Facebook App
If you know me, you know I'm bluntly honest to a fault. I hate spin jobs, and I dislike salesmen more than the beets my parents tried to make me eat when I was younger (also known as a form of child abuse I believe).
So let's be blunt: How many all-African American girls soccer teams will compete in the Chicagoland area this spring?
A handful - maybe - and that's pushing it.
Isn't that amazing? I think so. To this day, Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in America. And sadly when it comes to soccer in this area, no one is willing to come from the suburbs to help start a solid soccer program in the city.
The Illinois Youth Soccer Association (IYSA) has its inner-city youth program, which has contributed more than $1 million since 1992 to soccer programs for at-risk children living in some of the most economically disadvantaged communities in Chicago.
But you want to know why soccer hasn't blossomed in the city yet?
Money - it's all about dollars and cents. You want a black and white answer, there you go.
There are plenty of athletes in Chicago, and soccer is one the cheapest sports for children to play at an early age.
But how many true club programs are there in the city? When is the last time you saw an Eclipse Select, Chicago Magic, Sockers or Windy City Pride team training in the city?
Eclipse Select has its area programs now. Why isn't there an Eclipse Select city program? I'm not picking Eclipse Select, I'm trying to get people to open their eyes.
It's not as if African Americans don't play soccer. Look at the national stage. I have seen some outstanding African American players at the high school level over the years, too.
So who is helping soccer grow in the city?
The Chicago Fire? I don't see soccer fields being built and donated like the Chicago Cubs and White Sox have done with inner-city baseball.
What is the IHSA doing to help promote soccer in the inner city? When was the last time IHSA assistant executive director Beth Sauser attended a game in the city? I've never seen an IHSA official from the Bloomington Ivy Tower in the city at a soccer game.
If IHSA executive director Marty Hickman comes to a game with me and presents a plan to help promote soccer in the city, I'll buy new Nike uniforms for a Public League program this spring.
What about the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA). What is it doing? Anything? Maybe host a coaching clinic for once in the city. Maybe have your all-state players give back with a little community service and host a clinic?
And we all know, well I know, the Public League office is useless when it comes to supporting soccer. I know I ruffle feathers at the CPS mess on Clark St. each time I say this (and I'm sorry), but are you seriously going to continue to make a case you are doing something?
You robbed the Tin Man's house last fall to refurbish the stands at Rockne Stadium, which haven't been full in my lifetime, when you could've taken that money and invested in turf at Rockne.
Imagine that, a turf field in the city for soccer (and football) teams to use. Another year, another year of blah, blah, blah and no plan.
But hey folks, stay off the stadium grass - we want it to grow for football.
Clinics, fundraisers - anything? Outside of a few Public League coaches and parents, who have banged their heads against a brick wall yearly to help the sport, no one else is supporting.
UIC, Loyola and DePaul - you can't give a little back?
If no one helps soccer in the city, it won't grow.
So who does care?
Stay tuned.
- Joe Trost
Cell Phone Alerts
This is an outstanding article Joe. I too have always silently wondered why soccer was not being promoted in the city. The talent pool is there, they just don't have the same opportunities as the suburban (mainly caucasian) kids have. This is not to blame the suburban leagues, because they are outstanding, but it just highlights the discrepency in interest and funding when it comes to city and suburban soccer. The only way the United States will ever win the world cup is if it starts to develop african american youths to play soccer. This may sound extreme but it is a painful fact...
As a fan of Public Leauge sports for over 20 years, I'd like to comment on your blog post. I can attest to many of the things you say and admire your brutal honesty in this manner.
Usually, I hate to compare but it is relevant in this case. In my opinion, here are the top CPS sports when it comes to comparing the CPS versus average suburban sports programs (e.g. Maine East, Leyden, Stagg, etc)
1. Basketball
2. Girls Track
3. Boys Cross Country
4. Boys Soccer
5. Boys Track
6. Girls Cross Country
7. most of the other sports
As you can see, boys soccer ranks about 4th and girls soccer goes into the other category. So, soccer - at least on the boys side is pretty high compared to the other sports. You gotta admit a school like Lakeview coming 4th in the state last year in class AA is a success story. Lakeview beat Ridgewood and Marian (Woodstock) to get there. Also, in class AAA I thinks schools like Lane Tech, Farragut, Kelly, and Juarez can compete against average suburban programs. So there are some success stories in the Public League. Check out my blog post for more info:
http://neilski.typepad.com/wwwlanetechfancom_blog/2008/08/boys-soccer-thriving-in-the-public-league.html
I agree with you money is a factor. But I really feel the CPS has money. What it comes down to is passion. Despite the obstacles, a school like Lakeview and Kelly makes it in boys soccer due to pure passion. Of course it would help them if the CPS were more willing. Obviously, the passion is there in basketball and that is why you see all the basketball success (Marshall and Whitney Young just made it downstate in girls basketball, etc).
The passion is there in boys soccer. Over 100 players tryed out for boys soccer at Lane Tech. I support you rblog post that much more needs to be done after players. The rest of the soccer community will need to contribute their passion for the sport. The solution is not all government money. I want to see more passion in the whole community.
Neil Hernandez
Publisher
www.LaneTechFan.com
Alright Joe, you got me out of my cave, I’ll respond…I love my city. Great questions and thoughts. Everyone, I know my response is long but hear me out.
+African-American girls soccer teams: you need someone at the school to start the program. Kids want to play. Actually, they want to play any sport. They want to belong, wear a jersey, be able to say “I play on this team.” It takes passion, sacrifice, and a great deal of hard work to build a program from scratch. Every school in this city could have a girls soccer team; we need adults to step up and offer the time, patience, and understanding. Taking the team “elite” level requires a great deal. The teams that win state cups, state titles, etc., do they develop the player from scratch? Or do they have players coming to them with most of the technical development established/started? I mention this because what are we talking about in regards to starting solid soccer programs: 6 year olds or 14 year olds, high school or club?
FYI: CPS HS varsity head coaches get paid $4800 before taxes. A 1st year coach gets paid the same amount as a 20th year coach. A coach whose team does not compete in the IHSA state playoffs gets paid the same amount as the coach who makes it to the state’s final four weekend. Any takers? Today, I am sure club coaches in the city are paid little to nothing for their services. The reason they coach: love of the game & city, pride, and the desire to compete.
+We do not need people from the suburbs to come to the city and solidify our game. On the other hand, if they want to help, great. We need to step up and strengthen our soccer community. No offense to suburbanites Joe, but there is a reason why they are out there in the first place...and keep moving farther away. You mention these largely suburban entities and their lack of support for inner-city soccer. Their mentality is not city-based. I believe they have a very difficult time relating to us. They offer their token days to the kids of the city, but are not able to establish anything permanent. Five years ago, I asked the Benders (IYSA) for support of a club of Chicago kids (ironically at an event where inner-city kids were bused out to Oak Brook for a clinic day) they brushed it off and said that they already were doing enough in the city. They never contacted me after our meeting. Gus Bender was a regular spectator at Chitown, Calumet Park, CHASE games. Why weren’t these teams/clubs brought into the larger mix?
+There are/were solid programs in the city. Are they allowed to compete? I’ll use SEYSA (Southeast Youth Soccer Association) Pumas as a prime example. Ask people who really knew youth soccer at the end of the 90s which club played some of the best soccer in Northern Illinois: attractive, possessive, tricky, heart-filled. SEYSA Pumas were it. No disrespect to the Sockers and the Chicago Magic, but more often than not, the Pumas had your number in area tournaments. Skill & flair vs. power & long ball. SEYSA wanted to play in NISL. NISL did not bring them into the league. My sources said that SEYSA was told that they were located too far away. Their location: Calumet Park. Was it too far? I remember traveling to Rockford from the Southside of Chicago for Platinum Division games. Hmmm…I think the Pumas were a threat to the powers of NISL.
Chicagoans remember how they were dismissed, mistreated, treated with disdain. I sat in a seeding meeting where Peter Richardson told us smaller clubs that we should start sending our better players to the Super-Clubs all in the name of Project 2010. During his pitch, I was able to ask him about scholarships for the players that could not afford Super-Club costs. Richardson did not seem to want to offer that financial aid. To be fair, I am positive that the Sockers and Magic offer grant scholarships, but how many? Are they looking for the best players regardless of race, background, geography? On the flipside, how many kids are willing to leave the city to play with them? I understand why they may not.
+To further the point, our team used Morgan Park HS for one year to play NISL games. All, but one team (an HF team) called to see if we would prefer to travel to them. Two coaches cited that the parents did not want their kids playing in “that” area. NISL backed up one team in their request…we traveled to Cary twice that fall season. I remember similar complaints made to you (Trost) this fall when we hosted a Pepsi Showdown game at Marquette Park. My staff and team appreciated you sticking up for the city and our field at that moment.
I learned a great thing from the negativity of others: I live in the greatest place on earth. Hell, if the nay-sayers are running from it, it must be the best. As long as my own kids are willing, I expose them to all of it, soccer and beyond. City, Suburbs…Eclipse South, AYSO, Beverly Futsal, Chitown, Dolton, Marquette Park, Englewood, Woodlawn, Whitney Young. Each has something outstanding to offer and each has its deficiencies. Hopefully, my kids will grow to respect it all. As they get older, nothing would make me prouder than Esme and Ellavieve sharing who they are and what they know with their community.
+By blossomed, what do you mean? Are we talking rankings? Are we talking Super-Clubs? Are we talking people from the suburbs bringing their kids to the city to play as a measure of solid?
+African-Americans are playing soccer. I agree with the fact that when I travel out to suburbs I do not see many African-Americans playing the game, but then again what percentage of the population in Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Winnetka, LaGrange, Orland, New Lenox, etc. is African-American? To be blunt, I do not see many African-Americans in these communities. If there, are they be encouraged to play. In the city, more African-Americans would play if it existed more regularly in our community, if it was encouraged by the adults. As I said, one must have a great desire to start something that does not previously exist. One must take chances and authentically offer himself/herself to the community. The community will respond.
+I think our whole national soccer identity would drastically improve if we rethought what we build in regards to the beautiful game. We need more futsal/five-a-side courts. We do not need huge complexes or permit-required 120 x 80 fields to improve or introduce our game. We need tight, accessible, fast-paced, creative canvasses. Look at a majority of our club, HS, and college teams…what kind of soccer do they play? How creative, how skilled, how thoughtful, how composed is it? What happens when the USA plays other nations outside the CONCACAF? Do we really want to improve first touch? Find a bumpy dirt field to train. A few years back suburban coaches were complaining to Beth Sauser about having to come to the city and play on “football” fields for the state tournament. Yes 55ish by 100ish. Yes, bumpy. Was it the field or the fact that the skill required in the game had changed? I think the skill. Anybody outside the city want to play Kelly HS at Douglass Park or in the gravel parking lot outside Toyota? Joe, you and I have sat through how many Pepsi Showdown Final games at Toyota Park. Every year I see a direct, long ball game being played. All that space, manicured lush grass and we see ball after ball being sprayed every which way. Do we need another perfect 120 X 80 field to foster unimaginative soccer? I agree the city needs more, but is what you suggest what we need to bring the game to the city? BTW: Tennis courts are great for futsal! Let’s start the Empty Lot Initiative.
Ian McCarthy
Whitney Young Magnet
"In order to create there must be a dynamic force. And what force is greater than love?"
AMEN JOE!!!!! Keep up the great blogs & keep bringing attention to the beautiful game!
I think that the CPS League is one of the weakest in state. You just simply can't compare suburbs with the city. New trier for example has 6 soccer fields in a great shape. Schools like Taft,Staimentz and Wells barely have a field. I dont know, if you could actually call it a "field", because sometimes there's even no grass on it. Even in the City Quarterfinals, teams had to play on a field with a huge hole in the ground. Even the "stupid" uniforms are much worse than the one's that suburbs have. The worst part is that there are so many good players in the city that cannot go anywhere after high school because no one cares about CPS League.
Piotr,
I understand your frustration. But one cannot continue to dwell on the things you write of. Even at the city schools where there are established programs, the coaching staff needs to make to a serious commitment to getting the players all that they can: uniforms, looks from colleges, access to fields or training areas. If a coach anywhere just does his/her job for three months, the program will not be good. Fundraising, video editing, letter writing, team building, off-season weightlifting and conditioning, 25 contact days during the summer, etc. It is not a 3 month commitment...13 months in my book!
6 fields? What is truly wrong is the way our school districts are funded. There are great inequities that lead to the problems you address. Assuming that situation is not going to change immediately, what is the remedy? I say work hard harder, be undeniable, and do the maximum with the resouces available- players and coaches...
I have realized that no one is going to come to us and give us anything. There are other negative forces in addition to school funding that keep the current club and hs soccer landscape they way it is. The status quo of comfort, privelege, and vanity dominate this sport. What are you going to do? I say fight, be better, and become the champion you and your community envision. Trust me, the privileged & rich are not taught equality. They are taught to pacify the ill-treated and have-nots with tokens. The are not going to just give you what they have...or even give you half of it.
What say you Corner Kicks?
Ian McCarthy
Whitney Young Magnet
"In order to create there must be a dynamic force. And what force is greater than love?"
Ian,
I love the futsal idea.
I think with the current plethora of empty lots (cleared for development-but on hold or abandoned) in the city and suburbs we could make something work. Obviously, a community needs to see the need for the game. The city is crunched for space so it has become matter of fact. I think some of our players (throughout the city) are great creative dribblers, have wonderful touch, etc. because of "street soccer."
At school we have portable homemade Futsal goals that we use. 6.5 x 10 PVC...back support post weighted with sand inside. Cost: $90. Obviously any cone or small goal set up will work. Back in the good olde days we used a plastic chair. In order to score a goal, you had to knock the chair over...great for accuracy and power.
BTW, I am with Joe on the idea that we need more of the big lush turf fields. I just know that a 50' x 100' is easier to get than a 80y x 120y. Although tennis is a great sport, I see far fewer people playing it throughout the city. The greatest thing? It seems like every park in the city has tennis courts! Time for futsal to emerge.
Ian McCarthy
Whitney Young Magnet
"In order to create there must be a dynamic force. And what force is greater than love?"
I agree w/ the street soccer idea we need more soccer courts like the ones in spain,mexico, or uk