JOHN POWERS
Chairman | Right to Dream USA
As the 2018 Major League Soccer SuperDraft in Philadelphia concluded, a New England-centric narrative surfaced: Three former prep school players were chosen in the first two rounds.
The trio — Edward Opoku, Francis Atuahene and Ema Twumasi – had more in common than shared NEPSAC roots, though. They all were graduates of Right To Dream, a program centered in Western Africa that places players on one of two paths: scholarships to U.S. schools, or professional soccer.
The American path — one that often goes prep school, college soccer, MLS draft pick —largely can be credited to John Powers, Right to Dream’s U.S. chairman. Powers, who introduced the girls program in 2013, oversees the network of host families.