Nick Perera

Nick Perera
Personal information
Full name Nicolas Perera
Date of birth (1986-06-05) 5 June 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Tacoma Stars
Number 10
Youth career
K.N.S. Tervuren
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 70 (18)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007 Bakersfield Brigade 3 (0)
2008–2009 Benidorm CF
2010–2011 San Diego Sockers (indoor) 6 (5)
2011–2014 Milwaukee Wave (indoor) 69 (52)
2014–2016 San Diego Sockers (indoor) 36 (40)
2016–2017 Ontario Fury (indoor) 15 (17)
2017 Syracuse Silver Knights (indoor) 3 (4)
2017– Tacoma Stars (indoor) 123 (161)
International career‡
2012– United States (beach) 94 (114)
2011 United States (futsal) 6 (0)
Managerial career
2016–2018 UC San Diego Tritons (assistant)
2018–2021 Tacoma Stars
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:39, 12 April 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:39, 12 April 2024 (UTC)

Nicolas Charles Perera[1] (born 5 June 1986 in Madrid) is a Spanish-born American soccer coach, executive, and player who plays for the Tacoma Stars of the MASL. He coached the team from 2018 to 2021.[2][3]

As an executive, Perera was most recently the general manager of OL Reign of the NWSL from 2022 to 2023.[4][5]

Early life and education

Perera was born on 5 June 1986 in Madrid, Spain,[6] to Spanish father Prudencio and American mother Dione; he spent most of his childhood in Belgium.[7] Perera speaks six languages: English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Italian, and Portuguese.[8]

Perera and the 2006 UCSB Gauchos soccer team honored at the White House.

Perera played youth soccer in Belgium with club team K.N.S. Tervuren and his high school team European School of Brussels. He walked on to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer team in 2005 after receiving a recommendation from his mother.

I asked my mom where would be a good place to go to college, and she said Santa Barbara sounded like a fun place. Junior year of high school I came to visit the campus and I fell in love with Santa Barbara.

—Nick Perera[9]

Perera played an integral role in UC Santa Barbara's attack, leading the Gauchos to the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship and winning the national title. For his performances in the 2006 tournament, he was named the College Cup's Most Outstanding Offensive Player.

Playing career

Club

After finishing college, Perera played a few matches with California-based Bakersfield Brigade of the USL Premier Development League where he was reunited with UC Santa Barbara teammates Tino Nuñez, Greg Curry, Jon Curry, and Andrew Proctor. Additionally, Eric Wynalda was also on the squad.[10]

Perera then joined Benidorm CF in Spain,[11] before heading back to America to join San Diego Sockers where he played indoor soccer. Despite appearing in just 6 games, he scored 5 goals for the club.[12]

In the off-season, Perera joined Milwaukee Wave.[13] Perera racked up 69 appearances, scoring 52 goals, before moving back to San Diego Sockers ahead of their 2014/15 season.[14] In October 2016, Perera was traded to Ontario Fury.[15] He appeared in 15 games for the Fury and scored 17 goals with 16 assists in his lone season with the club.[16]

Perera was traded in the offseason from Ontario Fury to Syracuse Silver Knights.[17] He appeared 3 times in November 2017 for the Silver Knights and scored 4 goals with two assists.[16] In December 2017, it was announced that Perera was traded to Tacoma Stars.[18][19]

International

Perera represents the United States in beach soccer. As a member of the United States men's national beach soccer team, he appeared in the 2013,[20] 2019,[21] and 2021[1] editions of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. He was also selected for the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup but withdrew due to injury.[22]

Perera led the Americans in goals at the 2013 World Cup. Despite the United States not advancing past the group stage, his 5 goals were good for a seventh-place finish overall in the tournament. He scored an additional 2 goals at the 2019 World Cup.

Perera was named team captain in 2014 and is their all-time leader in goals scored and third in appearances as of April 2023.[23][24]

Perera has also spent time with the United States men's national futsal team.[25][26] In September 2011, Perera was called into training camp by head coach Keith Tozer.[27] Shortly after, he was called to be a member of the team at the 2011 Grand Prix de Futsal as one of the United States' three forwards.[28] He appeared in all 6 games, starting 5, en route to a 16th-place finish for the team.[29][30][31][32][33][34] He was called into a further camp in March 2012 ahead of the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship, but was not named to the team.[35]

Coaching career

Perera joined the staff of the UC San Diego Tritons men's soccer team as an assistant in July 2016.[26]

In December 2018, Perera became the head coach of Tacoma Stars.[2] He coached the team until 2021 while continuing to play.[3]

Executive career

Alongside his playing career, Perera is an elected member of the U.S. Soccer Athlete Council.[36]

Perera was named the executive director of Washington Youth Soccer in June 2021.[37]

In February 2022, Perera was named the general manager of OL Reign.[4] He resigned in March 2023.[5]

Honors and awards

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos

United States beach soccer

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Russia 2021 Squad List" (PDF). fifa.org. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "THE 2018-19 MASL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER IS…..NICK PERERA! - Tacoma Stars". www.tacomastars.com. 4 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b "STARS NAME MIKE JENNINGS NEW HEAD COACH". www.tacomastars.com. 7 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b "OL Reign Names Nick Perera General Manager". OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD.
  5. ^ a b "General Manager Nick Perera Departs OL Reign". OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD.
  6. ^ "NICK PERERA: RUNNING ON THE FIELD AND RUNNING THE SHOW". maslsoccer.com. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  7. ^ Delong, Katie; Pipines, Tom (4 March 2014). "Wave player who has brother with autism working to help others". FOX 6 WITI-Milwaukee. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  8. ^ Voght, Steve (16 February 2022). "OL Reign appoints Nick Perera as General Manager". Sounder At Heart.
  9. ^ "Player Interviews Nick Perera". UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Bakersfield Brigade 2007 Team Roster & Player Stats". USLSoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Milwaukee Wave Media Guide - Nick Perera" (PDF). Milwaukee Wave. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  12. ^ "2010/11 Complete Statistics". PASL-Pro. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  13. ^ "MILWAUKEE WAVE EXTENDS TARGET FORWARDS PERERA AND HEWERTON". Patch.com. Milwaukee Wave. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  14. ^ "Sockers Acquire Rights To Nick Perera". San Diego Sockers. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  15. ^ "FURY TRADE FOR SOCKERS' VETERAN NICK PERERA". Ontario Fury. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Nick Perera". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  17. ^ Kramer, Lindsay (31 October 2017). "A day at the beach in Syracuse? Silver Knights pick up sand soccer star". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  18. ^ Sparks, Brandon (20 December 2017). "STARS BRING IN TARGET PERERA, SIGN PLU'S NA". Tacoma Stars. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  19. ^ Gimse, Justin (4 January 2018). "STARS NEED WINS NOW". Tacoma Weekly. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  20. ^ "FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Tahiti 2013 Teams USA". fifa.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  21. ^ "SOTO NAMES 12-PLAYER ROSTER FOR 2019 FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD". ussoccer.com. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  22. ^ "ANDRES NAVAS REPLACES NICK PERERA ON U.S. MEN'S BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP ROSTER". ussoccer.com. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  23. ^ ""I have never regretted making the choice to represent the US national team"". beachsoccer.com. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  24. ^ "ALL-TIME STATS". ussoccer.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Stars bring in target Perera, sign PLU's Na". Kent Reporter. Kent, Washington. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  26. ^ a b "U.S. Beach National Team Captain Nick Perera Added to UC San Diego Men's Soccer Coaching Staff". ucsdtritons.com. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  27. ^ "U.S. Futsal National Team Names Roster for Training Camp at Soccer City in Torrance, Calif". ussoccer.com. 23 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  28. ^ "U.S. Futsal Team Set to Begin Group Play at Grand Prix of Futsal in Manaus, Brazil". ussoccer.com. 14 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  29. ^ "U.S. Futsal National Team Falls to Uruguay in Group C Opener". ussoccer.com. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  30. ^ "U.S. Futsal National Team Beaten 8-0 by Iran in Grand Prix". ussoccer.com. 20 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  31. ^ "U.S. Futsal National Team Lose 10-7 Against Belgium In Futsal Grand Prix". ussoccer.com. 20 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  32. ^ "U.S. Continues Play in Grand Prix in 5-2 Loss Against Netherlands". ussoccer.com. 21 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  33. ^ "U.S. Futsal Falls to Belgium in Grand Prix". ussoccer.com. 22 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  34. ^ "U.S. Futsal National Team Finishes Grand Prix With 1-0 Loss Against Costa Rica". ussoccer.com. 24 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  35. ^ "U.S. Futsal National Team to Meet for Training Camp Ahead of 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship". ussoccer.com. 29 March 2012. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  36. ^ "Council Members". ussfathletescouncil.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  37. ^ "Washington Youth Soccer Announces New Executive Director Nick Perera". 10 June 2021.