My most lasting memory of Don Perkins is not one that took place while a member of the Dallas Cowboys. My most lasting memory of Don Perkins is as a former YAFL coach and Don Perkins speaking to young football players. It's actually a terrible story for Mr. Perkins but a good story in that he was good enough to speak on the issue. Don Perkins son played for Academy HS here in Albuquerque. As some may know, Mr. Perkins played for UNM before being drafted by the then Baltimore Colts. Don's son was a stand out RB here at Academy. So, it happened that Don Perkins son broke his neck while playing in a HS game. Mr. Perkins was obviously distraught about this and for a good while, was not very public. There is also a very good story here about how Don Meredith and how he helped Don Perkins get through this time, but that is another story. Anyway, Don Perkins was good enough to speak to all the young players in the area about the importance of good coaching and technique. How important it was to play the game with safe technique and how important it was to listen to the coaching about such things. Basically, just trying to support YAFL and HS Football in the area. I can't imagine how difficult that must be for him. Football was so good to him but the very thing that he loved also caused such pain to his family. I always thought that it must have been a very tough thing for him to continue to support football after all that had happened. Showed great character to be able to do this IMO. I don't know him well or even personally but as and advocate of Youth Football, I always appriciated the fact that he did this. It could not have been easy for him.
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