Nick Perkins’ job terminated at Marion

MARION - A roomful of supporters, including football players taking a break from practice, was unable to save assistant varsity football coach Nick Perkins' job at Monday's Marion Independent School board meeting.

After hearing from more than a dozen speakers, both pro and con, Marion board members voted unanimously to terminate Perkins's co-curricular contract immediately.

Action was based on an administrative recommendation following investigation of one or more locker room incidents.

Although details of the investigation were not disclosed, veteran board member Dan Barkley said: 'This was overboard. This is something we can't allow in our locker room.”

The meeting was attended by about 80 people, including Perkins, his family, parents of football players and past and present football players.

Supporters, often emotionally, cited the positive effects Perkins has had on Marion students throughout his career and said, if he had done something that wasn't quite right, he should be given a second chance.

Detractors alluded to allegations of bullying, verbal abuse and swearing.

Perkins said he did not completely understand why this action was being taken and denied any of the accusations that had been presented to him.

'My players know that I love them. I tell them that I love them,” he said. 'I treat them as if they were my own son(s).

'All the work that I have done at this school is for these kids. I want everyone to know everything I have done for this school I would have done for free because I love this school.”

Nick's brother, Tony, is Marion's head football coach and recently served a one-game suspension, but was back on the sideline last Friday.