Wasilla standout finds best option

WASILLA — Kyler Perry saw no shortage of options as he searched for the next stop in his soccer career. And while the Wasilla senior thought he was headed in one direction, it took a convincing email from A coach to help show him the right path to take.

That path will take Perry to Pacific Lutheran University. This past week, surrounded by friends and family, the Wasilla senior standout committed to the Parkland, Wash., school and will play for the Division III Lutes next fall.

Perry’s final choice comes weeks after he nearly signed with Northwest Nazarene, a Division II school in Nampa, Idaho.

“I was for sure going to NNU in my mind. I was all ready to sign, but the PLU coach emailed me a pretty convincing email,” Perry said shortly after posing for pictures with friends and family during the ceremony at Wasilla High. “He pretty much told me a list of reasons why I shouldn’t go to NNU. But in a nice way though. He didn’t want to bash on NNU. PLU was just better for me.”

After reading the email and discussing the decision with this parents, the Wasilla four-year starter opted to pass on NNU and focus on Pacific Lutheran.

PLU had always been on the list, along with NNU and Concordia College in Minnesota, but the late push by the PLU coach pushed the Lutes to the top. If anything, Perry said, it made him take another moment to look at all of the positives PLU had to offer.

He called Washington state “his second home,” and Perry — who boasts a 3.76 grade point average — aspires to one day enroll in medical school at the University of Washington.

“PLU is a really good feeder school for that,” Perry said. “Academically, it’s perfect for me.”

And then there’s the soccer.

“There’s more opportunity to start next year,” Perry said. “They need a center attacking (midfielder).”

Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said he believes PLU provides a good fit for Perry.

“I know that he had a few different schools he was considering, but I am confident he made the right decision,” Livingston said. “It sounds like he has the potential to be an impact player right away.”

Livingston has watched a number of his former players graduate to the college level in recent seasons, and said he believes Perry is ready for the college game.

“Kyler presents that skill set. He’s ready to go on to the next level,” Livingston said.

Perry is a four-year varsity starter and helped the Warriors win back-to-back Northern Lights Conference titles in 2011 and 2012. He was also named first-team All-NLC as a junior.

Perry has been playing soccer since the age of 6, and has also excelled at the youth and comp ranks. He helped his Matanuska Soccer Club team win a state cup title in 2009, and was named the team’s most valuable player.

Perry is also the second member of his family to play college soccer. Perry’s older brother Cameron, a Wasilla graduate, played two years at Southwestern Oregon Community College.