#1 in the Nation for the Third Year!!! Magic is the #1 Boys Club -- Triple Crown, Three-peat, Treble, Grand Slam, Hat Trick, Three-time, no matter how you say it, Chicago Magic is the NUMBER ONE club in the country for the third year in a row! "Wow, three years in a row. What an honor for our club, our players, our coaching staff, our parents and our sponsors, especially since this standing isn't based solely on winning but also on player development." said Mike Matkovich, director of coaching for Chicago Magic who remains the top boys club for the third year in a row. “We take great pride in placing players on ODP State teams, ODP Regional teams, U.S. National teams as well as college and professional teams.” http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562138498
JohnR good thing you did not take the bet. Sockers #5 which is a drop from last year but still something to be proud of.
Definitely a good thing! I would have voted for Texans myself, no disrespect to any other club including Magic but the Texans have been on an absolute roll, not only with team titles but of even greater importance the success of high-quality alums such as Dempsey, Nguyen, Villaneuva. Guess it was that Matko charm working its magic again.
Congrats to the Magic. I am surprised Texans didn't take it this year though, unless veteran pro players still count. (I was expecting a flip-flop of the top 2) If that's the case, it will be a long while before anyone supplants the teams on the list.
ya like totally gazoomba.... These rankings are a great indication of some of the top clubs around the country. perhaps the order doesnt really matter as much as the fact that certain clubs are mentioned every year. it is a good indication of places where they are "getting it right" and placing kids in successful situations for one reason or another. Very impressive for the state of IL to not only have the Magic at #1 for the boys, but also have Eclipse #1 for the girls, and the Sockers in at #5 for the guys! This spring should be a very entertaining one, anyone have any big moves or shake ups that could influence state cup, club/player relations, mrl, and so forth??
Still no word from The Fire on their MLS academy teams........probably squabbling over who pays for it ,the club or the league.They'll get it right ..........eventually
Lot's of rumors still. One is that it will mirror Houston's program for two age groups and that the coach of those two age groups would be Frank Klopas. Others would be up in the air until they see how the first teams are accepted. So kinda like an Illinois ODP team.
Last I heard from a guy at the Fire: ....'fully funded initiative which will be operated out of Toyota Park and would look to take the best 18 players in each age group out of local soccer and into the MLS structure. We will begin this program shortly with only 2 teams at U15 and U18 and will expand to U14 and U16 the following year.'....
Tough commute from the players up north, and there are more than a few of them in next year's U15 crop, including two national pool players. We shall see.
I've heard there are some major shake ups going on with some of the rosters @ Sockers heading into the spring season (esp Dallas Cup). Some players with bigtime reputations are said to have been "dropped" to second teams, and other things of that like!?! Do Richardson and Batata work together and communicate when passing teams off to eachother? Or do they each evaluate talent individually, and make the rosters on their own? Also, does Batata have the 13s and 14s, and then pass them off to Richardson for high school? Just picking the brain of some people who know (JohnR?)
I played for Santos in Brazil at the Junior level when Batata was on the first team. Today I am a youth soccer coach and trainer in Elgin, so Batata is a good friend of mine and so I know pretty much the ins and outs at the Sockers. Batata has the 13's and 14's and then passes the teams/rosters on to Richardson at U15 when the boys reach high school. When Richardson receives the boys, it is a fresh new beginning. Richardson works on his own. He chooses his own teams for specific events without any input what so ever from Batata. Richardson could give a hoot about primadona players having made the ODP Region 2 team. Having played at a high level as most coaches at the Sockers have all played at the highest level, Richardson loves the skilled and technical players. But at the same time, Richardson does not prefer the physically imature and small players regardless of how much skill they may have (similar to the preferences of 99.9 percent of the college coaches). I take it one of the "bigtime reputations" players you are talking about is George Eliot whom was not chosen for the Dallas Cup. George has considerable skills, talent and knowledge of the game, but lacks the physical maturity and size at this time that Richardson is looking for. Other "dropped" players are either in similar circumstances, or have the size/speed/strength but lack the necessary skills and soccer brains that Richardson is looking for. But I hope that these "dropped" players keep their heads up and continue working hard. Remember they are still very young and have substantial development ahead of them. I hope I have been of some help.
The guy above me says No, but I saw the two of them together comparing notes when watching a match just this Sunday. I am sure that Batata makes his views known to Richardson for the incoming U15s, then Richardson makes up his own mind, which is just what happens at the younger level, when Oleg passes on the U12s to Batata. Ultimately, the coach is the coach. Batata has the U13s and U14s, yes.
Batata, may be one of the best evaluators of young soccer talent within the Chicagoland area. He understands the game and understands how each child develops. I know of a few boys he said would be ok players when young but would emerge as good/great players as they got older. His plan of development is skill and physical. Much more skill but still he has these kids developing their bodies as well. He understands the physical limitations of the ages he coaches and works his team around those limitations until his players mature. I have watched him do this for the last 10 years I have known him. In many players time in the club, Batata's conversations with David about players are ongoing from U-13 to U-15. David does watch practices and games for the younger players.
This "guy" didn't say no. Of course Richardson learns about the incoming players from Batata. This "guy" said Richardson makes up his mind on his own without outside influence or politics with a preference towards highly skilled players that are physically mature.
Well said, and I would like to ampliphy on that a bit more by stating that Batata is one of the best evaluators in the COUNTRY of young talent. And I am of the firm belief that only a coach that has played at the highest level is capable of properly evaluating young talent. Batata is a developer of players. His first priority is for the good and the development of the individual player and NOT winning games and championships. But when the boys get to Richardson, the young boys are separated for the young men, and winning becomes more important. Both Richardson and Batata love the skilled players, but in order to compete at the highest youth level, physical attributes are also important so Richardson looks at that combination. Richardson does watch practices and games of the younger boys, and in fact is present in the try outs of the younger boys, but in his mind he already has an idea of what he wants by the time he gets them at 15's. I really feel for these players and their parents that have been supposedly "dropped", but this is hopefully only a temporary situation because in the end, it is the skilled, technical and tactical players that survive and go on to the next level.
I have heard very different opionos of Batata from many diffrent people. It many instances his ego gets in the way of sound judgement. Most of the older kids at Sockers are tired of hearing Batata stories, MANY MANY players have left Sockers because of Batata and have gone on to successful soccer careers elsewhere and at higher levels it is important to remeber everything written here is very subjective.
True enough. We heard mixed reviews ahead of time ... and were happily surprised. Expert instruction, positive atmosphere, smiles galore from the kids at practices & games, according to my kid there was no favoritism at all (one of the very few times he has ever said this about a coach, and this came even as Batata wouldn't play him in the position that he requested -- but he thought the decision was fair and respected the process). I wouldn't presume to speak for anybody else. All I can do is relate our own experiences.
That could go for every coach on the planet. the fact is that those kids maybe needed a different environment, but that does not make Batata's work wrong.
Of course Batata has an ego. He played for Santos, America and the Brazilian National team. At age 20, Batata was considered one of the greatest right wingers of all time until his position became extinct under the then new 4-3-3 system. I would never get tired of hearing Batata stories, and I was there with him. But this is where I strongly disagree. Name me one single solitary player that has left Batata's team, gone on to the rival team, and became happy there. NOT ONE. On the contrary, in each of those cases where the player left, he returned after six months. Just ask Vito's father and he will give you the complete run down. And if MANY MANY players left, how is it that the 15's, 16's and 17's each have 36 -40 qualified player rosters? Anyway, John R summed it up very well.
Batata stories are old , he played 30 years ago. He is 50, move on!! i can name you at least 5-10 players who have left and never looked backed.I know some older players who would never play for him . He is a typical club coach that does well with some kids and not others. If he is as awesome as you say why has not moved up to any other level?? Batata use to coach older age groups, he no longer does, why is that ?
Off topic a bit, but I have to disagree with absoluteness of this statement. I've seen, met and read of plenty of coaches who could evaluate young talent without playing at the highest level. It certainly can help in the understanding and recognizing the qualities of young players that will make them a successful but I think saying only those with playing at the highest level are capable or evaluating young talent is not necessarily true.