Perry Swindall graduated from Ashville High School and Davidson College in 1983 where he earned two letters as a defensive lineman for the Wildcats.

He began his career as a volunteer assistant football and strength coach at his alma mater, Ashville, in 1983.

Swindall began his coaching career in 1985 at Marion Military Junior College. He then coached at Oneonta High School for five years (1984-1988).

In 1989 Swindall landed the head coaching job at Daleville High School. Over the next nine seasons his teams went 75-33. His 1992 team won the Class 4A State Championship by defeating Munford 40-8 in the title game. The next year his squad came close again, losing in the championship game.

Eight of his Daleville teams qualified for the playoffs and four won area titles. Following the 1997 season, Coach Swindall accepted the head coaching position at Russellville High School. In nine season his teams finished 99-21. His last seven teams qualified for the playoffs and the last six won region championships.

Three teams in a row (2002-04) lost in the Super Six championship game, falling just short of a title. Coach Swindall's coaching career in Alabama spanned 18 years and he enjoyed much success during his time as a head coach.

Swindall's record in football is 174-54 which just tells part of the story. His playoff record is 37-14 and his team went 71-13 in area and region play. His Russellville teams won 42 consecutive region games at one point.

His teams won ten area and region titles and one State Championship. In 2007 he took the assistant head coaching job at Spain Park for a year.

Coach Swindall moved over to Lafayette High School in Georgia in 2008 for a two year stint as the head football coach. His two teams finished with an 11-9 record. In the previous three seasons Lafayette had won only four games.

Coach Swindall was named the Class 4A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association in 1992. He is a member of the St. Clair County Sports Hall of Fame.