While soccer is a team sport, the goalkeeper is one of, if not, the most important position on the field. According to Long Island Soccer, Lynbrook’s varsity goalkeeper Jake Prince is among the top-100 high school soccer players on Long Island. To be a goalie, one must be extremely athletic and decisive, but perhaps the most important trait required for the position is awareness. Those who know him best say this is Prince’s strongest attribute.

As his senior year continues, Prince demonstrates how much of an asset he is to the team by continuing to make impressive saves for the Owls. When asked what led to his success, Prince shared, “What brought me to the point I’m at was the hard work I put in behind the scenes, growing up playing against some of the best in the state, learning and evolving from my mistakes, and [the] support from my family.” Prince, who is in his final season as a Lynbrook Owl, does not currently have plans to play soccer at the collegiate level, but said, “If an opportunity comes my way that I can’t turn down, I’d seriously consider it, and I’m always open to possibilities.”   

Prince attributes much of his success to the support that he received from those around him. Specifically, Prince mentioned coaches Joshua Berlin and Christopher Caramore, as well as his teammates, but he highlighted one specific person above all— his father, Lane. “Nobody could come near the support of my dad. My dad hasn’t missed a game, has seen me evolve as a player, and has taught me some of the most valuable lessons on and off the field. There is nobody close to my dad when it comes to support, and he’s a huge part of who I am as a player today,” said Prince. Lane, who has seen everything that Prince has done throughout his soccer career, credited this achievement along with all of his other accomplishments to one specific trait: awareness. He said, “I attribute [Prince’s] success on the field to the perspective he has developed off of it.” Lane elaborated, “Just as he plays with strong peripheral vision, always aware of the full field, he approaches life with that same big-picture awareness. At home and in the gym, he balances priorities, works hard, and leads by example… not only by positioning himself to succeed, but also helping those around him thrive.” These attributes exemplify why he has been named captain for two straight seasons. 

Along with his father, Head Coach Berlin had many great things to say about Prince. When asked about the qualities that Prince has that contribute to his on-going success, Berlin commented, “Prince’s qualities as a [goal]keeper are solid. He has a good handle on the angles of the attack and positions himself well to have the best chance of making the save.” Berlin went on to add, “He has a powerful punt, as well as a high IQ for ball distribution to help the team maintain possession.” When asked about what role Prince plays in contributing to the success of the Lynbrook varsity soccer team, Berlin looked beyond his technical ability. “As captain, Prince has taken on the role of a vocal leader. He holds his teammates accountable and is one of the first to praise them and congratulate them on great plays.” Parents and coaches alike seem to love Prince, but they are not the only ones. Soccer is not a solo sport; having teammates is one of the most important pieces to making a great team. Prince has had many teammates throughout his years playing the sport. Senior Thomas Dunne, like others, had much to say about Prince: “As a leader of this team, [Prince] is always doing the right thing at the right time. Whether it’s the way he speaks to his teammates as individuals or as one, he is always moving us in the right direction. He leads us to success as a captain in more ways than one.” Recalling what Prince has done in this past season, Dunne elaborated, “The saves he has made this season have won games, as well as kept us in close ones. I recall during our game against Mineola, he made a save off a free kick that was so impressive that even the opposing coach couldn’t make words out of it.”

Prince, who is loved by parents, coaches, and teammates alike, is wrapping up his high school soccer career, and being ranked in Newsday‘s article “Top-100 Boys Soccer Players for 2025”  is just one more accolade to add to his historic career.