Fray: “To sign with my hometown club is a dream come true”

By Inter Miami CF

January 26^th, 2021

Inter Miami recently announced the signings of two more Homegrown players – Edison Azcona and Ian Fray – from the Inter Miami CF Academy presented by Baptist Health. The pair became the second and third players signed to the First Team from the Academy after the December addition of Felipe Valencia.

Fray: “To sign with my hometown club is a dream come true”

Following his signing, Fray shared his excitement on joining the First Team and what the achievement means for him.

“Growing up, my whole life I wanted to sign a professional contract and to sign it with my hometown club is a dream come true,” said Fray. “The Academy definitely has a big impact because it sets a top level to aim for. At all the local clubs, everyone is competing to get to this level.”

The milestone marked a significant moment in his career, but reaching this point was a product of work and dedication.

“It took a lot of hard work on the field, a lot of late nights staying on the field practicing with my dad, and off the field I was just dedicated to the sport, I kept my mind straight and kept focusing,” said Fray. “It’s self-determination, I keep pushing myself every day. I always want to get better and my family pushes me as well.”

Fray excelled at the USL League One level in 2020, showcasing impressive comfort on the ball for a young center back, among a number of other standout qualities.

“I feel like I’m a really composed player. I like playing with the ball out of the back and I enjoy one on one defending a lot,” said Fray, who registered one assist playing for the Club’s USL League One affiliate Fort Lauderdale CF in 2020, and finished his rookie season with the fourth-highest passing accuracy among defenders in the league (86.5 percent).

With a First Team contract secured, the center back has shifted his attention to what comes next: continued improvement as he adjusts to the next level.

“My personal goals are to develop more, get better and better every day and learn from all the guys around me in this professional environment,” said Fray. “The older guys are going to be more mature than me, they’re going to be faster and quicker, so I just want to adapt as quickly as possible.”

With the resources at his disposal, however, Fray is confident he has what he needs.

“These facilities are amazing. They give you everything you need at this Club to succeed and I feel like that helps a lot.”

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