For the first time in three decades there will be a new head coach for Madrid when the class 1A sixth ranked Tigers open the season on Friday night at home against Woodward-Granger. Legendary coach Randy Hinkel died of a heart attack last December and Steve Perkins was elevated to head coach of a program that has made eight championship game appearances.
Perkins knows it will be an emotional evening.
“There is a line that has been around for a long time with coach Hinkel that I use all the time with our kids: ‘How do you respond when there is some adversity or when you feel uncomfortable?’, said Perkins. ‘If someone comes along and smacks you in the mouth on the football field how are you going to respond’? I just want to see those things.”
Perkins says the strength for the Tigers is experience and says the seniors have helped him in the transition to head coach.
“These seniors have done a great job of stepping up through all of the adversity in the off season and helping the young kids understand will still need to move on and we have got a future to look forward too.”
Ryan Wendt at KWBG contributed to this story