TORRINGTON – The tennis courts at Torrington High School (THS) buzzed with activity as folks gathered on Tuesday, May 21 to honor tennis coach and teacher Mary Perkins and her dedication to the sport, the school and community.

Following moving testimonials by coaches, family and friends attesting to Perkins’ love for tennis and young people, the unveiling of new plaques above the tennis courts completed the formal dedication of the Mary Perkins Tennis Courts.

THS Activities Director and Dean of Students Gabe Bartlett opened the ceremony.

“Not only did Mary touch people’s lives in the high school, but in the community,” Bartlett said. “You couldn’t ask for a better person.”

Perkins’ career spanned 17 years as head tennis coach at THS, four years as an assistant coach, decades of teaching at THS and Torrington Middle School and an appointment as the head librarian for Goshen County School District No. 1 (GCSD1).

Perkins served on the United States Tennis Association (USTA) board in Wyoming and worked as the tennis representative to the Wyoming Coaches Association (WCA). Perkins received the WCA’s Distinguished Service Award and she was inducted into the WCA Coaches Hall of Fame.

THS coach Curtis Birkley found inspiration through Perkins as an athlete on her tennis court and later as a member of Perkins’ coaching staff.

“Coach Perkins had a big influence on me as a coach and a person,” Birkley said. “Thank you, coach, for being a great advocate and friend to all of us. In Torrington, Mary was tennis.”

Birkley expressed gratitude to community members involved in making the dedication of the Mary Perkins Tennis Courts a reality. 

Andrea Wunibald and Patty Kelly “got this ball rolling” by organizing a petition and advocating before the GCSD1 Board of Trustees, Birkley said. He also thanked the board of trustees, district superintendent Ryan Kramer, Bartlett, the THS administration and custodial staff and “so many others who made this possible.”

Former educator and tennis coach John Kelly spoke of Perkins’ efforts to build the THS tennis team from a program “on its last legs” into a successful, thriving organization.

“This was a testament to (Perkins’) dedication and how much she loved kids,” Kelly said. “After 20 years of coaching with her, I never heard her say anything bad about the kids. She was such an encourager.”