Goalkeeper Brian Perk is quick in the box. Against San Diego he made multiple diving saves to keep the Bruins level. After they gained the lead, Perk made an acrobatic backward diving stop to tip a header over the bar. Watching him in goal it’s hard to believe he was ever less than a stellar athlete.
Growing up in Orange County, however, Perk admits to being an anxious, overweight kid who made the move to goalie to escape the field.
“I was the chubby kid, so they just stuck me in goal,” Perk said. “I mean, I was decent in the field but I just didn’t want to run.”
The move to goal saved him for a while, but ultimately his skill and competitiveness got him an invitation to a residency program in Florida. In Florida there was nowhere to hide. Perk became a different person and player.
“I got to Florida, and then all we did was run,” Perk said. “I definitely started to lose my chubbiness. … I was with a bunch of guys who are physically fit, and they’d be like, “˜You’re a fat ass.’ I told myself I’m never gonna be the fat kid again. It’s … definitely uncalled for, people saying stuff like that. It just wears on you.”
So far Perk seems to be getting the last laugh, having made appearances on U.S. national teams since he was 14, and more recently earning the starting job at UCLA.
In order to attend the residency program that turned Perk into the athlete he is today, his parents took some serious convincing. The program involved Perk moving to Florida after one year of high school and seeing his parents only once every six weeks. While Perk knew it was what he wanted to do, his mom had a tougher time sending her son away.
“It was very, very hard,” Cindy Perk said. “He said, “˜Mom you have to let me go.’ I didn’t want him to go. (But) every time we saw him … I couldn’t say that we made a mistake. … He turned out to be a very nice young man, and that’s what I’m more proud of.”
While he was in Florida, Perk trained with goalkeeping coach Tim Mulqueen, who he said completely molded the way that he plays the position and elevated the technical level of his game.
Perk’s appearances on the under-15, -17 and -20 national teams went a long way toward doing away with all of his pregame nervousness.
“Going into U-15s I was so nervous,” Perk said. “You’re in goal for your first international game, you think you’re gonna crap yourself.”
After multiple appearances at the international level, Perk’s stomach has calmed down considerably; he no longer gets nervous before games. Having played at that level, he is now confident stepping onto any field. Nervous is no longer an adjective that describes Perk in any way, shape or form. Described jokingly by his teammates as overconfident, Perk has settled into his role.
For college he has also settled significantly closer to home, choosing UCLA, just up the 405 from where he grew up. His parents, who played a big role in his choice of schools, were ecstatic when he made the choice to become a Bruin, and they now attend all of his home games.
In his second year at UCLA ““ his first year as a starter ““ Perk has had a lot of immediate success. Playing every minute in goal so far for the Bruins, he has made 42 saves in nine games, including a multitude of diving saves that either kept games tied or preserved a one-goal lead.
“Oh my God, he’s been a lifesaver,” sophomore forward David Estrada said. “He’s been doing really well.”
In a very short time the confident Perk has earned the confidence of his coach as well as his teammates. This was not an easy task considering the fact that his predecessor, Eric Reed, had one of the more impressive careers in recent history for the men’s soccer program, which has become a pipeline for exceptional goalkeepers.
“He’s someone that I think leads through example,” coach Jorge Salcedo said. “He works hard on the field, works hard in practice, works hard to get ready for games. … When things are going well for him he’s a very tough goalkeeper to beat.”
Salcedo also noted that while Reed and Perk are similar in size, that is where the similarities end. Reed relied much more on positioning, whereas Perk uses his quickness to make saves. On distribution, Reed was better with his hands, while Perk is better with his feet.
Reed, famous for his intensity, is followed up by Perk, who has a little more of a sense of humor. When asked about favorite soccer movies, Perk gave a shout-out to “The Big Green” with a chuckle.
“It’s one of the greatest movies of all time,” Perk said. “Not only is it a soccer movie but the fat kid is in goal, and I love him.”