40 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST HOLLY FASCHING '26 for the Ghanaian national team. He was a professional soccer player for a long time. [Because of that] growing up you had to play soccer [in my family]. I played for a couple of years for a local team. My uncle didn’t know how good I was. He heard. People told him, ‘Yo, Perry is very good. You should help him out, take him to tryouts.’ … After a couple years of not seeing me play, he took me to a soccer academy in Ghana to try out. He saw me play for the first time and he was amazed. … I stayed at an academy in Ghana. It’s called Right to Dream. It’s a nonprofit organization. And it recruits all over West Africa. I was like 12 or 13. I got a five-year scholarship … and then got a scholarship to come to the [United] States to boarding school. What prompted you to come to the United States? I could have stayed in Ghana and tried to go pro. After I graduated from the academy in Ghana, the path was, do I want to continue to play soccer or do I want to go to America where I could have both—have a really good education at a boarding school and also pursue soccer. It was a very hard conversation to have. The only person who was like, ‘Think about your education,’ was my grandma. She raised me. And she was like, ‘Look, you gotta think about something that you can do long term and be realistic.’ Coming to America was going to open so many other doors for me than just playing professional soccer. I was 17-18. You also played for a team in Denmark? I played for a team called FC Nordsjaelland, and they are in the Danish Super League Division One. I played for the academy [in Ghana], Right to Dream, because they’re affiliated with [leagues throughout Europe]. … So growing up, I had all those experien- ces, playing all over Europe. Just the second student- athlete from Ghana to ever play in program history, Perry Kingson ’25 is hoping to win a Patriot League Championship before he graduates. Named Third Team All- Patriot League last season, Kingson led the club in numerous categories including goals (five) and points (11). Major: Political science and global studies What is your dream job? I thought about doing something with law, but it’s always been my dream to play professional soccer. It’s been in my family for so long. I just have to at least wish for it and then see where I can go with that. Where would you want to play professionally? Ideally in the Premier League. Have you played any other sports growing up? Yes. I came from Ghana and went to Kent School, a Connecticut prep school. It was mandatory to play different sports because you couldn’t play soccer year-round. I played squash. I also played a little bit of tennis, but I was terrible at it. What was your favorite sport besides soccer? Squash. Have you ever played? It’s pretty fun. You’re in an enclosed space and you hit the ball against the wall with a little racket and it gets you moving about, very similar to soccer. It helps you with your footwork. When did you start playing soccer? At 5 or 6. My uncle played Continuing a Family Tradition An uncle who is a Ghanaian national team alum gives Perry Kingson ’25 deep soccer ties. STUDENT-ATHLETE PROFILE
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