Parks piqued the Charlotte 49ers’ interest
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BVM) — Before Perry Parks came to Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C., the Blazers football program was in shambles. It had eight straight losing seasons and the mindset throughout, from players to coaches, was less than ideal. Losing had been something far too engraved in their memory.
When Parks was hired, he knew the rebuild would be in full effect. He knew he would have his doubters. He knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.
“One of the biggest challenges was the pushback from some people across the state who didn’t believe I was worthy of such an opportunity at Ridge View,” Parks said. “Changing the mindset and perception of our players was kind of tough.”
But he proved all of those people wrong. The rebuild took shape a lot quicker than most had expected, and throughout his six seasons with the Blazers, the team won 44 games and had 33 players sign with collegiate programs. They reached the third round of the playoffs on three different occasions. They were a respected program.
Parks turned out to be the perfect head coach for the team. A guy full of energy, passion and enthusiasm, players were eager to work hard and play hard for him. The team realized it could be winners; it didn’t need to continue along with its losing ways. Parks made sure to change the team’s mentality as the first part of the rebuilding process.
“It was all about rebranding, making sure we have fun but outwork the competition every single day. Not accepting the status quo or the average, or anything complacent,” Parks said. “Push, push, push and be the best program we can be.”
He knew how to handle a rebuild because Parks himself was once part of a startup program. He experienced first hand what it’s like to build a program from scratch. During his collegiate career, he played at Coastal Carolina University as a member of its first ever football team.
“It showed me that with the right mindset and the right ingredients, you can do anything,” Parks said. “We beat James Madison the year after they came off their national championship. They were No. 1 in the nation and we were a startup program and we beat JMU at home.”
The work he did at Ridge View was something that football heads took notice to. With the news that former Charlotte 49ers wide receiver coach Montario Hardesty would be joining the South Carolina Gamecocks staff in 2021, Parks took some initiative to get himself involved in a potential college opportunity. His high school coaching resume and networking savvy did the trick.
“Coach Dawkins, the running back coach; I was one of his hosts on his visit when he came to CCU as a recruit. I had a previous relationship with him. Coach Bankins, the special teams coordinator; he’s recruited a couple of my guys,” Parks said. “Coach Healy, I knew him through South Carolina coaching clinics. The guy I replaced, I was good friends with him for a while as well so when the news broke he was coming to SC, I reached out to Coach Dawkins to see if they had anyone in mind for the receiver position and just tried to get my name in the mix.”
Now when the 49ers take the field in 2021, Parks will be on the sideline working with a college team, something he’s always had on his radar. But leaving Ridge View wasn’t easy. As the school saw the team begin to improve, it decided to invest. Ridge View now has a $10 million stadium in the works and just got a brand new weight room.
“It was super hard to leave, but for me career wise and goal wise and stuff I preach to my players every day, that was my next step I had to take,” Parks said. “That made the decision a little easier but it’s still tough to put all that work into a program and it’s the best team I’ve had coming back since I’ve been there, so to leave them was tough.”
However, his goal-driven mentality of getting to your next step and never being complacent took priority. Now he’ll try to be the best assistant he can be every day. He doesn’t have to change who he is or what he does; staying true to himself is what made him successful.
He’s a player’s coach.
“I like what’s trending, keeping my ears to the ground on what the kids like, understanding that climate. What kids like and what kids want,” Parks said. “Being the type of assistant coach that I wanted as a high school head coach is what I try to pride myself upon every day when I walk through the door at work.”
His value comes from his bubbly personality, his go-getter attitude and what that’s provided him throughout his career. He now has a story to tell his athletes. Something to make them gravitate towards him as he climbs the ranks. The Charlotte 49ers got a good one in Perry Parks.
“Anything can happen if you put hard work and positivity into it is a living example of not only my life as a high school coach who got a college opportunity but I was a walk-on guy at Coastal who got a full scholarship,’ Parks said. “I think my story is something I can push to my players.”
