Perry Brown, head of intramural sports and fitness center coordinator, has been employed at IU Southeast for four years.
Brown said he took the position at IU Southeast because he wanted to get back into campus recreation.
“I used to work as a recreation center worker in Henderson, Ky., and, when the position opened at IU Southeast, I couldn’t pass it up,” Brown said. “I really enjoy the campus environment and athletics.”
Brown designs recreational activities for students, faculty and non-students.
As the fitness center coordinator, he said he is in charge of updating and maintaining athletic equipment.
The IUS Intramural Sports Program currently offers activities including kickball, golf, ultimate Frisbee, dodge ball and flag football.
“I hope to make intramural sports a bigger thing on campus with more participants,” Brown said. “We have a lot of new activities coming in the spring, and I’m hoping to see new faces participating.”
Brown said he hopes to get new equipment for the fitness center and eventually get an intramural field. He said he also wants to develop a sports complex and add adequate space for the increase in students attending IU Southeast.
“I definitely want to expand the program, and I think students are outgrowing the space we have,” Brown said. “We need more space to do more outdoor activities. Also, having lights outside would be great.”
In addition to working in Athletics, Brown is a football coach at Hazelwood Middle School in New Albany and an executive director of the Student African-American Brotherhood at IU Southeast.
“I want to be able to make a profound difference in young men’s lives,” Brown said. “My biggest goal in the program is pushing them to graduate.”
Brown received a bachelor’s degree in science and parks and recreation administration at Western Kentucky University.
However, he said attending college was not originally his first priority.
“Going to Western Kentucky University was definitely my last choice,” Brown said. “I wanted to go play football, but I wasn’t able to. I decided to go to college, and it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made because it led me to a career that I am happy with.”
Brown said college did not come easy for him. He said he experienced some rough times in his personal life and was not sure if he would be able to graduate.
“My twin brother, Terry, was going through a lot at the time, and I was going back and forth to help him,” Brown said. “It all became overwhelming, and I needed to be there for him but also focus on my schooling.”
Despite the difficult times while attending college, Brown said he was able to overcome his hardships with help from his role model, Mark Williams.
Williams was the assistant athletic director of WKU when Brown attended school.
“He saw something in me and pushed me to have a better work ethic. Williams stood by me in a lot of trying times. He eventually asked me to become an official at Western Kentucky where I progressed from there. I’m now doing what he is doing and I love it,” Brown said.
Brown grew up in Earlington, Ky., where he participated in sports at an early age. He said it was difficult growing up in a small town because of the lack of activity for children, but he and the other children would make up games and play sports to stay active.
Brown said a pivotal moment in his life was when he was 13 years old and his mother died of cancer.
“I didn’t care about school originally, but her death had a positive effect on me to be better academically,” Brown said. “I wanted her to be proud of me.”
Brown said he hopes to make his mother proud by helping students and faculty get involved in activities to become healthy.
“I love to see students and faculty involved in a sport or activity on campus and getting out and having fun together,” Brown said. “Seeing students participate in athletic events makes my day.”
By COURTNEY
MCKINLEY
Staff
comckinl@imail.iu.edu