Billy Perkins' job is to win basketball games.

In a broader sense, as the head coach of a women's college basketball program, Perkins also has a role in setting up his players for a successful life after athletics. It's a role he takes very seriously, and one that's a driving factor behind the Raider Reading program.

"My players know that we're here to develop good people," Perkins said. "That's one of the things we strive to do every day – learning the importance of being good people and treating people the right way. This is an opportunity to do that in a different environment."

Perkins and the Central Community College-Columbus Raider women's basketball team visit the students and teachers as part of a program to assist in improving reading and other educational skills.

That sometimes includes math and other subjects, though the primary focus is helping increase students' literacy. The team stops by for around 45 minutes and helps the students with their assigned reading materials.

"Of course, we want to help students' fluency in reading, and help out the teachers with different students, but I think it gives our players connections to individual classes," Perkins said. "Some of our players come from big schools and learn to appreciate small schools and gain a different perspective on schooling. It helps them feel pride as they walk in being a representative of the Raider basketball program."

The program, in its second year of existence, runs September through April.

Perkins reached out to Platte Center Principal Quentin Witt last year to put the program in order; one Perkins has helped set up in other places during a coaching career that has also had stops at Iowa Park High School and Childress High School, both in Texas.

"It helps in giving back to the community and making a connection with a kid. Walking into that room brings some excitement that a college athlete is coming to help out," Perkins said. "There's a sense of pride that those kids really want them there. It helps better understand the community."

Knowing teachers and kids are counting on them to show up means more responsibility and learning to take pride in doing things correctly.

"It really gives them the added responsibility of knowing people are depending on them and learning how to help out," Perkins said.

Though Platte Center falls under the Lakeview School District, Perkins hopes to one day branch out to other schools in the area.

"I hope when they're done they can look back and say, 'I'm a better person because of the women's basketball program," Perkins said. "We instill high morals and a work ethic, but at the same time, representing yourself and your family and what we do here is important to me."

For now, the first two to three years are being spent working out the kinks, learning what potential challenges may arise and ensuring a consistent, worthwhile experience for everyone involved.

"If they come in here and have not gained a better appreciation for being a better person and understanding the importance of treating people right and working hard, I feel like I've failed," Perkins said. "Besides the X's and O's, I try to convey to them that becoming a better person is really important to me."

(This story was reposted coutesy of The Columbus Telegram. To read the original story on The Columbus Telegram website, please click here.)