Another former Husky will transition into playing for a local professional soccer team, Sporting Kansas City. Last week, Sporting KC signed 2014 BVNW graduate Zach Wright to the team as a homegrown player. Wright signed a one-year deal with the team, with options for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Prior to his senior year, Wright moved from a boarding school in Texas to attend BVNW for his final year of high school. Wright said he moved in order to play on the U18 academy team for Sporting Kansas City. Though there were differences, Wright said he enjoyed both Texas and Kansas.

“I came from a boarding school in Texas, so it was nice, it was a good environment,” Wright said. “But, here was nice as well. School was a little easier for sure, but the people in Overland Park were so nice; it was such a great place to be.”

While at BVNW, Wright said he stayed around people on his U18 academy team that also went to Northwest. Though his stay at Northwest was short, Wright said he enjoyed his time as a Husky.

“The transition was really easy because I made a lot of good friends here,” Wright said. “I mean I met all of them at Northwest, so it was pretty good.”

One of Wright’s teachers at Northwest, Jane Schaumburg, said she first noticed how upbeat he was in her class. Schaumburg said Wright was able to balance his school work and playing on an academy soccer team.

When she heard about Wright joining Sporting KC, Schaumburg said she was excited for him since it was one of his passions.

“I was really happy for him,” Schaumburg said. “I knew he was a great soccer player, and he was a good student.”

After living in Overland Park, Wright moved to Chapel Hill, NC to continue playing the sport at the University of North Carolina. As a Tar Heel, Wright scored 15 goals and added 28 assists in his four seasons on top of other accolades, which included being named to the ACC All-Second Team in both his junior and senior seasons.

On Jan. 17, Sporting KC signed Wright to the team as a homegrown player. Wright joins former BVNW student Daniel Salloi as the second Husky on the roster for Sporting KC. Since he played on the U18 team his senior year, Wright was eligible to be signed directly without having to be drafted.

After being signed, Wright said he was excited for the opportunity to play in Children’s Mercy Park for Sporting KC.

Sporting KC will kick off its season in March. As of now, Wright said his main goal is to see the field and hopefully start.

“I’m trying to get on a team and start,” Wright said. “I obviously want to get minutes, everybody does.”