RC started with Chicago Magic North (Crystal Lake) under KS. He went to Naperville and then moved to Palatine 2 years ago full time. The parents on the u14's last year were very happy with his coaching and enromously pleased with how easy he was to get on with parents and players. He's a good guy and the sort of coach the club needs more of - especially at the PGDA level.
I jam Sockers when it's called for but IMO this is good news. Furthermore they knew this was going to happen for well over a year. Sockers prepared well by bringing in BC to help with that transition.
Looks like FC United has catfished Vernon Hills into giving them access to their fields to help SMP line their corporate pockets. https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20...n-hills-as-hub-for-elite-youth-soccer-players
To me this article reads as if FC United will be having their DA teams practice at the Vernon hills fields. "As planned, two fields would be reserved for the development academy and one for the soccer club". I could see a "mini" DA (Boys U12, U13, U14) practicing in Vernon hills, but this sounds as if the "full" DA teams will practice there. Does this make sense? Maybe a better location for recruiting than Northfield?
I think it's more central and easier to get to. If those are the fields I remember (Used to work out that way), they are pretty nice. That's a closer ride for me then FCU - so it would put that club on the radar if I had a boy and was not already happy where I am. Doesn't VH have some sort of deal with another club (60 United) as well?
If they're trying to find a more centralized hub with more fields to house their whole club, its really not a bad strategy. Eclipse have Oak Brook, Sockers have Olympic Park, but right now what does FCU have? They're kinda scattered.
They had Loyola but can not use the schools facility or New Trier’s for the academy program since they do not allow kids to play high school.
Makes sense. Maybe they can plead their case to Loyola and New Trier that because so many of their DA girls left for HS last March that they should be granted access. Or that three of their top boys college recruits played HS soccer last year (Wittenbrink, Ash, Melick) lol.
Eclipse location is horrible IMO. There was a rumor a few pages back about property just west of Olympic that they were going to bid on. I guess the sale mandated that it be deemed public use so maybe that or something else killed it. Frankly I would not be sure where the scratch would come from to even purchase the property. But that location would have been perfect. Sockers are spread out but the resources they provide to Naperville and Crystal Lake dimminish annually and coaches there often have to do more with less. FCU move is good though.
Yes... http://lfsa.org/lfsa-and-vhsc-partner-to-form-60-united-fc Former LFSA DOC helped FCU get their GDA program going, this deal may give FCU the chance to show their appreciation.
" "The development academy is for a select few," Kempf said. He and others emphasized this would not involve general tryouts. Instead, coaches would recommend players."
At least he's up front. And he needs to be. VH has very little - if any talent so realistically this is a deal to use the fields only.
Blatantly to use the fields as FCU are running out of options and they can’t keep putting 6 or 7 teams on an 11v11 pitch and justifying it. Especially with the amount of money they are charging.
Out at a few games with old friends this weekend - and of course some lunch/dinner and cocktails Started talking about the younger divisions and talent + geographical location. Specifically where the talent is in Illinois. North has some good numbers - Spartan, FC1, Evanston and Pegasus can all feed into FC United. Yeah sure they don't all have great teams but if their top players are looking to move forward, FCU is right there. Like the Eclipse this season - it will all come down to resources IMO. South & SW also has some talent in Naperville, Aurora, St Charles and Geneva with Galaxy, TC, CSA and Campton (at least on the boys side). Not sure where they feed into for finishing clubs (Eclipse or Sockers). NW I would rank towards the bottom with a good showing from Libertyville and support from ELA. Other then those however - soccer takes a big dip in the area. This seems to have been the case for a long time - I wonder if it's market saturation, culture, cost or something else?
The south suburbs have quite a bit of young talent as well. CFJ South has some really good girls sides at 07, 06, 05...Inter always pretty steady as well. There's a YNT ID Center tonight (formerly NTC) in Highland Park, that'd probably be the best indication of where the quality is at 05 and 04. I still think the real elite talent is too scattered...so many teams have one or two really good players alongside a bunch of average. Be nice if the clubs could figure out a way to get them all on the same teams whether it be in the DA or ECNL...
Wow - I missed CFJ! Inter seems to be getting traction for sure - don't know much about them other then that. I agree that it is scatteered at the ELITE level. Our discussion was along the lines of u8-U11 for the most part.
The eclipse actually have some very good teams at u9 and u10 this year. Not their usual path as traditionally they struggle at 7v7 and the first year of 9v9 and then the recruits come in. Heard a rumor that they may be starting up a new branch in FCU’s territory
I've heard that Sockers Naperville have some really good players in the U12 DA...kids that came together from Stavaru and elsewhere. Raiders/San Antonio are also apparently looking to expand, according to their social media accounts. They always have loaded teams but I have no idea how that organization works.
I always have been puzzled by how San Antonio/Raiders works. A few years ago both were in the IYSA premier or MRL Qualifying but the same team in the same uniforms showed up both times our club faced them.
Find two good coaches, one good facility south of LakeCook Rd, east of 294, and they would solve their current ECNL 'B' team issues instantly. They would also likely blow a hole in the side of FCU's GDA program at the same time. With FCU apparently moving to the north and west it seems like a good opportunity.
Addison has great 08, 06, 04 teams, 05 is not at that level but still in top 20 in the state. Coach in charge of these teams took director of coaching position for Bloomingdale few years back but he still has those teams under AUSC flag.
Lemont Raiders had 4 u13 teams 5 years ago and one or two in Bolingbrook. Best team was known as San Antonio, that was their non-paying, mostly Hispanic team they recruited in the city of Chicago. Second team was decent, last two were there to pay fees. Once owner kids stoped playing soccer he disassembled the club. That was 3, 4 years ago. San Antonio is still there, I think they are the only Raiders now