Inter Miami defender Ian Fray a guest on U.S. Second Lady Usha Vance’s podcast
Inter Miami defender Ian Fray was featured on Thursday in the latest episode of “Storytime with the Second Lady,” a podcast launched by U.S. Second Lady Usha Vance as part of her initiative to increase childhood literacy.
Fray, looking sharp in his Inter Miami-crested blazer, discussed his soccer journey, some personal background (including that he is taking piano and Spanish lessons), and then read the book “X Marks the Spot,” which was authored by his former Miami teammates DeAndre Yedlin and Drake Callender, who have since moved on to other teams. Yedlin is with Real Salt Lake and Callender plays for Minnesota United.
The story focuses on a character named X who must navigate the life-altering experience of moving from a rural environment surrounded by nature to a big city.
X initially struggles to adjust to the urban environment but eventually finds a sense of home by realizing that nature is not confined to one setting; rather, it can be found anywhere.
Vance and Fray discussed the importance of maintaining a positive outlook through obstacles.
Fray, a Coconut Creek native and member of the Jamaican national team, has plenty of experience with that, having overcome four knee surgeries since joining Inter Miami. He suffered three consecutive ACL tears in 2021, 2022, and 2023, followed by a right meniscus injury in October 2024 that required surgery.
Fray talked about his love for soccer, which began as a toddler.
“I was kind of born into soccer because my mom and dad met playing college soccer at Hartford University, so I probably touched a soccer ball right out of the womb,” he said. “I started seriously playing at 5 or 6 years old.”
When asked for advice for children who aspire to be professional athletes, Fray emphasized that achieving goals is never easy and requires perseverance.
He shared that he is taking piano lessons as a form of relaxation “I can play a couple of things” and is trying to learn Spanish to better communicate with his teammates.
“They really can’t speak English and I can’t really speak Spanish, but we’re both learning, so we help each other out,” he said. “It shows respect that you’re trying to learn their language and they’re learning ours.”
Fray concluded by noting that he manages game-day nerves by thinking of his family, which provides him with comfort and reassurance regardless of the outcome.
Storytime with the Second Lady can be found on Spotify and on Youtube
This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 8:20 AM.