Balancing Act: Perkins Embraces Family Life and Coaching Life

Jeff Perkins’ 18th year at UC Irvine, and 12th as head coach of the cross country/track & field program, concluded yesterday at the NCAA Championships in Oregon.

It was the best season in his tenure as the Anteaters won the first Big West Women’s Track & Field Championship in program history, sent a school-record 17 student-athletes to the NCAA West First Round, and had two individuals earn All-America honors. Eight school records were also broken during the 2024-25 campaign.

It is a long season, but the success and growth of his student-athletes makes it all worth it. What also makes it worth it is getting to share his passion for track & field with his wife and two kids. 

“To see them actually participate in the championship celebration was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced in my life,” said Perkins, who flew home from Eugene this morning in time to celebrate Father’s Day.

Being a military kid, Perkins was on the move every few years. The one sport he stuck with through it all was track & field. He was a self-proclaimed average athlete in high school, but he continued to develop because of his addiction to the technical and individual aspects of the sport. 

“You don’t have to rely on anyone else to be successful, only yourself,” Perkins said. “You can really see your own personal growth through it, and to learn all the nuances of the events is exciting.”

Perkins started his prep career at Camarillo High School in Los Angeles before moving to Falls Church, Virginia, when his father, who had spent 20 years as a Naval fighter pilot, was stationed at the Pentagon after he was done flying. He transferred to and graduated from George C. Marshall High School, then made his way to the University of Tennessee to pursue his dream of competing collegiately as a high jumper. An injury would cut that dream short, but it ended up laying the foundation for his future career.

“Once I had that setback, I had to figure out what was next to stay involved in the sport, so I became a volunteer assistant and manager at Tennessee,” Perkins said. “I learned everything I could from associate head coach Vince Anderson and it kind of took off from there.”

Perkins did give the “real world” a shot after graduating from Tennessee as he moved back home to work for a telecommunications company. That lasted four months. Sweeping layoffs at his building made Perkins quickly realize he wasn’t cut out for a 9-to-5.

Perkins made his way back to his alma mater to serve two more seasons as a volunteer assistant, where he continued to soak up as much knowledge as he could from Anderson, who led the Vols’ men’s sprints, hurdles and jumps. Perkins then got his first assistant coaching position at CSUN, spending three years in Northridge alongside his best friend Jeremy Fischer, who was the Matadors’ jumps coach, and another one of his mentors, former head coach Don Strametz. 

When Fischer left for Oklahoma in 2005, Perkins joined him as the Sooners’ sprints, hurdles and relays coach. After his first year in Norman, legendary UC Irvine head coach Vince O’Boyle called with an offer to be an assistant on the Anteaters' staff, but he declined, choosing to stay put. The opportunity with UCI came up again a year later and Perkins couldn’t turn it down a second time.

“Having moved my whole life and living in different places, Southern California was my favorite, so I wanted to come back out this way,” Perkins said.

Perkins joined the 'Eaters in 2007 and was promoted to associate head coach three years later. When O’Boyle, who had spent 32 years at the helm, announced his retirement following the 2013 cross country season, Perkins was elevated to head coach.

“It was amazing having a mentor like Vince,” Perkins said. “There was a lot I didn’t know about UCI and the UC system, so I got to learn about that from him. I learned about our track & field program and the success he had, while trying to continue to bring up our sprints and hurdles. Then Vince talked about retiring and elevating me, and that eventually happened. Since then, I’ve been trying to build my own niche in this program as a head coach and what I believe in from a culture standpoint, and it culminated in a women’s championship.”

Perkins and his staff have led the ‘Eaters to a lot of individual success over the years with nine All-Americans, 35 Big West event titles and 88 NCAA West First Round qualifying marks since he took the reins in 2014. The one thing missing was a team championship. Every year that is the goal on the women’s side, but it started to become more of a realistic goal over the last four seasons as the coaches continued to add depth across all event areas. Heading into 2025, Perkins knew his team would be one of the frontrunners come May.

“We had some significant transfers that came in with immediate experience and raw ability, and we were very diverse as a team,” Perkins said. “All of the teams I have won championships with at other institutions were the most diverse, so that was the motive I had behind trying to go after it this year.”

At the 2025 Big West Championships, the ‘Eaters came out strong, building a decent lead through 18 scored events, but Cal Poly made a late push, with 27 points in the 5000m. The Mustangs pulled within a half-point heading into the final event, the 4x400 relay. Needing to finish ahead of Cal Poly, UCI fell behind early, but Jazzmine Davis closed the gap on the third leg and graduate transfer Luz Mercado brought it home to secure the first Big West Women’s Track & Field Championship in program history.

“It got nerve-wracking toward the end, but that was our vision from the beginning,” Perkins said. “We tried to make sure they went in with a calm mind, with confidence and an understanding that there’s not an expectation from them. They just needed to go out and do what they had done all year, support each other, and know they’re going through this process together. We didn’t need to have a perfect meet, we just had to have a strong meet. At the end of the day, that became a reality because we gave up a lot of points and Cal Poly put themselves right back in the mix.” 

Winning UC Irvine’s first Big West Women’s Track & Field Championship was special for Perkins, especially with his family in attendance and joining in the celebration.

Perkins met his wife, Whitney, in 2011 and they were married in 2012. Whitney moved from Oceanside to Orange County where they started their family that includes now 9-year-old son Kingston and 4-year-old daughter Mariah.

Balancing fatherhood and being a Division I coach is difficult, but having a supportive partner, staff and student-athletes has made it easier for Perkins.

Whitney is a fitness instructor, so she can set her own schedule, which is what makes their daily routine work. Perkins will drop the kids off at school in the morning while his wife works, then she will pick them up in the afternoon while he is at practice. They split duties when they’re home together in the evenings. There are times when Perkins is on the road for meets, like he was last week at the NCAA Championships in Oregon, and in those cases, Whitney carries the parenting load while managing her clients around it - which is something Perkins doesn't take for granted.

Perkins does his best to make the most out of his time with Kingston and Mariah. Managing 90+ athletes is a lot of work, and being the director of what is technically five teams with men’s and women’s cross country, women’s indoor track & field, and men’s and women’s outdoor track & field, means his season is year-round. But when he is with his kids, he tries to leave his work behind.

“I try to be disconnected from my phone as much as I can and be present with them in the moment,” Perkins said. “I let them know I love them and am here to support them. They’re growing very fast, so I have to sit back and recognize how time is precious and how fast those younger years do go by.”

When he is with his team, he also does his best to provide them with what they need to be successful in the classroom and on the track. Just like with his kids, he wants his student-athletes to know they're supported as they grow and develop throughout their collegiate journey.

“I want them to recognize that I have their back,” Perkins said. “They’re young adults, they’re not going to be perfect, but they will learn from their mistakes. I want them to go into this knowing it is a special time in their lives to grow and mature.”

Sometimes his two worlds come together when his kids stop by practices and meets, and attend UCI’s summer speed camp. Not only is it extra time with his family where they get to see him doing what he loves, but his kids enjoy being around the student-athletes and coaches. Kingston has also found a friend in two-time Big West heptathlon champion Jolie Robinson’s son, Micaiah.

“Micaiah always asks where Kingston is because they want to play Legos together,” Perkins said with a smile. “There are a lot of student-athletes who have a connection with them. It makes me feel good to have student-athletes who support your family and really care about your kids.”

The camaraderie and family atmosphere has made UC Irvine more than just a job, and after moving around the country for most of his life, it is safe to say that Perkins has found his home.

“I love this place; I wouldn’t have been here for as long as I have if I didn’t,” Perkins said. “We enjoy raising our kids and seeing them grow, especially here in Orange County where it’s safe and they get a great education.”