Troy Perkins

College and amateur

Perkins is a graduate of Thomas Worthington High School, in Worthington, OH, and played college soccer at the University of South Florida and the University of Evansville. He was named third-team All-Conference USA in 2001, and second-team All-CUSA in 2002. He transferred to Evansville for his senior season. At Evansville, he allowed only twenty-one goals in nineteen matches, compiling a 1.09 goals-against-average. Perkins also played in the PDL for the Cape Cod Crusaders in 2002.

Professional

Upon graduating in 2003, Perkins went undrafted. However, he was signed to a developmental contract by D.C. United. Not expected to contribute, Perkins was given an opportunity after both Nick Rimando and Doug Warren lost their starting positions. Perkins proved up to the task, and went on to start sixteen games for the team, posting a 1.62 goals against average. Although Perkins was performing well, the team suffered during his tenure, and he was replaced near the end of the season with Nick Rimando, who would also start for United throughout the playoffs. In early 2005 he trained with Bolton Wanderers F.C., an English Premier League club and in early 2006 he trained with Everton in Liverpool. During the 2006 season, Perkins was the starting goalkeeper for United, playing thirty of thirty-two games. He was also named 2006 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Best XI, and voted to the 2006 All Star Team. Perkins finished the 2007 MLS season with a 1.10…

While being a backup goalkeeper for D.C. United, Perkins also had a second job working at a sporting goods store in Fair Lakes, VA called Galyans (which is currently known as Dick's Sporting Goods). Beginning in 2006, Perkins worked a second job as a mortgage loan processor, leading United fans to put up a banner that said, "Troy Saves – and Loans." Perkins has revealed that his return to MLS in 2010 was because his wife was unable to settle in Norway. Perkins considers that his training as a mortgage loan processor is important and has stated, "Goalies can usually play until they're around 40, so you have to think about a job after retirement," He has an "austere pregame routine, which entails shutting off all electronics and not talking to anyone for 24 hours. 'I'm a miserable person to be around,' he says, laughing. 'My wife hates it.'" After retiring from professional soccer and leaving the Sounders organization, Perkins was sworn in as a police officer in Kennewick, Washington in January 2017.