Changing Landscapes - Chicagoland

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

  1. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I am not surprised - with the Magic/Fire issue that happened from the get go it seems that from an infrastructure point, they were not prepared to run the program with any continuity. Some great coaches however owners with special interests of their own I hear.

    Sockers can always use some more girls :D
     
  2. xSeamusx

    xSeamusx New Member

    Sep 27, 2017
    Unfortunately, I have boys, but we may be on our way. It appears once you have DA status treating people the right way goes out the window. They don't care if you walk because there will be 10 players to take your place.
     
    WrmBrnr repped this.
  3. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I think that's how it is everywhere - or at least to some extent. Probably less at Sockers but it happens still.

    Sometimes there are very un-realistic parents however - often in many cases.
     
  4. xSeamusx

    xSeamusx New Member

    Sep 27, 2017
    Unrealistic parents are everywhere for sure, but the stuff I’ve seen they actually didn’t appear to be the problem. A lot of parents are afraid to speak up because they don’t want their kid to be blackballed. The DA status gives clubs an immediate recruiting advantage and brings them a steady stream of players that other clubs need to work much harder for. With all those kids trying to push through the door, they don’t even have to listen to the realistic parents. They won’t be forced to change their ways until parents stop chasing that DA patch or there are more high level options in the area.
     
  5. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So that is where Elgin and Roadrunners went.
     
  6. SpiceBoy

    SpiceBoy Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Aug 2, 2017
    For the boys I predict the new boys ECNL and existing NPL will eventually combine and give a secondary but still high level option to DA. DA is highly sought after because it offers the highest visibility to college coaches. The logical move would be for boys ECNL and NPL to combine and present themselves as a regional college showcase/funnel and not compete directly with DA. i.e Midwest showcase with coaches from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, etc. I believe parents/boys are not necessarily chasing the DA patch, but rather chasing the college potential and feel DA gives them a big advantage (maybe that is the same thing? but I meant it more as college recruiting over "bragging rights").
     
  7. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Both last season - no RR for the 05 group this season however.
     
  8. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Daughter played on a field that was a rhombus, North side of field was 15 yards wider than the south side of the field, That club should be embarrassed. The left post of the south goal was even with the left post of the north goal.
     
  9. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Where was the field?
     
  10. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Far Western suburbs
     
  11. aDifferentPerspectiv

    Apr 22, 2011
    Apparently there's been some significant changes made to the Sockers girls program...been some staff turnover and hearing good things about the new guys, I guess even the club technical director now working on the girls side. Girls DA results have been hit or miss, but glad to hear they're investing in the girls.

    It's been interesting to see the results of the Girls DA matches in the Midwest...all the Chicagoland clubs having their ups-and-downs. Been a bit of a trial by fire for FCU, while Sockers and Eclipse are both hovering around .500

    Overall records as of 10/2:

    Eclipse: 8-7-3
    FCU: 1-8-2
    Sockers: 5-3-2

    Thoughts?
     
  12. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I think where Sockers got it right was playing the girls in NISL (exclusively against boys) up until about 5-6 years ago. Starting at a young age against boys forces the girls to make one of two decisions, (A) I don't want to play against boys so I'll go somewhere else or (B) I want to play so I better run faster to the ball, be more aggressive and work harder to control the ball at my feet.

    Boys at 8-10 years typically manage these aspects to a higher degree then girls based on how the two genders develop. When the girls would play against other girls in tournaments - you could see the difference. They were faster, more aggressive and never gave ground. That was the Sockers I remember playing against years back. Hopefully that is part of the change moving forward for the younger groups.

    Good they have recognized that some things needed to change.

    They need some additional investment in the Crystal Lake area - there is nothing there for boys or girls beyond regular league play.
     
  13. keeper dad

    keeper dad Member

    Jun 24, 2011
    I agree with the benefits for the girls playing in NISL but coming from the boys side of things I don't think it should be allowed.

    When my son was U11 or U12 Team Chicago had a girls team playing in NISL and those games served the boys no good. Each time it was as though the refs were out there to "protect" the girls which I attributed to our human nature/social consciousness of boys should not be physical with girls. To a degree the boys would start the game very stand offish in terms of contact (upbringing I suppose) but after 10 minutes would get into the flow of a normal game but that is where things would go awry. Boys would be called for every fair shoulder charge, fair tackle, really anything that involved contact but the door did not swing both ways. My son, on several occasions was completely cleaned out in goal, once when it was a no pressure just bend over and pick up the ball and a girl charged in and leveled him as he was standing up.

    Had this been just one game I could write it off to the ref's bias however it was everytime they played which made me think it was cultural.

    I agree there are benefits for the girls but unless bias' about gender "rules" are left at home it probably does neither side any good.
     
  14. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I hear where you are coming from - there is no benefit at all to it for the boys.

    It's funny you mention the start of games because often we would be up 1 or 2 -0 and then the second half get crushed. The play from the boys the first half seemed - "Well I don't want to hurt her" soe our girls would plow them over. Second half the boys were pretty much "F*** this!" and then stepped up.
     
  15. keeper dad

    keeper dad Member

    Jun 24, 2011
    Exactly my observation, it was often too little too late or when they did step up it became a whistle fest.
     
  16. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    #116 VolklP19, Oct 4, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2017
    Holy cow - Chicago Rush is affiliated with a Iowa Rush and a Rush in MO!

    http://www.iowarush.com/

    In poking around it looks like these may be franchises from Colorado Rush - a DA club.

    http://www.coloradorush.com/

    My *guess* is that they may have intentions of being a DA club in Chicago. Anyone know if they have the facilities to accomplish that?
     
  17. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
  18. aDifferentPerspectiv

    Apr 22, 2011
    They're all former clubs that have taken on a Rush franchise. Most of them, with a few exceptions like Colorado and Texas, are small clubs using the Rush brand to try and maximize their marketability. In Chicagoland the Rush franchises are formerly:

    Oswego Panthers
    Three Rivers SC (South)
    Grove United (North)
    Lincolnshire Lightning (North)
    Bartlett Hawks (West)
    Impact SC

    Not exactly powerhouses. Literally the same clubs (coaches and players) in a new kit. Even when the best players from all locations are put together it's still the best players from average to below average clubs.

    The new franchise popping up on the east coast is Global Premier Soccer (GPS). Have some "agreement" with Bayern Munich...GPS players wear the Bayern kit, Bayern extends training invitations to players to go to Germany (much of the cost at players expense).

    End of the day, tread carefully with the franchise programs. To gauge Chicago Rush with Colorado Rush is comparing apples to oranges...
     
  19. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    End of the day, tread carefully with the franchise programs. To gauge Chicago Rush with Colorado Rush is comparing apples to oranges...

    This I get but if the intent was anything but to become a DA in Chicago then I fail to see the reasoning. That's like me brining in De Anza Force and expecting parents to know what that is???

    HellI consider myself failry in the know and it took me a few clicks to figure this one out. Maybe I am just getting old.

    Either way - they have some good players - maybe 2-3 on their top teams. I cannot see how they won't lose those to Eclipse and Sockers from u14 onward unless they get DA status.

    All I am saying is that if that is not part of the goal then what's the point?
     
  20. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    Just look at fees the Fire Jrs kick back to the Fire.
     
    mwulf67 repped this.
  21. SpiceBoy

    SpiceBoy Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Aug 2, 2017
    I was thinking the same thing as Incolnpk: lets say Colorado Rush gets $20 per player registered by the franchisee (no idea if that is an accurate number), it becomes a pure numbers game that the more players they have, the more cash kicked back to the Franchisor. The real question would be why take the Rush franchise name in Illinois? I cannot envision that doing much for marketability.
     
  22. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fire was getting $500 a kid at one time,
     
  23. aDifferentPerspectiv

    Apr 22, 2011
    @lncolnpk hit it on the head. All about that $$$. For the larger clubs (Panthers, Bartlett, TRSC) it was a means to market their clubs as reaching the next-level: taking perception away from being identified with "locations/towns", and potentially swaying members from other stronger local clubs. For the smaller (Lincolnshire, Grove Utd.) it was to create attraction and sustainability.

    Rush fills a niche, though. It's a sound club on the local level...it's conveniently located all over Chicagoland, making it accessible...it offers more than the average park district travel organizations as far as programming...they help grow the local platforms (NISL, IWSL, YSSL) which is good. But at the same time they don't exactly have a unique identity. At this point, it's still Panthers, TRSC, Hawks, etc. just with different shirts.

    Sadly, looking at past history, it's hard to find an organization that successfully merged with or absorbed another and was successful in the long-term. Either directors have a falling out (generally over $$), or membership explodes in the short-term but are over-sold and when they find out the product is no different than anywhere else they leave, but at the end of the day they just can't seem to last.

    Certainly interested in other's perspectives...anyone been a part of a merger/absorbed club that experienced significant difference that was positive? If so, where?
     
  24. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Stamford Bridge - Wauconda Warriors - Chicago Alliance???

    :eek:

    But seriously - on a smaller scale - Northern United FC which is a compilation of 3 very small clubs seems to be working - albeit they really have no choice but to make it work after the age change.
     
  25. 1goldeneagle

    1goldeneagle Member

    Aug 4, 2010
    Club:
    Chicago
    Rush sold people on "Select" teams comprised of top players from all locations for tournaments and State Cup. It comes with and additional $600 fee for 4 practices, 1 tournament and State Cup. So yes, $$$ in my opinion
     

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