National Champs: North Shore Girls Fuel Local Soccer Team's Title Run

GLENVIEW, IL — A season of hard work paid off with a national championship for a team of local soccer players. The FC-1 Girls U14 Elite team recently won the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Greensboro, North Carolina. The tournament was held from July 7-10. It marks the first national championship for FC-1 Academy, which is based in Glenview.

Coach Kyle Kurz told Patch that the team comprises girls, mostly set to become freshmen in high school this fall, from different local communities on the North Shore. Over the course of nearly three months, they play 15 games together in three states.

Local communities represented include: Glenview, Northbrook, Highland Park, Wilmette, Evanston and Morton Grove.

"During this time, the girls were faced with several elimination games and in each case won with resounding victories," Kurz said. "Even though some girls have played together since they were 5, the team grew together and created friendships and an experience that will last for a lifetime."

According to its website, FC-1 Academy was founded in 2012 and is a "competitive, traveling soccer organization" for U7-U19 boys and girls. The Academy emphasizes excellence by developing individual skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Its philosophy is to "offer a competitive soccer environment focused on developing technical proficiency, tactical understanding, and the physical well-being of our players in a constructive atmosphere."

FC-1 Academy is a member of the Illinois Youth Soccer Association. Boys compete in the following leagues — Young Sportsman Soccer League, Illinois Youth Soccer Association Premiership Division, Midwest Conference. Girls compete in the Illinois Women's Soccer League, Illinois Youth Soccer Association Premiership Division, Midwest Conference. Teams compete against other club league teams with similar skill levels. Each team (except the high school age teams) plays a Fall and Spring season of approximately ten games (excluding tournaments). In addition, teams participate in fall and spring tournaments. Teams also train indoors during the winter and play in an indoor league.

The National Presidents Club event featured 13U-19U boys and girls. Kurz said the tournament is designed for those teams seeking additional challenges to play against teams of similar abilities for a national title.

"The Presidents Cup provides a progressive, competitive experience to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences highlighting competition, camaraderie and community from the state to regional to national levels of US Youth Soccer," Kurz said.

US Youth Soccer Regional Presidents Cup determine the regional qualifiers that will compete in the Presidents Cup. Regional winners in the 13U through 19U groups, both boys and girls, vie for the national title.

"The support from the families and what they did to make this happen with so many multi-sport athletes competing at the same time as this event and eight grade graduations was something to behold," Kurz said.

FC-1 ACADEMY GIRLS U14 ROSTER:

• Nadia Barbieri, Highland Park
• Ella Beach, Northbrook
• Chloe Beach, Glenview
• Reese Crosby, Highland Park
• Jaima Devine, Glenview
• Cecilia Durow, Glenview
• Claire Georgees, Morton Grove
• Tinsae Geyer, Evanston
• Morgan Link, Northbrook
• Caitlyn Panek, Northbrook
• Emily Petersen, Northbrook
• Meghan Rupprecht, Glenview
• Ellie Schneider, Northbrook
• Kaya Schneider, Northbrook
• Catherine Shean, Wilmette
• Lucia Trautman, Chicago
• Jessica Wang, Glenview
• Sophia Wenk, Northbrook

Coach: Kyle Kurz

Managers: Elizabeth Melvin, Dannit Schneider, Tony Youhanna