Former Wheaton Academy soccer coach Chip Huber reports from Zambia.

If you do anything this week, you need to take the time to read his daily blogs.

http://www.chiphuber.blogspot.com/

The start of the 2010 high school boys soccer season is less than 60 days ahead.

Who should be ranked No. 1, who will be the surprise team and who will be some of the top players this fall?

Some have praised me, while others have said I should back off the need for the IHSA to fix its tournament. If it's going to be marketed and sold to sponsors and fans for their money as a "state" tournament, then we need to decide what it truly means.

If it means every team in the state is allowed to play like an AYSO Tournament, that's great. If it's to see who the best team is or at least close, that's another thing.

And for the record, I'm not the only reporter out there pounding the IHSA. Each fall, winter and spring, pick up any paper - anywhere - and you'll see the same tone for the most part.

Here's are a couple pieces from other reporters in today's papers:

He's the type of coach I would've loved to play for, one who demands the best and is willing to push players to the next level. As a member of the media, he also has been that perfect coach, someone who is honest about his players and others while also offering that common sense and humor that keeps things in perspective.

Come next spring, however, high school girls soccer in Illinois will not be the same without Aaron Carpenter standing on the St. Ignatius sidelines. Over the past decade, he took a no-name program and first turned it into a Class A power to then hanging with the big boys in Class AA and Class 3A this spring.

To this day, Jay Konrad still remembers when an under-6 girls soccer team from the Naperville area beat his under-6 boys team.

"Some parents couldn't believe that happened," said Konrad, who coaches boys soccer at Naperville Central and also coached girls soccer at Naperville North before retiring three years ago. "I told the parents back then that girls team was awesome. They really were even at that age."

Years later, it's now safe to say the under-6 Pink Pizazz girls team Konrad saw was a future all-star team featuring some of the best high school girls soccer players from this spring.

If you're looking for talented players who battled through injuries, traveled to different countries or opened eyes this spring, look no further than the 2009 Sun-Times All-Area girls soccer team.

From Huntley's rising star, Alyse Williams, and Wheaton Academy's all-around stud, Leah Fortune, to Alexa Gaul playing for Neuqua Valley after playing club the last three springs, the story lines are plentiful with this talented 11.

They stood out during the regular season, and now they stand above the rest at the end. Here's a closer look at this year's first team (http://yourseason.suntimes.com/girls_soccer/1608329,060409-girls-soccer-all-area.article):

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Player of the Year Suhey always moving ahead - http://yourseason.suntimes.com/girls_soccer/1608432,060409-girls-soccer-player-of-year-suhey.article

Someone asked me last week...What was the greatest high school girls game I had ever seen? I have seen a lot of very good games. The two games I will never forget actually involve former St. Charles and current Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau.

The first came in April 2000 when Lincoln-Way beat St. Charles 2-1 in New Lenox. A heel flick by Kristen Jedlo helped the Knights beat what was and probably always will be regarded to as the premier girls soccer program in Illinois (and the country at that time).

Fast forward to June 2005 when lightning struck in overtime of the Class AA title game at North Central College. Trailing 3-0 in the second half, Neuqua Valley rallied for six goals in an unbelievable second half to stun two-time defending tournament champion New Trier - which was the premier program in Illinois at that time.

The 2009 Dan Radz Media Award....Goes to all those coaches who couldn't take a second to phone in result to give their kids some pub this spring. Just wait until the fall.

I was at the Cubs game last week...With one college coach, one high school coach and a parent of a former player I've known for years. We all laughed at some of the responses on the blog this season. I said the sad thing is most of these people are adults, who use fake names. The college coach said, "That's pretty sad when you think about it." I said I know it is.

Classiest coach this season...Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha. He is 100 percent pure class on and off the field, in the media and is honest. If you read his comments in the paper or listen to him talk to his team, you realize that he's just a good all-around person.

Jagbag of the Year...Oh do I wish I could hand this one out. And admit it, you wish I would, too.

Classiest player this year...Wheaton Academy's Leah Fortune. She might be the smallest player on the field at times, but she is fun to watch and just a great person off the pitch. When I head to Austin this fall for a Texas football game, I will make sure the Longhorns women's soccer team is playing at home to see how Fortune and Neuqua Valley's Alexa Gaul are doing.

Please head out and support the Malawi Project Fundraiser on Friday. This event is spearheaded by former St. Charles star Anne Poulin.

Here are the details:

All proceeds will go toward purchasing equipment for the soccer camp and any other tools needed to help us address and better educate the kids in combating the HIV/Aids epidemic. Also collecting any pumps, jerseys and balls!

6:00-8:00pm Free Appetizers
8:30-10:30pm Band ( Raffle at Intermission)

McNally's Irish Pub
201 East Main St., Saint Charles
630-513-6300

The Malawi Project Fundraiser has been fortunate in acquiring the support of some amazingly generous people. The raffle prizes include: box seats to a Chicago Fire match as well as box seats to the Chicago Red Stars match, Day at The Races at Arlington Park, signed CD AND T-shirt from the band DISTURBED, Chicago Cubs Tickets, gift cards to Forte Salon & Spa and fingers crossed for a signed US Men's National Team jersey.

Alexa Gaul, Neuqua Valley
Leah Fortune, Wheaton Academy
Vanessa DiBernardo, Waubonsie Valley
Nicole Lipp, Lake Forest
Rachel Quon, Lake Forest
Allison Suhey, Loyola
Jannelle Flaws, Glenbrook South

Remember this is a three-month award - what did they do this year? Not in club, not last year, not what awards they've won. This is from Day 1 of the high school soccer season.

In my book, there is a clear-cut winner. Really, this was the easiest choice in my 14 years.