we’re at home, they’re on the road, and when they’re on the road, we’re at home. You don’t get a lot of overlap, as far as being able to see their team on a regular basis. I just know that I believe in Flowing Wells. Flowing Wells is a great place and a great community. The boys are going to be in a great place.”
Flowing Wells, 9-16 this season, will return second-leading scorer Jordan Martinez, a senior forward who averaged 11 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. Senior forwards Rashad Fermawi (6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds a game) and Jaiden De’Mary (4.6 points and 6.6 rebounds a game) also return.
Perkins was a math teacher at Flowing Wells for 12 years before working at Arizona’s Center for Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Teachers over the last 10 years.
In addition to his position at Arizona and leading the Lady Cabs’ program, Perkins also devoted his time to organizing the Flowing Wells Summer League for girls basketball every June and the Flowing Wells Holiday Shootout every December.
He intends to generate similar events for the boys in the long run.
“Everything, in good time,” Perkins said. “I know the importance of the work that we do outside of the season, the work that we do in season, and the importance of spending time together and doing things together, traveling together and being a part of the program.
“It’s a year-round deal. It’s a year-round commitment. I know that’s important to building our team and building our program.”
Perkins’ successor with the girls’ program is undecided.
Mark Brunenkant, the athletic director, mentioned the position will be posted Thursday by the Flowing Wells School District for applicants.
“The district does the hiring of the coaches; I don’t get to decide all that stuff,” Perkins said. “It’s a really great job. I know somebody’s going to want to lead Lady Cabs basketball. The players and coaches and the staff that are there are all amazing.
“It’s a great place to be. I know that the coaches that we have there are all former Lady Cab basketball alumni, and they’re great people. Whoever gets the opportunity to take over that program is going to be in great hands.”
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