I agree just one league at the top of the pyramid is needed. I’m simply saying that with the population of Chicagoland, we should have no problem sustaining multiple elite teams in that top pyramid.
Anyone experience this level of tournament- US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. I see a couple of IL teams are doing well. Looks like a great opportunity.
Been there and got the tshirt. Great competition for players at that level. Well organized and typically requires a true test to keep advancing. Every game meant a little more when only state cup champions qualified for regionals and only regional champs qualified for nationals but still a great honor to win.
it’s true, the north shore elites believe the drive to Vernon Hills is a pain but then you have the much more economically diverse Eclipse families that drive from anywhere south of Naperville, Wisconsin and Indiana to Northfield or Oak Brook on the regular.
I ageee with illinisoccer “ Great competition for players at that level......but still a great honor to win.” Strictly speaking on the boys side : IMO this competition is not as competitive as a couple of other end of year competitions. ranking/comparing “championship” events - MLSNEXT Cup pla to me the true national championship is the MLSNEXT Cup playoffs happening now in Frisco,TX
“MLSNEXT Cup playoffs = Champions League NPL national playoffs = Europa League USYS national playoffs = Europa Conference ” I would flip NPL and USYS. Clearly MLSNext is the best but I think USYS is better than NPL. A lot more teams and higher level of competition throughout the event. Teams can essentially apply to be in the regional for US Club or need to be part of a small number of leagues for NPL. Spots for USYS seem harder to earn.
from a boys local perspective U14 thru U16 USYS winner would not win the NISL league 10 game schedule, (top 2 teams qualify for NPL playoffs) they might get lucky & win a game against a top team here or there but in 10 games they would get exposed. Plus USYS U16 winner is FC United pre-Academy team. No B team would win the NISL. NISL is a season long grind vs state cup is a tournament where a hot streak team goes further in a short time. I would put boys ECNL slightly higher or equal with NPL , only because of Eclipse which are head & shoulders above the rest of ECNL teams
Here is thing I am noticing on via Social Media accts with these clubs. If you have something to brag about you will do it. Eclipse doesn't really mention their boys side as much as the girls. (It could just be the timing of things). Wishful thinking on clubs being transparent with what teams are competing (Pre-Academy, A team, B team)
All a $$$ grab. Find a good coach with a good groups of kids and have fun. The less you know the better
Don’t agree with the money grab part in all instances but there is a lot to be said re: ignorance is bliss in this context. Spot on.
I have been lurking this forum for quite some time but finally created an account. This post had me go look up the NISL as we just got back from the NPL west playoffs (drove from MN to Denver). DS team took first in the U17 NPL MDL ahead of a Sockers team to earn an invite to the playoffs. Then they played another U17 Socker's team in Denver in the semi-finals. We knew it was a different coach and my son said he only recogized a couple of players. We (parents) didn't understand why the Sockers were invited but it now makes sense based on the quote and I see that there was a Sockers NISL team that finished 2nd. That said, can someone from the Chicago area explain to me all of the Sockers teams at the same age group? How do you tell which Sockers team is the most competitive? EDIT: Also, it's interesting to note the sentiment in Evos post because the team goal for DS team was to win State Cup (as defending champions) but we were upset this year in the semi-finals. Our club would have chosen the Midwest cup over NPL playoffs.
My son was in this pool until very recently... Sockers nomenclature doesn't always make sense and they are always moving players up and down, so NPL should be higher than NPL I By the naming, the team you beat in MDL is their NPL I team which by name would be their second best pre academy group but I know from experience they have played only their best PA players in that league. Was probably a mix of players... Both the NPL and NPL I squads are PREM 1 level in league play... Not sure who they sent to the regional game, likely best PA 1 guys with a peppering of a few MLSN guys. They like to do that to for important tourneys... This entire 04 pool is very scrappy. Every training day is a day in the shark tank... in '19, NISL PREM 1 league play was much harder than MDL based on their record in each endeavor...
Thanks for the info. The 4 semi-finalists were our team (St Croix), a Blitz team from Oklahoma that we beat in pool play, Sockers and an Addison United team which I found was also an NISL team.St Croix and Blitz advanced to the NPL finals and it sounds like the Sockers team we faced would be a fairly strong team. I was just shocked to see the number of 2004 Sockers teams between NISL 1 and 2. Most Minnesota clubs are only able to field a single top competitve team. With all the talk on here about Sockers and Fire, how does Addison fit into the Chicago soccer world? They seem to have some good teams. At the west playoffs they drew the easiest bracket which was missing a team. One team did not win any games and the other was a team from Minnesota that did not qualify for either of Minnesota Premier 1 or 2 MYSA leagues so they played in a TCSL league that was set up with NPL affiliation. It contained most MN club second teams.
Sockers is a MASSIVE club on the boys side - has to be one of the biggest in the region IMO. If you are a top boy - you are at Sockers for the most part.
Chicago Fire Juniors City announces some organizational changes for the club that includes a restructure of technical and business operations leadership staff. Along with these changes, they announce the departure of Director of Coaching Clark Brisson from the club.
Addison always has strong team for 04 play. They won NISL Prem 1 league but lost to sockers best PA squad 8-2. that score is lopsided But, might need to check birth certificates...
Agree with VolkIP19 - My understanding is that each boys age group has about 5 teams in it. Maybe one less once you go to U17 & higher. Academy 1 MLSNEXT, 2 MDL & NISL1, 3 NISL1or 2 PA = Pre-Academy 1,& 2
All of the Sockers top teams Academy 1 MLSNEXT were at the MLS Cup in Frisco,TX last week & part of this week. So if you played Sockers it was there 2nd & 3rd tier teams , which are still very good quality teams.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s is the only MLS Next program in MN right now. Very expensive school for those who choose to attend. It's like paying for private college but for high school. I'm not sure what Minesota United is up to but they did not replace DA with MLS Next and the "Youth Development Program" they describe on their website does not have much detail yet.
2nd and 3rd tier are PREM 1 level. The MLSN squad has the luxury of always practicing and playing together. the lower teams do not have that kind of continuity. I question if MANY of MLSN players could demonstrate in a tryout they are better than the lower tier guys, mano es mano. alot of them are undersized, some may not have outright speed, im not sure they are suitable for D1 college. just my .02... I guess what I'm saying is there is ALOT of quality BESIDES MLSN!!! If I was scouting, I'd be looking for diamonds in the rough->PREM 1 leagues.
Just came across this forum today. In terms of boys club soccer in Illinois the hardest competition to win a National Championship in is MLS Next, followed by USYS, followed by the new boys ECNL, followed by US Club Soccer. US Club Midwest Regionals is a joke. You could literally just sign up/register your team, no real way to qualify. U17 division at US Club Midwest Regionals only had 4 teams in it, which only shows that US Club Soccer is a joke in the Midwest.