Thirteen years in the making, 14 days away from home, one player and one amazing dream coming true.

Junior Dylan Cook was invited to play with the AYSES 95B Black team in the Gothia Cup based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The tournament lasted from July 17 through July 23.

The Gothia Cup is the world’s world’s largest youth soccer tournament.

“The best part of the trip was just being in Europe and playing the games,” Cook said, “Soccer was what I was there for.”

Cook’s mother, Sharon Dowdy, is his biggest fan.

 “Vinnie Davis, the coach of the team going to Sweden, thinks Dylan is the best goal keeper for his age in North Texas and believes he has what it takes to play at the highest level,” Dowdy said.

The Gothia Cup is not the only tournament Cook has participated in. In the summer of 2010 he traveled to Brazil with an American team to play in the ZICO Cup.

“The biggest thing that I learned was that every different group of people around the world always has something in common, some way of bonding,” Cook said, “Plus we already had something we all shared: the beautiful game.”

Cook started playing soccer at age four with WYSA and has played select soccer since joining the Andromeda Academy at age nine. Since then he has played for Andromeda Soccer Club, AYSES and currently FC Dallas. His team is in the Classic League Division 1.

For club soccer, Cook plays 18 games a year and four tournaments with a minimum of three games at each tournament.

“He has been selected captain of his team every year. He practices for two hours three times a week; this is in addition to the football practices, school soccer practices, school, etcetera,” Dowdy said.

With plenty of honorable mentions and awards for his playing, Cook hopes to become a professional soccer player in Europe and wants to coach when he can no longer play.

“I hope to go over to Europe for my senior year and go to school there and play with a youth squad,” Cook said, “I know my path is very difficult, but I work as hard as I can everyday to achieve my goal. Maybe with a bit of luck, desire and the right mind I can make it.”

Cook is captain of the Raider Soccer team.  Even though the team only won three games last season, with a unanimous vote, he was selected Goalkeeper of the Year for the district.

“Dylan is a very talented goalkeeper and I believe he has the mental toughness and attitude to be a very successful goalkeeper at the next level,” Varsity Soccer Coach Bryan Thompson said.  “It would not surprise me to see Dylan playing in Europe or in the MLS at some point in his career.” 

He was also selected Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year for the Raiders. 

“We are very fortunate to have Dylan as our goalkeeper here at East,” Thompson said.

Soccer is not the only sport in which Cook exudes talent. He received an honorable mention for football and Athletic Director  Joe Lepsis selected him as Special Teams MVP.  In addition, he was player of the week in special teams nine out of 10 weeks. 

Cook also received the Assistant Principal’s Award at the academic awards assembly this past May.