Chicago Fire Juniors
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Fire Juniors are the youth club affiliate of the Chicago Fire professional soccer club with branches in Chicago, NW Indiana, West Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. Established in 2004 as the official youth soccer club of Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire, the Chicago Fire Juniors are the only professionally based youth soccer club in the United States. The technical director of the Juniors is Larry Sunderland, also the head coach of the Chicago Fire Premier
PDL team. The Director of Coaching is Trey Bradberry. Operations are managed by Director of Business Operations, Ady Gray, and Club Administrator, Megan Bushue, who is responsible for the daily administrative duties of the club. For 2009, the Chicago Fire Juniors Boys teams are IL State Cup Champions at U15, U16 and U19.
, PDL
) – finally, onto the Fire MLS team. The Chicago Fire Juniors, in association with the Chicago Red Eleven of the women’s W-League
, replicate the Player Development Pyramid for females by providing young ladies the opportunity to play at the highest levels presently available in the United States.
The Chicago Fire Juniors have demonstrated results in the top state leagues, regional leagues and national leagues (NISL
Premiership, MRL, US Club, Super Y, USYS National League, USSF Academy), as well as overseas. The players are recognized on Olympic Developmental Program, Regional and National Teams. The teams participate in the most prestigious of tournaments including the Dallas Cup
, Disney Soccer Showcase, Orange Classic, Raleigh Invite and Final Four Showcases. Many Chicago Fire Juniors alumni graduate to college soccer.
to form their initial Chicago youth soccer flagship as a program of the Wheaton Illinois Park District. They then absored the Naperville Lightning, a successful club in Naperville
.
Chicago Fire Premier
Chicago Fire Premier is an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at...
PDL team. The Director of Coaching is Trey Bradberry. Operations are managed by Director of Business Operations, Ady Gray, and Club Administrator, Megan Bushue, who is responsible for the daily administrative duties of the club. For 2009, the Chicago Fire Juniors Boys teams are IL State Cup Champions at U15, U16 and U19.
Overview
The Chicago Fire Juniors are part of the Chicago Fire Player Development Program and are an integral piece of the Player Development Pyramid. This "Pyramid" creates a progressive developmental structure providing players the opportunity to move from introductory play, competitive play and elite youth play into professional academy formats (Fire Academy U16, U18) and professional development programs (Super-20Super-20 League
The United Soccer Leagues Super-20 League is an American-Canadian soccer league for players 17 to 20 years of age. Introduced in 2006 it took the place of the U-19 age bracket in the Super Y-League....
, PDL
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
) – finally, onto the Fire MLS team. The Chicago Fire Juniors, in association with the Chicago Red Eleven of the women’s W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
, replicate the Player Development Pyramid for females by providing young ladies the opportunity to play at the highest levels presently available in the United States.
The Chicago Fire Juniors have demonstrated results in the top state leagues, regional leagues and national leagues (NISL
Northern Illinois Soccer League
The Northern Illinois Soccer League was founded in 1975 by Peter G. Richardson. The league is a competitive youth soccer organization for boys and girls, ages U8 through U19...
Premiership, MRL, US Club, Super Y, USYS National League, USSF Academy), as well as overseas. The players are recognized on Olympic Developmental Program, Regional and National Teams. The teams participate in the most prestigious of tournaments including the Dallas Cup
Dallas Cup
The Dallas Cup is an international football tournament for invited youth teams, held annually in Dallas, Texas. It was first held in 1980. The current champion is Cruzeiro...
, Disney Soccer Showcase, Orange Classic, Raleigh Invite and Final Four Showcases. Many Chicago Fire Juniors alumni graduate to college soccer.
History
Established in 2004, the Juniors formed by the combination of two existing youth clubs in WheatonWheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
to form their initial Chicago youth soccer flagship as a program of the Wheaton Illinois Park District. They then absored the Naperville Lightning, a successful club in Naperville
Naperville, Illinois
Naperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,...
.
External links
- Chicago Fire Juniors - Hub Club Naperville (IL)
- Chicago Fire Juniors North (IL)
- Chicago Fire Juniors South (IL)
- Chicago Fire Juniors Northwestern Indiana (IN)
- Chicago Fire Juniors West Michigan (MI)
- Chicago Fire Juniors Louisiana (LA)
- Chicago Fire Juniors Mississippi (MS)
- Chicago Fire Juniors Florida (FL)
- Chicago Fire Premier, amateur PDL team (U20 and U23)
- Chicago Fire Academy, Chicago-based development academy (U16 and U18)
- Chicago Fire Soccer Club, official club website