Long time Perry varsity basketball coach Mike Long is expected to turn in his resignation today effective for the upcoming academic school year. Long had retired from his Physical Education position 2 years ago but remained on as both the varsity girls basketball and boys baseball coach. The resignation is for girls basketball only and Long is planning on returning next summer as the baseball coach.
Long has coached Perry hoops for the past 37 years and has guided 4 Jayette teams to the state tournament. He won a state title in 2002 and has recorded over 550 career wins.
The veteran coach described lack of attendance at the summer workouts as a big factor in his decision today.
“It’s really been a tough process the past couple of years. It has gotten tougher and tougher each year to get kids to do the stuff they need to in the summertime to make themselves better. When we had our end of year banquet last season, I told the kids I would do it for one more year if they would be dedicated and show up for workouts in the summer. Everybody showed up the first week for the drill work and Sunday night game but by the second week, the numbers dropped. I had some kids who were going to be important for our team next year not showing up for the workouts or the Sunday game. I had told the kids that’s the way it had to be and there was no other choice. So I decided not to come back.”
Perry was coming off a successful season in which many in the conference saw as a surprise. With a lineup whose tallest player stood 5-8, and a thin bench that logged the fewest minutes in 4A, Perry used an aggressive and hard nosed style of play to go 15-6 last season. It was a season that was indicative of how Long likes to coach.
“I didn’t want to do this because I still want to coach. I enjoy it and it’s what I do. But, in order for us to be good at a high level that I want us to play at, we need to be there together as a team in the summer and work the entire summer. That’s the only way you can get good and compete with the Ballard’s, Boone’s and Carlisle’s. All their kids are active in the summer months. I felt the kids weren’t going to be dedicated enough to do it so I felt it was time for me to move on.”
Perry Activities Director Tom Lipovac is aware of the resignation and says a search will begin immediately upon receipt of the resignation.
You can listen to Shawn Kenney’s entire interview with Coach Long as they discuss different aspects of coaching three different decades along with some of his best memories as Jayette coach. Simply click on the link below.