OurStory
It all started when a 4-year-old boy was dragged kicking and screaming to his first soccer practice. That’s all it took, that one hour, for him to fall in love with the sport. He never looked back.
Matt Baker grew up in the Lehigh Valley playing multiple sports in every season. He was one of five very competitive children. With the support of his parents, Colleen and Richard Baker, he was able to pursue any passion he desired. He chose soccer.
Matt played locally for several travel and premier teams. He began to excel while playing for Lehigh Valley United. Realizing that two or three practices a week wasn’t enough, Matt challenged himself to be able to do anything and everything with a ball. Watching YouTube videos of Ronaldinho really inspired Matt to think creatively and push forward with his love of the game on his own. It wasn’t long before he was coming up with new moves, perfecting them at practice, and trying them in games. Training on your own, with a purpose, is where good players become great.
Matt’s hard work paid off when he accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. During the summer months, he committed to improving his game, which left him little flexibility for a summer job. Parents began asking for private training to help their kids develop and instill a love for the game. Matt used his own drills for younger players and saw tremendous improvement. The feedback from coaches and parents made him realize there is a need for this type of service in the area.
Matt went on to play professionally for a few years. While playing for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, he helped run and organize Academy sessions for the club, as well as private and small group training. After a successful rookie season with the Riverhounds, Matt took his chances playing in Brazil before returning to the States pursuing an opportunity with the Philadelphia Union of MLS. During the offseason he continued training players in the Lehigh Valley. He began developing a professional curriculum influenced by the vast amount of high-level training he experienced coupled with his own innovative drills/techniques.
Two weeks after signing a professional indoor contract from the MISL in 2013, Matt suffered a torn ACL and meniscus. He is now following his passion for sports and fitness. Perfect Touch Sports, LLC is soccer focused with plans to offer other sport specific training, fitness, and general health and wellness programs. We hope to have our own facility in the near future.
“For every moment I’m not training, someone else is” - Matt Baker
