Mike Perry is in his fourth year as the first Head Coach in Barton Bowling history.

The 2021-2022 season featured a year of highs and lows for Perry and the Cougars. Competing at the NJCAA Championships for the third straight year, the Barton men pieced together a sixth place finish tying for the programs best finish while the Lady Cougars were unable to keep the streak of back-to-back national runner-up trophies intact after a slow start forced Perry’s women to settle for seventh.

Perry produced his third straight All-American in as many years as Bryce Moore became the men’s first All-American contributing a seventh place national finish knocking down 2,460 pins in the 131-participant field.

In 2020-21 Perry and the Cougars’ indicated that the inaugural season was no fluke, as the two programs shined again on the main stage with the women’s team claiming their second straight runner-up finish and the men conducting a sixth place showing at the NJCAA Championships.

Perry guided his second individual champion and All-American as sophomore Taylor Cessna swept all individual honors at the two-day national event while obtaining the programs first ever Most Valuable Bowler of the Tournament recipient.

For Perry and the Cougar men, the squad earned three top-3 finishes on the season along with five top-10 performances.

Jumping into the collegiate level in 2020, Perry’s Cougars performed like veterans in the program’s inaugural trip to the NJCAA Championships, earning a runner-up finish on the women’s side and an eighth place showing on the men’s, including the program’s first ever-individual champion.

Highlighting the women’s performances and making program history, freshman Alexandria Newell captured the singles competition on day one of the two-day national competition to become the program’s first ever-individual national champion. Fellow freshman Allison Brodrick etched her name into the record books earning All-American status with a sixth place finish over the two-day event.

On the men’s side, Perry had his Cougars rolling right out of the gates posting a runner-up showing in its’ inaugural meet at the Midland Warrior Hammer. The Barton men rode the momentum finishing the season producing eight top-ten finishes in ten meets.

Off the lanes both squads were solid in the classroom, led by the women’s accumulation of a 3.17 GPA to rank third in the nation while men compiled a 2.91.  Five women earned academic recognition attaining over a 3.60 GPA, including two with a perfect 4.0 GPA, with the men having a trio of players earning academic achievement.

Following a successful coaching career at the high school level, Perry began his new chapter in 2019 becoming the first coach of Barton Bowling History.

“When this opportunity presented itself I felt like it was a challenge I was ready for,” said Perry in an interview with the Great Bend Tribune. “I didn’t get into teaching to be a coach but that is the direction things went and I am really excited about the challenge in front of me.”

Perry is familiar with starting new programs, launching the Great Bend High School program in 2008 in leading the Panthers to much success including state titles.

“Certainly Mike is someone who crosses your mind right away with getting the bowling program off the ground,” said Barton Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs.  “When we added the program I thought of him. We had some conversations where he showed significant interest and one thing led to another so we feel with hit a grand slam with Coach Perry leading the program.”