Chicago City Soccer Club

THANK YOU FROM OUR FOUNDER

Happy New Year from everyone at the club. We wish you all the very best in 2023. It has been a pivotal year for the organization that has brought some positive changes throughout the organization. We took on a Change Management process internally throughout the last 12 months on and off the field which we believe has been extremely impactful and raised the standards throughout. Change is always a challenge and so I would like to thank you for your patience and support through the process, and also a big thank you to our amazing staff who have come together more than ever on and off the field to create a special environment that we are very proud of. CITY has always been more than just a soccer club. We are a community of people who are passionate about youth sports and the benefits it provides in young people’s lives. A key component to this being successful is our coaching staff who work with our young athletes every day and we feel we have been able to make some key adjustments and additions this fall.

Through our newly established CITY CARE Model our staff have come together in a more collaborative environment to help develop the culture throughout the organization. You can learn more about our amazing team in the newsletter by clicking on their picture which will take you to their bio. We are proud to have such a diverse group of coaches bringing so much variety of cultures within the game and with the announcement of the USLA Girls Academy this month we will continue to look to add strong female coaches in the future. Thank you once again for your continued support.

Happy New Year to you and your family from our City family.

NICK MULVANEY CEO Chicago City Soccer Club

BEHIND THE BADGE

As with most other insignia for organizations, every element of Chicago City SC’s crest is a result of a deliberate choice with great significance behind it. For Chicago City SC’s badge, the story begins over a decade ago when Club founder Nick Mulvaney was appointed

SKYLINE

As far as the elements of the crest go, the Chicago skyline is not only one of the most iconic and recognizable but also extremely dynamic. The skyline view changes based on where people are in the city, and so Chicago City can be a point of unification for all 77 neighborhoods.

CHICAGO FLAG

Another iconic and recognizable element to the crest is the Chicago flag. Chicago City’s goal is to celebrate all the different components of the city that make it uniquely Chicago.

As the goal for the organization was to become the club for the city it was key to ensure it represented the whole city which the white bars do along with the two blue bars that represent the two prominent bodies of water.

The red stars within the flag on the crest commemorate four of the greatest events in the city’s history and Chicago City SC wants to build on the work of those who have come before them.

Director of Coaching of Chicago Lakefront Attack Soccer Club.

New to the City of Chicago, Nick quickly immersed himself into the culture, and tells the story of knocking on many unanswered doors throughout the City while trying to understand the youth soccer landscape and build relationships to help elevate the club.

CHICAGO CITY

Chicago City SC was important to the branding of the club as many youth clubs throughout the Chicagoland area had the name Chicago in front of their name but operated in the suburbs. Chicago City would not only become a club in the city but for the city. It was also a tough decision between Soccer Club and Football Club but because soccer was the American term used, SC was added.

The intentionality and purposefulness of the Chicago City SC crest translate into every project that the club takes on. The badge itself serves as a reminder of the importance of that value.

THE LION AND LIONNESS

These are a nod to the famous lion sculptures on Michigan Avenue that act as guardians of the city. Mulvaney saw that as a perfect allegory of his desire to have Chicago City SC continue to push the boundaries within the soccer industry by representing Chicago in a positive manner.

IT’S IN OUR CULTURE

WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY & SUPPORT.

Chicago City is both saddened and outraged by the tragic events and countless inequalities experienced across our communities. Inclusion and diversity are at the epicenter of everything we stand for at Chicago City and now more than even, we are committed to bringing our communities together through sport to be the healing and permanent change needed.

It is our duty to protect the communities in which we play, and we hope that as a Chicago City Family, we can stand together stronger than ever and be the change that we want to see. Our thoughts and prayers are with the many individuals, communities and families that have suffered during this time. We can, and all must, do better.

WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN

We understand the importance of Mental Health and incorporate strategies into our training to ensure and promote discussion. If you are struggling and need someone to talk to, we are here and we will listen!

It is OK, to NOT be OK!

LGTBQ SAFEZONE

Members of our staff have undergone training to ensure that we are an LGBTQIA+ Safe Zone. If anyone needs help, advice or someone to talk to, please contact us.

A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AROUND US

Our coaches undergo annual mandated reporter training to ensure that we prevent, recognize, respond to and report child sexual abuse. In collaboration with the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center - our coaches continue to ensure that we are protecting our members and understanding our roles within the community.

USA - IOWA/OHIO/BALTIMORE

SHELBY KINDL Coach USA - Iowa

KYLE ORTMAN Head of Performance USA - Ohio

TOM PAPAROUNIS Head of Goalkeeper Development USA - Baltimore

DREW GOETZ Assistant Coach USA - Ohio

ALLISON ROSS Assistant Coach USA - Ohio

JOSH ACEVEDO

JOSH CLARK Head of Recruitment New Zealand

MACIEJ KANAS USL Pro Operations Poland

OMER HADZIC Academy Technical Director Bosnia

PEDJA MAKSIMOVIC Coach Liaison Serbia

POLAND BOSNIA SERBIA NEW ZEALAND

TESTIMONIALS

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING FAMILIES

Absolutely love Chicago City Soccer. The coaching and leadership really care about the kids, from character development to how they perform on the pitch! They put so much thought into every step of the team’s growth - it’s truly impressive and we’re grateful to have become part of City’s family!

E McBride

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

My kids play multiple sports and have been part of many clubs and Chicago City just does it right. They promote an atmosphere where children of any skill can develop at their own pace and love the game. All of the coaches are hard working, caring, and make the game super fun. I’ve recommended City to my friends and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for not only a soccer team but a soccer family and amazing community. My child’s love for soccer has grown exponentially and it’s a true testament when he says that Chicago City is the best in the whole entire world!

Kim T

HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT

Chicago City Soccer Club is an outstanding organization that provides young athletes a comprehensive and well rounded training, covering their growth physically, mentally, and emotionally. The coaches are amazing and they take their time to individualize their trainings based on the athletes needs. Overall, a great place for your child to grow and develop as a soccer player and a well rounded individual.

Z. Razo

GIRLS USL ACADEMY 23-24

An incredible time to be part of soccer in Chicago as the sport continues to grow providing more opportunities for our players. With more opportunities comes more confusion for players and their families and so we want to be able to provide an overview to help with that process. It is key CITY helps support our members with the correct information to help you understand the process of attaining your goals within the sport.

The USL Pathway is built for players looking to develop within a full professional platform that creates opportunities for players to play professionally but also to prepare young high school players for college soccer while

maintaining their collegiate eligibility. USL W on the girls side will provide a strong platform for players preparing for college level play as it provides a training and game environment with existing collegiate players. Step one of this process is playing within the USL Super Y Program in the summer season to then joining our NEW USLA programming kicking off in Fall 2023 preparing for the USLA Cup in March 2024. We will be launching our USLA Pre Academy this Winter & Spring in preparation for the 2023-24 season which is outlined below. Chicago City SC can proudly say it is the first and only USL Academy club in the state of Illinois and with our USL W (Women’s) we can now provide a true player pathway for our players.

CHICAGO CITY WEST REVIEW FROM

COACH DARREN

2022 was a very big year for Chicago City West as we continued to grow and expand across our two locations.

BLOOMINGDALE

Over in Bloomingdale our high school boys teams had a very successful Spring season, competing in the NPL and YSSL leagues, with our 2005’s finishing as YSSL D2 Champions. We are delighted to welcome many of our high school boys back for another year, and with the addition of some very talented new players to the club, we expect to have two very strong high school boys teams competing in NPL for Spring 2023.

At the younger age groups, Coach Tony has done an amazing job recruiting and building 2013 & 2015 teams. These boys and girls have been working hard to master the fundamentals of the game and had their inaugural YSSL Fall season in 2022. We are extremely excited to see this group of talented kids grow and develop over the coming months and years! We were also delighted to finalise our partnership with Bloomingdale Park District in which Chicago City will offer recreational soccer programs for the Bloomingdale community. This already kicked off with a fun Winter Soccer Camp in December and will continue in January 2023 when we launch our Mini City Soccer programs.

TRI-CITIES

Our Tri-Cities location also had another great year both on and off the field. Our amazing 2009 Girls were undefeated in the IWSL Fall Season, our high school girls played their first season in the very competitive NPL league and we launched our high school boys program, welcoming a roster of 18 boys to Chicago City West. These ambitious athletes are excited to represent Chicago City West, preparing for the Spring NPL season and attending college ID events and showcases hoping to progress their journey and play college soccer!

Off the field our players, staff and families took part in a number of community events and projects led by our Community Liaison Michele Donahue, which both increased our exposure and gave back to our community. These events included Batavia Batfest & 5k, Scarecrowfest St. Charles, Chicago Red Stars Game and Christmas fundraising for The Salvation Army.

Here at Chicago City West we are excited for the future and expecting a BIG 2023!

HAPPY NEW YEAR