BY BECK CROSS, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
PINE BLUFF — Louis “Skip” Perkins has been on the job for just over a month as Arkansas-Pine Bluff ’s athletic director, but there’s little doubt he has the program moving in the right direction.
Perkins, 35, who is one of the youngest athletic directors in NCAA Division I, is engaging and infectious when he talks about his goals for the UAPB athletic program.
Perkins took over for Craig Curry, whose three-year contract was not renewed in June by UAPB Chancellor Lawrence Davis.
“My immediate goals are fundraising and bringing all sports on campus,” said Perkins, who signed a three-year contract with UAPB. “But one of my major goals is to win a SWAC [Southwestern Athletic Conference ] championship. It’s been over 30 years since we’ve won a SWAC title in any sport and that’s going to change. We’ve been ninth and 10 th, respectively, in a lot of sports and that’s not good enough. We’re going to install a winning attitude here.”
Perkins’ first order of business was making the football schedule more fan accessible. He was aghast when he learned the defending West Division champion Golden Lions were playing only three games in Pine Bluff and one in Little Rock.
Lewis, who vowed the Golden Lions will play no fewer than five in-state games a year in his tenure, immediately went to work to put Central Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello on next year’s schedule. UAPB has a two-year deal to play UCA at War Memorial Stadium and a three-year deal to play UAM at Golden Lion Stadium.
This year, UAPB plays its two nonconference opponents — Southern Illinois and New Mexico State — on the road.
“This was an easy fix for me,” Perkins said. “I know what a paid game is and what a classic is, and the games on this [2007 ] schedule wouldn’t be considered either of those two. Southern Illinois is a home-and-home agreement and by the time we pay all of the bills from going to New Mexico State, we’re coming home with nothing. We’re better off playing at home and we’ve added two in-state rivals that everybody’s going to love to be a part of.”
Perkins also fits the bill as a strong fundraiser. Before taking the UAPB job, he was an assistant athletic director at his alma mater, North Carolina Central, and spearheaded a drive that raised more than $ 1. 8 million in a fiscal year.
“The reason that’s so special is because we have so much competition,” Perkins said. “There’s Duke, there’s North Carolina, there’s North Carolina State and everybody is going after the same person [for fundraising ].
“ Some of it was not taking no for an answer but a lot of it was asking. We just didn’t ask before. It’s simple as that. Raising funds is my No. 1 priority at UAPB and we’re the only shop in town. Some progress has been made but I’m ready to take it to the next level.”
Perkins heard about the UAPB vacancy in July and was immediately interested.
“I heard that they were looking for someone who could raise some funds and someone who had energy,” Perkins said. “I thought I had what they needed so I immediately applied.”
Davis agreed after bringing Perkins in for an interview.
“We brought him down and let him meet the appropriate people and his background in fundraising, his contacts and his energy made him very attractive to us,” Davis said. “We have great anticipation and we’re very optimistic about our future under his leadership.”
Perkins also has the endorsement of head football Coach Mo Forte, who has done his part to bring excitement to the athletic program by leading the Golden Lions to their first SWAC West Division title in 2006.
“The time I’ve been around him he is enthusiastic and he has a lot of energy,” Forte said. “I think he’s going to be able to go out and raise money, which is what they brought him in here to do. He’s got a good personality and I think he’s going to do a good job.”
Perkins insisted the UAPB job isn’t a stepping stone.
“This community is wonderful and my wife and I can’t go anywhere without someone stopping us and telling us how glad they are we’re here and that we can do it,” Perkins said. “I don’t know how much higher I can go because I’m an athletic director in the SWAC conference. I’m embedded in this community and I’m here for the long run. I want to win a SWAC championship and then I want to compete for the all-SWAC trophy, and that’s going to take time. We’re going to have continuity.”
PINE BLUFF — Louis “Skip” Perkins has been on the job for just over a month as Arkansas-Pine Bluff ’s athletic director, but there’s little doubt he has the program moving in the right direction.
Perkins, 35, who is one of the youngest athletic directors in NCAA Division I, is engaging and infectious when he talks about his goals for the UAPB athletic program.
Perkins took over for Craig Curry, whose three-year contract was not renewed in June by UAPB Chancellor Lawrence Davis.
“My immediate goals are fundraising and bringing all sports on campus,” said Perkins, who signed a three-year contract with UAPB. “But one of my major goals is to win a SWAC [Southwestern Athletic Conference ] championship. It’s been over 30 years since we’ve won a SWAC title in any sport and that’s going to change. We’ve been ninth and 10 th, respectively, in a lot of sports and that’s not good enough. We’re going to install a winning attitude here.”
Perkins’ first order of business was making the football schedule more fan accessible. He was aghast when he learned the defending West Division champion Golden Lions were playing only three games in Pine Bluff and one in Little Rock.
Lewis, who vowed the Golden Lions will play no fewer than five in-state games a year in his tenure, immediately went to work to put Central Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello on next year’s schedule. UAPB has a two-year deal to play UCA at War Memorial Stadium and a three-year deal to play UAM at Golden Lion Stadium.
This year, UAPB plays its two nonconference opponents — Southern Illinois and New Mexico State — on the road.
“This was an easy fix for me,” Perkins said. “I know what a paid game is and what a classic is, and the games on this [2007 ] schedule wouldn’t be considered either of those two. Southern Illinois is a home-and-home agreement and by the time we pay all of the bills from going to New Mexico State, we’re coming home with nothing. We’re better off playing at home and we’ve added two in-state rivals that everybody’s going to love to be a part of.”
Perkins also fits the bill as a strong fundraiser. Before taking the UAPB job, he was an assistant athletic director at his alma mater, North Carolina Central, and spearheaded a drive that raised more than $ 1. 8 million in a fiscal year.
“The reason that’s so special is because we have so much competition,” Perkins said. “There’s Duke, there’s North Carolina, there’s North Carolina State and everybody is going after the same person [for fundraising ].
“ Some of it was not taking no for an answer but a lot of it was asking. We just didn’t ask before. It’s simple as that. Raising funds is my No. 1 priority at UAPB and we’re the only shop in town. Some progress has been made but I’m ready to take it to the next level.”
Perkins heard about the UAPB vacancy in July and was immediately interested.
“I heard that they were looking for someone who could raise some funds and someone who had energy,” Perkins said. “I thought I had what they needed so I immediately applied.”
Davis agreed after bringing Perkins in for an interview.
“We brought him down and let him meet the appropriate people and his background in fundraising, his contacts and his energy made him very attractive to us,” Davis said. “We have great anticipation and we’re very optimistic about our future under his leadership.”
Perkins also has the endorsement of head football Coach Mo Forte, who has done his part to bring excitement to the athletic program by leading the Golden Lions to their first SWAC West Division title in 2006.
“The time I’ve been around him he is enthusiastic and he has a lot of energy,” Forte said. “I think he’s going to be able to go out and raise money, which is what they brought him in here to do. He’s got a good personality and I think he’s going to do a good job.”
Perkins insisted the UAPB job isn’t a stepping stone.
“This community is wonderful and my wife and I can’t go anywhere without someone stopping us and telling us how glad they are we’re here and that we can do it,” Perkins said. “I don’t know how much higher I can go because I’m an athletic director in the SWAC conference. I’m embedded in this community and I’m here for the long run. I want to win a SWAC championship and then I want to compete for the all-SWAC trophy, and that’s going to take time. We’re going to have continuity.”
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