A coach at one of Oklahoma’s top high school girls basketball programs is leaving to become an assistant in the collegiate ranks.
Frankie Parks, who spent 11 seasons coaching at Norman High School - including the past three seasons as head coach - and has been a longtime AAU coach in the state, is leaving the Tigers’ program to become an assistant coach with the women’s basketball program at Southern Nazarene University in nearby Bethany.
The announcement was made Wednesday by SNU head coach Trent May, who is adding both Parks and Jordyn Turner as assistants.
“(Parks’) passion for putting people first and his genuine desire to see them succeed are evident in everything he does,” May said in a statement. “Coach Parks also offers a wealth of knowledge, stemming from his experience coaching successful high school teams and elite club programs.”
Parks had been at Norman for 11 years, and was an assistant when the Tigers won state titles in 2019 and 2021. He took over as the Tigers’ head coach in 2022 and led them to a state runner-up finish in 2023 and a state semifinals appearance this past season.
“After 11 unforgettable years as part of Norman High’s women’s basketball team, I am writing with a full heart to share that I have accepted another opportunity,” Parks wrote on his social media pages. “This was not an easy decision, as Norman has been far more than a job - it has been home.”
He later wrote, “Though I am excited for this new chapter at SNU and the opportunity to impact student-athletes at the collegiate level, Norman will always have a special place in my heart. I leave with nothing but gratitude, and I am proud of all we accomplished together.”
🥹 I WILL FOREVER BE A TIGER!! 🐯 BUT EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL!! 😊⚡️❤️https://t.co/xsTSsnq8cs pic.twitter.com/wzGS5PhQZx
— Frankie Parks (@CoachFParks) June 25, 2025
Parks and his wife, Melissa, have three daughters, two of whom are playing college basketball. Mikayla Parks, a 2022 Norman graduate, is currently playing at Kansas State while Keeley Parks will be an incoming freshman for the women’s basketball team at Kansas, having recently graduated from Norman High and was a two-time Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year.
2025 OSSAA Class 6A-3A State Tournament#TheLastDanceAtTheBigHouse TUESDAY
— I Was At The Game (@IWasAtTheGame) March 11, 2025
Class 6A Girls Quarterfinals
NORMAN over UNION 46-45 FINAL
NORMAN #OKPreps Keeley Parks with the #OKPrepsGameWinner ! pic.twitter.com/wf2KwSVbra
Turner, an Oklahoma City native who graduated from Casady High School, joins the SNU staff after having completed her eligibility as a player. She played at the University of Texas at Arlington before finishing her career this past season at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.