Changing Landscapes - Chicagoland

Discussion in 'Youth & HS Soccer' started by VolklP19, Dec 28, 2016.

  1. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Ran a search for a coach which brought me to the 5 thread on Magic vs Sockers. No need to run through all 5 but if you did you could see that the top clubs at the time were:

    - Chicago Magic
    - Chicago Fire Jrs
    - Sockers FC Chicago
    - Eclipse

    And then you had what was known as the best of the rest...

    - Wind
    - Campton United
    - FC United
    - Raiders
    - Team Chicago
    - Galaxy
    - NSA

    I may be missing a few here but it seems that today - the landscape is very different. Many more clubs are now developing good teams - perhaps not collectively - great players, but teams that are successful and competing well.

    It's starting to seem that the smaller clubs may be cacthing up - that maybe there is not a mad rush to run off to a DA or ECNL club at an early age in order for a player to get their foot in the door.

    Am I wrong?

    If not - why is this?

    Constant separation of USClub vs USYouth?

    Are the smaller clubs actually cacthing on?

    Has the way we coach collectively changed?
     
  2. nac soccer

    nac soccer New Member

    Feb 21, 2012
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    DOC at fire juniors west out effective immediately after 8 yrs......anyone have any insight on what's going over there??? Lots of coach turnover there the past few years....
     
  3. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    From the ex CFJ-W parents that I know, there has been the usual story of parents running out a respected coach and girls moving from CFJ-W to CFJ-S.
     
  4. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I keep getting these Facebook updates from Chicago Rush - Opening multiple locations (North, South, East & West) starting Fall of 2017.

    "Coming to a suburb near you! Chicago Rush locations will be fully operational by the fall 2017. +Rush select offers the opportunity for elite players to compete regionally and nationally, yet still have their local identity!"

    This is a pretty big push - location speaking and player speaking.

    Are these new locations or is Rush acquiring former teams/clubs?
     
  5. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Currently they are in Oswego, Lincolnshire and Minooka. The Rush franchise is very aggressive with expansion so it wouldn't be surprising if the number of locations doubled. No clue where they will be but Naperville always seems to add a few clubs each year.
     
  6. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Wow - I am surprised they are not grabbing other clubs. That is indeed a very aggressive approach.

    We play them in NPL - team was okay but fast and physical.
     
  7. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    All the teams they currently have are from established clubs. I would imagine they will eventually start creating all star teams from the different locations.
     
  8. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    So they have absorbed players from other clubs - they are not using players who are at the same time, with another club?

    Sounds like another Inferno - and that's not a dig.
     
  9. 1goldeneagle

    1goldeneagle Member

    Aug 4, 2010
    Club:
    Chicago
    Going from small community based clubs to being part of the biggest soccer organization in the country...I smell trouble.
    I'm sure they're selling them on opportunities for "select teams" "pools". They don't seem to work so smoothly, usually.

    Good Luck!
     
  10. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    So they were just a comm club before... Interesting.
     
  11. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They bought the Oswego Panthers club. IIRC, took the certain top teams and made them Chiacgo Rush, Everyone else is still called Panthers.

    looks like the bought Three Rivers too

    So you have stuff like this

    CRSC PANTHER ORANGE
    CRSC THREE RIVERS

    I don't recognize the Lightning Club

    CRSC LIGHTNING
     
  12. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Seems sort of crazy - especially since that area has not been stable for as long as I can remember.
     
  13. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Looks like Bartlett will be a Chicago Rush location next fall
     
  14. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Heard Fire Jr's now have Fusion.
     
  15. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Grove United is also becoming a Rush franchise
     
  16. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What is Rush trying to do?
     
  17. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Yeah that's what I have been wondering as well - besides building a large pool for top players - but that's not development - that's high school tactics IMO.

    Saw Eclipse Minnesota this weekend? Who did Eclipse buy in MN?
     
  18. mwulf67

    mwulf67 Member+

    Sep 24, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Have no idea how this could remotely relate to anything most high schools are doing, but whatever…

    Without know too much more details, I would think the culprit is the for profit, corporate, expand or die, pay to play mentality many of these big clubs have…

    Profit is the driven force….Sell the brand, expand the brand, make more profit…development vs winning is irrelevant…they will sell whatever you’re looking to buy…

    It’s McSoccer…
     
    lncolnpk repped this.
  19. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    LOL - knew you would respond to that.

    It has to do with HS pulling the top kids to make a team - instead of developing players. Not that a high school can and/or should develop. But a club which you are paying $$ should and buying out clubs to enlarge a pool for the sole purpose of just attracting a higher percentage of top players is not really teaching soccer as much as it is building a team.
     
  20. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I could understand consolidating an area *cough* Naperville *cough*. but Rush has taken over a Batavia club , Oswego, and Grove United. That is a patch work of an area,
     
  21. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    It would be a lot of driving for some parents. My guess is that they likely do not know any better.

    The issue they will have is the expansion of FCU and Eclipse which is basically covering many of those areas already?

    So you have your local com club (lets have fun and play with our friends)

    Super Clubs (FCU, Fire, Eclipse, Sockers)

    Sub Super Clubs with affiliation to the Super Clubs or a DA (12/14) such as Team Chicago, Galaxy & Campton

    And now this hybrid for kids that want more then what their local com club can offer but do not want the commitment of a super or sub-super club? Which is a facad since they are probably playing on the ball just as much as the high clubs are.

    Yup I don't get it.
     
  22. mwulf67

    mwulf67 Member+

    Sep 24, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    #22 mwulf67, May 1, 2017
    Last edited: May 1, 2017
    Yeah, no club team ever pulled the top kids to make a team….

    A high school, by and large, pulls their players from their existing community; their player pool is largely limited and static…yes, they take the top kids to make the team, but they get what they get….

    That isn’t what is happening is this case…these big club like Rush are actively expanding their player pool…they are buying players or at least buying into those markets in order to compete for those players…and for their parents money…

    High Schools don’t buy other High Schools or expend into another districts to compete for players…there are rules and penalties against that kinda stuff…

    There are no, or very few, regulations when it comes to the clubs…. This has been a club issue for a very long time, causing all sorts of problems and debates… trying to spin or relate this to High School seems questionable at best…
     
  23. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois


    High school picks the best from a pool of players - don't give a damn whether from the local community or not.

    Rush is likely (like Fire Jr's Eclipse, and now FCU) doing just the same - picking the best players to make a team rather then develop players.

    You are overly sensitive regarding high school play and reading way more into then what I am saying.
     
  24. mwulf67

    mwulf67 Member+

    Sep 24, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    And no different then what most clubs do, including the DA…right? A team, B-team, C-Team; there are many clubs that make cuts and only keep the best, sometimes when the best just means bigger, faster, stronger….

    Besides, putting like-talented kids on the same team (picking the best) is not necessarily counter to development…some might even say, putting the best with the best, playing against the best, is how you develop the best/world class talent…but the fear of on longer being seen as the "best" can be scary for some...and these big consolidated clubs can threaten that, can’t they?

    Over sensitive I may be, but I am not misreading your attempts to insult High School soccer at ever turn….high school tactics....
     
  25. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Well actually you are - you are assuming what my thoughts are above :rolleyes:

    I've already added the top clubs in our area which do the same. You seemed to run right over that in an effort to quickly throw the DA under the bus (again - and agian - and again - and again).

    Try to pay attention and not make things up to fit your narrative of me - it will make the conversation more positive.
     

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