Long Island Welcomes 16-Year-Old Soccer Prodigy Dylan Lopez
Dylan Lopez is ready to take on the challenge of professional soccer.
At just 16 years old, he has signed with Long Island’s newest team, the Fighting Tomcats, making him the youngest player on the roster. Lopez, who will soon be a senior at Connetquot High School, expressed his excitement after finalizing his contract with the National Premier Soccer League team based at Hofstra University.
“They’re obviously much older than me,” Lopez remarked shortly after putting pen to paper. “I think just playing with them in this environment is really going to push me and just get used to a higher level.” The midfielder has aspirations of showcasing his skills in Spain someday.
Hailing from Ronkonkoma, Lopez’s ambition aligns perfectly with the vision of the club’s owner, Jim Kilmeade, a local soccer icon and brother of a well-known media personality. Kilmeade aims to cultivate local talent and provide pathways to European careers for players.
“We believe that we can identify and launch players into European careers,” Kilmeade stated, highlighting the club's commitment to developing a free youth academy on Long Island.
Lopez’s contract offers him flexibility; it does not restrict him from participating with his competitive Atlantic United travel team or his high school squad next fall.
“When you live on Long Island, you don’t really get opportunities like these,” Lopez noted. “It’s usually those people in Europe that get these chances.” Now, with interest from Sacred Heart University, he has a platform to demonstrate his talent.
This milestone is particularly meaningful for Lopez’s family. His twin brother, Brandon, has been his lifelong teammate. “He’s always been there,” Lopez said of Brandon, who is just a minute younger. “Every time we’re on the field, it’s always a competition between us. And we just keep pushing each other — going back and forth. It’s really helped me … and he’s super excited for me.”
As a food runner at Stella Trattoria in Blue Point, Lopez had to miss work to celebrate this significant moment. “They’re all going to be shocked,” he said about his friends and colleagues. “It’s going to be a good senior year.”
In addition to his soccer journey, the community can look forward to two charitable 5K runs this weekend. The “Hope Is Here” run, aimed at raising awareness for parental mental health, starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at First Responders Memorial Park in Islandia, with a registration fee of $45.
Simultaneously, the Sayville Fire Department will host its annual 5K run from the town’s firehouse, charging a registration fee of $40. Both events promise to bring the community together for great causes.
