A, the pitch. This is the fourth school - fourth high school - that I have been a coach @, and the first where I run the program totally. In some ways that's good. It's a challenge I really relish. It's also something that HAS to be don - the amount of attention shown to the soccer programs here.... is .... just a lot less than @ other schools. I'll freely admit that I was shocked @ the level (LOW) of interest here. I have hinted @ this before, but if the soccer program is rerailed correctly - or maybe run rightly for the first time - this school has a terribly deep potential to be a power not only in the city but maybe even in the state - and, it's if I can manage it. There are many things about this school soccer wise that could make it into a power.
First, it's gigantic. It's not the biggest school in the city - but it may be the second. So-lots of womanpower to draw from.
This being Chicago, I also have to point out that we are very Hispanic (mainly Chicanos born here, but still Latin as hell). In the suburbs, the main power teams all lily white. It's kinda laughable that this ultimate working class sport (worldwide) is heavily a suburban thing in the States. In the city, the same thing applies: the premier Division, the top eight teams in the city, generally have three or four teams - Uoy, Yat, and Csn, come to mind - that are dominated by white kids. The other three or four teams, however, are Hispanic dominated -as are most of the other teams in the city. A few teams, when they have a Polish coach and are in a Polish Neighbourhood, may have several Poles on the team. So, although we don't draw from exactly the same crowds as these magnet schools, we being a heavily Hispanic school means we have a somewhat heavy background in soccer. So, our demographic helps a bit in that we have a population @ our school that is really into soccer, as are their parents and frenz etc. We don't get the 'magnet white suburban like' kids the North side schools get, but I love our kids and that potential, and partially because.... ... we are a great school. This school, as a city school, has always had a good rep. Generally speaking, unless you count Whitney young as a South side school - technically it's south of Madison - my school has the best rep -deserved - of any school here.
We are a school for a lot of diff types of kids. We got lots of special Ed kids, lots of technical kids working w/ their hands, and lots of neighbourhood kids - but also we get art kids, - painters, actors, television types, guitarists, painters, sculptors, writers, etc etc etc.... I bet it'd be no big deal @ St. Charles or Marist, but for a city school - the atmosphere is wondrous. Any school that has purple haired kids and gay kids not getting hassled is kool by me. So - we got lots of funky, smart, dedicated kids. Hardworking. I love that element. Tant mieux pour nous.
And finally, we are a Southside schhol. Fuck that North side shit. Growing up in Marquette Park we always breathed that air that we all fully realised - without relaizing - that was just a little bit kooler and hepper that any air in any place humans have so far discovered. Yes, I know I know I know - but what am I to write - that we didn't breath this air ? So, all of breathed w/out knowing - but that breath of life made us distinct (yes- like you are distinct too - but having that label - or should I say rank - of Marquette Park'r .... ). So - for me - this school is very near my old hood. Ha dI not gone to St. Rita and instead gone to a CPS school, I prob. would nt have gone to this school - but also, we when we were little we would walk here and win it's pool. So - this school, although a bit outside the 'hood - was close enough for us to have somewhat of a claim on it. Close enough to make sure, displayed in front of them, that I POSTURE PRIDE IN THE 'HOOD always - and thereby demonstrate this pride and my part in it. I'm always tellin''m that this block is the one I grew up on, or I'll point out the window and say I grew up right over there a few blocks away (really, I grew up about 2m away - by the way an American Crow flies), or that we used to swim here. .. etc etc etc. Again - an attempt to foster pride in themselves and make sure they know they are special, unique, and valuable. They see/hear their coach babble on about the especialness of myself because of where i grew up - and they will internalize that they them lives also are especial.
And hammer it in again again and again and again.
So - we have a lot of kids to draw from, specially smart and dedicated kids, from an ethnic background that values the sport, and from the koolest and most prestigious part of town to grow up in.
So - the girls that I have are beyond great: but we got some problems. That's next.
First, it's gigantic. It's not the biggest school in the city - but it may be the second. So-lots of womanpower to draw from.
This being Chicago, I also have to point out that we are very Hispanic (mainly Chicanos born here, but still Latin as hell). In the suburbs, the main power teams all lily white. It's kinda laughable that this ultimate working class sport (worldwide) is heavily a suburban thing in the States. In the city, the same thing applies: the premier Division, the top eight teams in the city, generally have three or four teams - Uoy, Yat, and Csn, come to mind - that are dominated by white kids. The other three or four teams, however, are Hispanic dominated -as are most of the other teams in the city. A few teams, when they have a Polish coach and are in a Polish Neighbourhood, may have several Poles on the team. So, although we don't draw from exactly the same crowds as these magnet schools, we being a heavily Hispanic school means we have a somewhat heavy background in soccer. So, our demographic helps a bit in that we have a population @ our school that is really into soccer, as are their parents and frenz etc. We don't get the 'magnet white suburban like' kids the North side schools get, but I love our kids and that potential, and partially because.... ... we are a great school. This school, as a city school, has always had a good rep. Generally speaking, unless you count Whitney young as a South side school - technically it's south of Madison - my school has the best rep -deserved - of any school here.
We are a school for a lot of diff types of kids. We got lots of special Ed kids, lots of technical kids working w/ their hands, and lots of neighbourhood kids - but also we get art kids, - painters, actors, television types, guitarists, painters, sculptors, writers, etc etc etc.... I bet it'd be no big deal @ St. Charles or Marist, but for a city school - the atmosphere is wondrous. Any school that has purple haired kids and gay kids not getting hassled is kool by me. So - we got lots of funky, smart, dedicated kids. Hardworking. I love that element. Tant mieux pour nous.
And finally, we are a Southside schhol. Fuck that North side shit. Growing up in Marquette Park we always breathed that air that we all fully realised - without relaizing - that was just a little bit kooler and hepper that any air in any place humans have so far discovered. Yes, I know I know I know - but what am I to write - that we didn't breath this air ? So, all of breathed w/out knowing - but that breath of life made us distinct (yes- like you are distinct too - but having that label - or should I say rank - of Marquette Park'r .... ). So - for me - this school is very near my old hood. Ha dI not gone to St. Rita and instead gone to a CPS school, I prob. would nt have gone to this school - but also, we when we were little we would walk here and win it's pool. So - this school, although a bit outside the 'hood - was close enough for us to have somewhat of a claim on it. Close enough to make sure, displayed in front of them, that I POSTURE PRIDE IN THE 'HOOD always - and thereby demonstrate this pride and my part in it. I'm always tellin''m that this block is the one I grew up on, or I'll point out the window and say I grew up right over there a few blocks away (really, I grew up about 2m away - by the way an American Crow flies), or that we used to swim here. .. etc etc etc. Again - an attempt to foster pride in themselves and make sure they know they are special, unique, and valuable. They see/hear their coach babble on about the especialness of myself because of where i grew up - and they will internalize that they them lives also are especial.
And hammer it in again again and again and again.
So - we have a lot of kids to draw from, specially smart and dedicated kids, from an ethnic background that values the sport, and from the koolest and most prestigious part of town to grow up in.
So - the girls that I have are beyond great: but we got some problems. That's next.
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