APTOS — Jessica Perkin took pride in treating the Aptos High girls soccer program like a giant, ever-growing family.
Her immediate family is growing a bit, too.
“[My husband and I] are going from man-to-man defense to zone,” Perkin joked.
Expecting her third child in early November, Perkin made the tough decision to resign from her position as head coach of the girls soccer team earlier this month.
“It was a really emotional decision, and I really wanted to think about it,” Perkin said. “Ultimately, it was the best decision for me, my baby, my family and the team for me to resign.”
Perkin molded the Mariners into a local power over her eight seasons with the program. Aptos posted a 105-28-25 record during her tenure, and also captured the last five Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championships in an incredible run that included a 41-game unbeaten streak against league opponents.
She was also named the SCCAL Coach of the Year multiple times, and began the Aptos girls soccer Hall of Fame last season.
“I’ve had a lot of help,” Perkin said. “I’ve had some great coaches over the years, and the community accepted me and supported me. The girls, what they’ve accomplished over the years, and where they’ve brought the program, that’s all them. They worked to get to where they are, and they’ve set the culture.”
She will return to her job as a physical education teacher at Aptos after returning from maternity leave next calendar year. Aptos Athletic Director Mark Dorfman said her knowledge of the game, and ability to build a team will be sorely missed come winter.
“Jess would love to continue coaching, but she has her priorities aligned correctly: family first,” Dorfman said. “She and I have always talked about that…We’re gonna miss her. She’s an outstanding coach. She’s still going to be on campus as a mentor, but we’re losing one of the top coaches around.”
Dorfman said he received several applications for the open position. Interviews are expected to take place during the first two weeks of October, and a new head coach will be named soon after.
The winter sports season begins on Oct. 29.
Dorfman said Perkin’s replacement will have big shoes to fill.
“She did it right,” Dorfman said. “It’s not about wins and losses. It’s not about only soccer. She coaches the entire program. She cares about the kids the minute they step into the program. She mentors them in the offseason. She helps them get into college, whether it’s to play soccer or not play soccer. It’s not just a soccer program for her. It’s a family. I don’t know how you replace that.”
Perkin grew up in New Jersey, and was considered one of the top prep soccer players in the country during her junior and senior year. She was named the High School Defender of the Year by Parade Magazine in 2001, while also earning multiple All-American honors over her time at Union Catholic Regional.
She moved across the country to play NCAA Division I soccer at Santa Clara University. Perkin helped the Broncos win a National Championship as a freshman, and also started for the U.S. National Team during its historic run to the FIFA U19 Women’s World Championship in 2002.
After a serious leg injury during her senior season at Santa Clara derailed her playing career, Perkin held assistant coaching gigs at Rutgers University, University of Virginia and University of Nevada.
Many of her players have gone through the program without ever knowing their coach represented the U.S. in front of 47,000 fans in Canada on one of soccer’s biggest stages.
Dorfman said that is by design.
“She’s very humble, and I think it’s the sense of family,” Dorfman said. “She’s not going to tell her kids how good she is. She’s not going to tell her players how good she is. She’s nurturing them. She’s teaching them more than just lessons of soccer, but lessons of life. Why would she bring that up? It’s not about her. It’s never been about her. It’s always been about her players.”
Perkin said she has not closed the door on a return to coaching in the future, but said she would keep her distance from the program out of respect for the new coach.
“I want [the incoming coach] to have free reign over the team,” Perkin said, “but I think the sport will always be in my life in some way.”
