As the days count down to his first professional preseason, former Ocala Stampede standout Lewis Hilton is eager to show what he can do for the USL’s Charlotte Independence. 

“It’s extremely exciting,” Hilton said this week. “Soccer’s been my whole life, and it’s been my dream to play for a living, and thankfully I was able to get this opportunity sorted pretty quickly after I graduated last December. I’m just extremely excited, and ready to get stuck in and get into preseason and see what impact I can have with the team.”

For those who have followed the Stampede for the past two seasons, the type of impact Hilton can have on a game is already known. A two-time All-Southern Conference selection as he helped the Stampede claim back-to-back conference titles, the midfielder was a pivotal player for the club over the past two summers.

Coming from Division II Young Harris College, Hilton gained confidence from being able to perform at a high level alongside and against players from some of the top colleges in the country.

“Obviously, in Division II, my school is extremely small. There’s just over 1,000 students attending it, and we might not have the facilities that the big D-I schools are able to have,” Hilton said. “It was another good experience for me to come into a team where there are players from these really well-known schools, and I was really excited for that challenge to go in and more than hold my own with these players, and show that it doesn’t really matter what school you’re at, or what level you’re playing. … I thrived off having that challenge, and it’s one I’m excited to have going into the USL.”

Hilton signed with the Independence after his graduation this past December, with the Stampede again playing a role thanks to Head Coach Cheyne Roberts. A former professional for the Charlotte Eagles, Roberts advocated for Hilton to Independence GM Tom Engstrom, whom he had previously played for with the Eagles. 

Having touchstones like that provided by Roberts, and also SW Florida Adrenaline Coach John Robinson, helped Hilton as he made his ascent toward the pro ranks.

“Cheyne was a really good mentor for me, and he helped me a lot,” Hilton said. “I played one season with the SW Florida Adrenaline as well, my first summer, and that was a great experience as well. John, the coach there, was able to stay in touch with me even after I was no longer a player for him, and he was still willing to help me and mentor me and give me advice, which was great considering I wasn’t really his player anymore. All of these situations and experiences I had with the PDL definitely played a massive part in getting me where I want to be today.”

Now, Hilton is eager to get started with his professional career, with an intriguing contest potentially waiting for him should he impress in training camp. The Independence will host Louisville City FC in their season-opener, which could see Hilton go up against former Young Harris teammates Ilija Ilic and Niall McCabe in his professional debut.

“It’s going to be a bit of a strange experience going up against two of my really good friends,” Hilton said. “We’ve had a couple of jokes about it already, and it was a bit of a strange one to see that would be my very first game, but hopefully it will be against my two good friends, and it’s added to the excitement of me going there and to my motivation to make sure I’m going to be playing a part in that game.”

More than anything, though, Hilton is looking forward to getting the chance to continue his progression, and learn all he can as he makes the next step in his soccer career.

“I’ve done as much research as I can, and spoke to as many people about the [Independence] as I can,” Hilton said. “Everything seems really positive. I’ve heard good things about their players, and I’m excited to see how much I can learn from them.”