Wonderful time to be a Hoosier. Congratulations to the team and coaches. I am very happy for Coach Todd Yeagley.
I think one of the really cool things about this title is that it showcases the extent to which youth soccer in Indiana is producing fine young players. Yes, this is IU's 8th title. But in the past, it always seemed like the title-winning teams were primarily composed of players from elsewhere (especially St. Louis!). I played HS soccer in Indiana in the late 70s (badly), shortly before IU started winning national championships, and relying on teams primarily composed of Indiana players wouldn't have gotten Yeagley the elder very far. (The sport wasn't even officially recognized by the Indiana HS Athletic Association when I played!) Today's game featured seven starters from Indiana. Indiana youth soccer has come a long way!
IU - 7 starters from Indiana Maryland - 1 starter (Raley) from Maryland Creighton - 0 starters from Nebraska, 1 starter (Hines-Ike, Denver) from a bordering state Georgetown - 0 starters from DC, starters from a total of 10 different states A few weeks ago, I was questioning the Hoosiers for not looking more out of state, but I have take it back. What's even more remarkable is that the Indiana talent doesn't stop with the IU kids. Kitchen is already in MLS, Mares is a star for Louisville, and I'm sure we could list a few others, as well. If only there was a magic formula to sustain the wave of talent. In some cases, this was actually a good thing, since unrecognized HS teams were able to play as much as they liked, including fall, spring, and indoor, and they had fewer restrictions on kids splitting time with club. I don't think IHSAA sanctioning arrived until the mid-90s.
So what do Kitchen, Mares, Petts, Corrado, Doody, and Bushue all have in common? They played together on a Chicago Magic team, although Petts usually played up a year. There are another half dozen or so players from that team that are doing well at the D1 level. Magic formula is find good players and give them good training as young players
You're taking credit for those boys? Doody as a Fire Jr. product when recruited; Petts, Mares and Corrado were with the Indiana United DA team for the past few years prior to IU; and Kitchen was in residency. But they were studs back in the u-14 days for you.
Looking to 2013 ..... A recent signing: http://www.therepublic.com/view/local_story/Columbus-North-senior-signs-to_1362545224#share
Mark, we have a new 2013 thread! FYI, he made his mind up when IU beat ND at ND. I'd like to think the IU tailgate had something to do w/ it, too...
you guys are going to love this tommy thompson kid you are getting from the Quakes academy for fall 2013... check him out for the quakes reserves vs. antigua barricuda last night: 13:20 - receives ball, passes, makes a long run into box and brilliant assist to set up adam jahn for the goal 20:38 - similar long run into the box, receives ball, almost sets up jahn again helped create stewart's goal near the end
yo Crimson Ace, you wanna lock this thread? 2013 thread is here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/iu-hoosiers-2013-thread.1980501/