South Lakes High School Senior to Sign Soccer Deal with Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech’s soccer team inked a deal with a South Lakes High School senior this week.

Kahlil Dover signed a national letter of intent on Wednesday to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

His love for soccer jumped from a family backyard to local clubs where he refined his skills under coaches Ken Duffy, Ben Mork and Kevin McKenna.

For the last two years, he played with Braddock Road Youth Club (BRYC) in Springfield. Under the guidance of coaches Chris Jennings and Brian Welsh, Kahlil said he was pushed to “rise to the next level.”

Dover earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors last year. With Braddock Road Elite 99, he won a U.S. Youth Soccer National League National Championship, scoring the game’s final goal. He also helped a BRYC team advance to the finals of the 2017 Virginia State Cup.

He said he was especially thankful for his family, friends and coaches. His younger brother and sister “essentially lived on the soccer field since the first weeks they were born,” he said.

During high school, I’ve enjoyed kicking for South Lakes football under Coach Trey Taylor, swinging a golf club under Coach Carol Molesky and playing soccer under Coach Marty Pfister and Coach Fred Kyle. Coach John Pinkman and Steve Baldwin were very helpful to my family and me in navigating college sports recruiting.

When he’s off the soccer field, Kahlil plans to study business and criminal justice.

SLHS rescheduled an official signing for other students this week. A new date has not been announced.

Photo via Margaret Perry