Have you heard Rihanna's new song "Please don't stop the music?" I admit I'm a fan of the song, which has shot up the charts and is currently the most-played song in Chicago.

Earlier this week, the music could have stopped for yours truly - but it didn't for some reason. Over the years, I've written a number of tragic stories of athletes losing their lives in auto accidents or someone coming close to losing their lives. To this day, I remember the story of Denise Peck, a former all-state star at Lincoln-Way, who suffered serious injuries and lost a couple of friends in an auto accident back in 2000.

But now the next time someone asks me if I know what it's like to be hit by a truck, I can finally say - yes, I do. I will be able to describe a truck plowing right into my driver side, spinning the car around through an intersection and drilling a light pole. Nothing like people running to the car thinking you are dead. The look on some of their faces as I climbed out of my car, looked around and then said a couple choice words was priceless (as is life in general).

What was even more priceless was seeing the driver of the truck tell police he doesn't have a driver's license. After hearing that, I wanted to know if the truck had IHSA or CPS license plates, too?

But anyways, life goes on and it leads me to this question:

Do you realize the start of girls soccer is a mere four weeks away - Feb. 25.

I don't know what is more of a joke - a truck driver without a license or the IHSA's start date?

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The Chicago Magic has long been considered the top boys club in the country by Soccer America. Wondering where some of the Magic's top boys players in the 2009 class are looking?

Here's the update you've been waiting for:

Bob Novak, Lockport: Northwestern, Notre Dame, Georgetown.

Milan Tica, Morgan Park Academy: Northwestern, UIC and University of Chicago.

Jordan Maman, New Trier: Cal, Santa Barbara, Wake Forest and North Carolina.

Andrew Menendez, Naperville North: Georgetown, Wisconsin and Princeton.

Ryan Foreman, New Trier: Michigan, Wisconsin and Colgate.

Tim Zimmer, Naperville Central: Notre Dame, Stanford and Dartmouth.

Phil Galounis, Lincoln-Way Central: Ohio State, Notre Dame and UIC.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's Monday, and you have to love Mondays. A new week, a fresh start to create opportunities.

As excited and hopeful I am about the prospect that the embarrassing facilities situation with the Chicago Public Schools will finally be addressed after receiving a letter from Dr. Joyce Kenner, President of CPS' Principal's Athletic Association Executive Board, (http://blogs.suntimes.com/cornerkicks/2008/01/dr_joyce_kenners_help_is_neede.html#comments) I also wonder if the CPS coaches will finally step up to the plate and demand better facilities for their student-athletes?

It's so easy to talk the talk, sit and collect a check. It's another thing to step up and make a difference for the sport and its athletes of today and tomorrow.

Nevertheless, I wanted to share this video clip. I remember watching it live and to this day I still watch it once a week. If you listen to the words and the meaning, it's hard not to be motivated on a Monday.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8neQJlTvMSs

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Neil Hernandez, publisher of lanetechfan.com, brought up a good point in response to the problems with the CPS Sports Administration's lack of attention to boys and girls soccer in Chicago.

"The current CPS staff did not create the current situation," said Hernandez in a comment posted last week. "But they are given the unenviable task of fixing the situation."

But as I've said time and time again, there hasn't been any fixing in the last seven years that I've seen. If it wasn't for the Chicago Park District adding a turf field at Montrose Park and ComEd donating the lights that would be one less field CPS would have.

You may recall something I brought up last September in regards to the new field turf at Lane Stadium. Here was an opportunity for CPS to do something good, and guess what - they blew it again. Not only is the field only 55 yards wide for soccer, when it could've easily been 70 yards wide, they didn't even mark the field correctly for soccer. On the east side of the field, they forgot to add a sideline for soccer.

Don't believe me? Go look for yourself. This is the second in series of reports looking at CPS soccer.

I understand a number of CPS schools are landlocked - just as the case is with a number of suburban schools.

Where is the plan to address the soccer facility problem in CPS? Who is the leader or is this just CPS at its best?

People can sit, point fingers and blame everyone and everything else for this problem. But folks, this is the 21st century. You have a sports administration office, which is in charge of the largest conference (Public League) in the state, and it can't even figure out how to line a soccer field correctly.

Are you kidding me?

Why hasn't the CPS Sports Administration office under the direction of Calvin Davis and soccer administrator Juan Espinoza taken advantage of grants from U.S. Soccer?

According to the U.S. Soccer Federation, CPS has never applied for one.

Amazing.

Where is the plan and who is in charge?

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If you don't know who Dr. Joyce Kenner is, then you don't know who one of the most powerful administrators from the Chicago Public Schools is. Whitney Young High School is considered one of the brightest stars in the CPS system, and a big reason is due to Kenner's leadership.

On Thursday night, Kenner chuckled after she was asked at halftime of Young's boys basketball game if she would like to start the same starting five in the second half. It was a joke, but Kenner does have a lot of power and respect.

And the time has come for Kenner to look into why CPS' system continues to let soccer down. People within the system are afraid to talk at times, out of fear for their jobs. Last fall, a coach spoke honestly about the problems within CPS, only to be told to say he didn't say that in order to keep his job.

Welcome to CPS - where they hold students accountable, but not the CPS Sports Administration office under the direction of Calvin Davis and soccer adminstrator Juan Espinoza.

As I've always said, don't let the truth get in the way of the facts...meaning someone can say something to get you to believe them, but the facts tell the real story.

So let's look at soccer in CPS. This will be a first in a series of reports.

I've covered soccer in the city for seven years now. As one city coach said to me recently, I've probably covered more games in the city than any other reporter still working today.

If you like to play on unsafe fields with no grass, come play in the city.

Welcome to CPS soccer.

Latin High School reached out to CPS years ago to see if they wanted to be apart of a new turf field that is currently being built in Lincoln Park. According to a source that was involved in the discussions, CPS agreed at first only to pull out later.

I receive countless calls and emails each season from coaches and parents asking why CPS hasn't addressed this issue. My response has always been - you tell me?

Did you know every year with the Pepsi Showdown, city teams do not have a home field? Last year, the tournament went to the CPS Sports Administration office to ask for ways to help promote soccer in the city only to be told there wasn't anything they could do. With the help of a few city coaches, the tournament rented and paid for a field through the Chicago Park District so city teams could have a home game.

Did you know every year the IHSA is forced to beg St. Ignatius High School to host a sectional full of city teams, because the city says it doesn't have the fields? Don't believe me? Call the St. Ignatius athletic department. Each year, IHSA assistant executive director Beth Sauser asks me if I know of any new fields in the city.

There are challenges everywhere, we all realize that. But is this just accepted year after year? With all due respect to Young coach Ian McCarthy, I'm tired of listening to people trying to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what. You can only spin a story for so long, and the spinning has been going on for the past seven years from CPS Sports Administration regarding this issue.

I've walked the no-grass fields for seven years, I've listened to coaches tell me the same problems year after year and I've seen the disorganization with my own two eyes.

The student-athletes and the taxpayers deserve more, and quite frankly, so do the underpaid coaches.

McCarthy was one city coach who pounded on me to cover soccer in the city more a few years back. I have and will continue to. And guess what? I've seen the same problems, too.

My question to Dr. Kenner, McCarthy and everyone else in CPS is this: When is CPS going to address the lack of quality facilities for student-athletes playing soccer?

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Good morning Arne Duncan, Calvin Davis and Juan Espinoza.

I hope you had a great holiday season and that your New Year is off to an outstanding start. But I see nothing has changed when it comes to your support of CPS soccer and its athletes.

I received a couple calls last week, two emails yesterday and then another email this morning. It's amazing how it's not even soccer season and the CPS system - behind your leadership - continues to ignore soccer. As one private school athletic director said to me two years ago, if it wasn't for a handful of organized CPS coaches - who knows what CPS soccer would look like. I hope you guys sent holiday gifts and thank you cards to Ian McCarthy (Young) and Andrew Ricks (Lane Tech) among others.

Here's a brief piece of an email I received from a disgusted CPS coach:

"The CPS system is not the best and I bet you anything it will not improve. CPS can't find time to schedule just one CPS soccer game at Toyota Park, while other CPS programs continue to play at Wrigley Field, U.S. Cellular, Solider Field and the United Center. Now I hear the all-star game is going to be held at the Odium? Why can't CPS provide some money for the game to be at the Sears Centre? This is CPS at its worst."

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I thought life was good.

Airfare from Midway to Fort Lauderdale on Southwest - $60 each way.

Hotel on South Beach - $110 a night via Priceline.

Sun - ZERO.

Welcome to South Beach this past weekend. Lovely, let me tell you. While it was overcast the entire weekend, it was in the mid 70s - so I know...cry me a river. But I did catch a little high school soccer (Florida just started its state playoffs) and saw Dwayne Wade take on LeBron James last night.

Nevertheless, I've received dozens of emails over the past week regarding the recent blogs. It's interesting to see what major Division I college coaches think. And now, lucky you, you'll get to see what I think.

Honestly, my main thought is to each their own. I grew up playing baseball, and I would've died to play baseball year round and travel half as much as some younger athletes do today. My sister, who played softball at Sandburg and at UIC, has already traveled to more places than I may in my entire life.

Are kids playing too much? To each their own. Each person is different. But the physical activity, the social relationships and experiences they gain can't be overlooked. What kid wouldn't want to travel to the Disney Soccer Showcase over the holidays, get out of the cold and hangout with their friends?

As for the whole high school/club debate, it sort of cracks me up now. I have club coaches who say I'm pro high school, and high school coaches who say I'm pro club. Blah, blah, blah, ego, ego, ego.

Guess what? I'm pro kid, and that's what some of the idoits involved in this sport tend to forget.

If a kid wants to play high school - great. I believe, and always will, that there are many benefits to playing high school - even for the best soccer player around. Look at the number of professional players that have played high school from the area. I love the Brad Guzan reference, because he played for a major club (Chicago Magic), played for a small high school (Class A Providence), played for a so-so college soccer program (South Carolina), plays in the MLS, the U.S. Men's National Team and will most likely be in Europe someday...maybe this season.

And that's just one of the thousands of examples on the boys and girls side.

Soccer experts from all over can say a kid needs to this or that, but again - look at every other sport. Nine out of 10 times, the best athletes play high school. Just because you play high school doesn't always mean you aren't getting the best coaching or experience. Tony Kees (Conant), Markus Roy (York) and Alex Hernandez (Lyons) all coached high school soccer, and now they are coaching for the Fire Academy. Mike Matkovich (Chicago Magic) and Rory Dames (Eclipse) played and coached high school.

I think it's safe to say all five of these guys turned out all right.

But with all of that said, there are more opportunities out there these days for kids. If a high school player wants to play club, let them. I think it's horrible when a high school coach pressures a high school student to play soccer. It goes on all the time and it's sad. I've listened to kids tell me stories of where a coach, who teaches in the school, stops talking to them. To be honest, if that happens this year - every coach that does that should be fired.

Club has made the sport better and will continue to improve it.

The problem here is the IHSA-YSO. I have finally realized it needs to allow kids to do both during the same season. Other states do it, and it works fine. Allow the kids to travel to major recruiting tournaments during the season. Players today are playing for college scholarships and hopefully the love of the game.

As I pointed out last week, there were more college coaches at this year's Disney Soccer Showcase than I have seen at every high school soccer game I have covered over the past 12 years combined.

High school is second class in the recruiting scene and always will be. As Lake Zurich girls soccer coach Pete Ternes said to me last week - the IHSA-YSO doesn't care about having the best soccer players play high school or getting the best teams to the state finals.

The average team and average player's money is as good as the best team and best player's money. People nail club, saying it's all money. At the end of the day, some need to look at the IHSA-YSO and ask the same question.

If people are willing to pay, nothing is going to change. And until that changes, as I said - to each their own.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Are major recruiting events a good thing or are there too many? This is the fourth in a series of comments this week from major Division I coaches from around the country who attended the Disney Soccer Showcase along with yours truly. Next week, I'll tell you where I stand.

North Carolina women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance spoke Tuesday, followed by Tennessee women's soccer coach Ange Kelly on Wednesday and Notre Dame women's soccer coach Randy Waldrum on Thursday.

Today, as promised, you'll hear from UCLA women's soccer coach Jillian Ellis:

“The way recruiting has changed over the years is two-fold. I have players calling me now asking what my offer is, and it’s a trend that is not going to go away. You can try to put a limitation on the recruiting, but some coaches will then get in touch with a player if they need to via a third party.

“There is tremendous pressure when it comes to recruiting now. I think the kids feel the pressure to get a scholarship. Instead of using the opportunity to spend more time looking at schools and their programs, kids are looking as early as possible, and some are deciding by the end of their sophomore year.

“I think that’s why you are seeing more transfers now than ever before. By the time a player is a senior, there are going to be a lot of cases where a school and the program are no longer a fit. There really is this aggressive mentality when it comes to recruiting.

“The Disney Soccer Showcase is one of the premier tournaments around, but it’s also tough because there are some coaches that want to spend the holidays with their families. The Las Vegas Showcase in March is another great tournament to see players from all over, too. It will be interesting to see how the future of recruiting is if there is a recruiting calendar for college coaches.”

Up next: Yours truly (as soon as I return from sunny, warm Miami). Until then, let's hear your thoughts.

- Joe Trost