Chicago House Athletic Club is ready.
On Tuesday, just over a week before their massive US Open Cup tie against Bavarian United, Chicago hosted an open practice and media day event at Trinity Christian College.
Admittedly I was about an hour late thanks to two accidents on I-294 and the fact that I got lost trying to find the practice fields, but when I got there it was clear to see how ready everyone was, from the players to the coaches and even the staff.
The final part of training consisted of two smaller-sided games with a rotating set of teams. There wasn’t much space for the players to operate in, so they had to be sharp with their touches and passes. They were that and then some. At one point I saw a player settle a pass and the ball seemingly stuck to his foot like it was a magnet on a refrigerator door.
There was a bit of everything. Some excellent finishes, and some skied efforts from just a few yards out. A number of solid saves, and a few mishaps from the goalkeepers. There was lighthearted banter at one moment, but then there would be some more harsh yet understandable criticism afterwards. They have a game to prepare for.
One of the highlights came when a goalkeeper went to get a ball that had gone wide before realizing that play was still going on. Despite being in an awful spot, he flew across goal to make a save at the last second, queuing up applause from his teammates and coaches.
Head coach Matt Poland called everyone in for a team talk before giving them one final task for the day. That was a penalty shootout, with everyone taking one (or two, if need be) attempts before they headed home.
It was still early in the day, with practice wrapping up at around 10:30 am, and it was pretty, pretty cold, with temperatures in the high-20’s. However, no one was rushing off. A few players stayed on the field, getting in some extra touches on the ball or doing recovery work. Others were chilling on the sidelines as they changed out of their soccer stuff, chatting with one another about nothing in particular at all.
The atmosphere was a very welcoming one, showcasing just how much of a cohesive unit Chicago has become over the course of the past year. As cliché as it might sound, it certainly feels like this House is a real home for all involved. (One day I will write an article without using that pun. Today is not that day.)
A remarkable rise
Since it was media day, it was time for the post-practice interviews. Up first, club captain AR Smith.
I’ll start this section with how I ended my conversation with him, and that was with a story. Back on September 24th, 2021, when Chicago were still in NISA, they hosted Michigan Stars FC. Even though this was another early-season fixture, it was an especially important one for me since it was the first House game I could attend.
It was also the first-ever game that I had press credentials for. I was nervous when I got to the stadium, and my only goal was to figure out where I was supposed to go. Luckily for me there was a tent with people in the club’s merchandise, so I went over to ask them for directions to the press box. I walked up to a random guy, told him my situation, and he helped me figure out where to go. I thanked him and went on my way.
However, as I was walking away, I began to look at the tent he was stationed at. “Meet The Team!” was written on the top of it. I realized I had just asked a player for directions to the press box. That player? AR Smith.
Fortunately that story got a smile out of him, and we were able to laugh it off a year and a half later. A lot has changed since then, with the biggest being his role in the team. He’s gone from a dude in a tent to the team’s captain and key player.
Smith’s certainly happy about it and the fact that he’s stayed with the club during these last few years. “It feels good. It’s consistency, and I think what any team needs is somebody who understands the standards from when it started and to keep the standards throughout the journey. For me, the House was an easy decision because I’m at home, that’s why I do it.”
With the captain’s armband comes added responsibility, and he’s helped set the standard in terms of staying fit during the team’s break in play. “Working out is a lifestyle for me. I’ve been doing the same thing since I was 5 years old,” said Smith. “This will be my seventh professional season, and even though it’s called an offseason you can’t stop, there’s no time to get out of shape.”
He’s also been a model example when it comes to staying calm. Playing in a tournament like the US Open Cup is a phenomenal experience, but it’s a tricky one for some players. You can’t help but dream about what the future has in store. However, doing that and looking past your next opponent could lead to a very early exit.
For the House, they know that a win on Wednesday would set up a tie with USL side Forward Madison in the next round. That doesn’t phase Smith, though.
“Believe it or not, it’s kind of calming. We don’t take any game for granted, whether it’s a Sunday league game or it’s an Open Cup game. The goal is to win. I prepare for every game the same way, so it hasn’t been a problem.”
That was the end of our chat, so I thanked him and he went on his way.
I then bumped into Adam Mann, and instead of asking him actual questions about the game or the House, I decided to just talk to him about the pair of cleats he was wearing, the Adidas Predator Precisions. He mentioned how he was interested in them because of their throwback design, an homage to the pair David Beckham used to wear. That was enough for him to buy a pair for himself, and he could not be happier with how they feel. I’ve genuinely never seen a man that happy about a pair of cleats.
It was a lovely little moment, and it’ll be even more memorable if Mann manages to stick a free-kick into the top corner while wearing those cleats.
Bossman
Up next was head coach Matt Poland.
There’s no story here. This section will be straightforward and to the point. That’s probably how he’d prefer it anyway.
His main task as of late has been to keep his team fit and ready to go during the offseason. Their last game was nearly three months ago, which means that all the time they’ve spent together has been on the practice field.
“I gave them a few weeks off to relax and enjoy the holidays. We started competitions of things to do to keep the guys accountable and working together. We’ve been running some captain’s practices, and then we were back to preseason a few weeks ago,” said Poland.
“It was obviously a shorter preseason than we’d usually have going into the summer months. I think the guys are excited, they’re buzzing, they’re ready to go, and they’re putting in the work to be ready for the game.”
One possibility they’ve had to prepare for is penalties. Two of Chicago’s three qualifying matches went to pens, and their success in those two shootouts helped get them to this stage. It’s impossible to recreate the pressure of a spot-kick on the training ground, of course, but Poland knows how important it is to still practice them.
“With penalties you gotta practice them and get your reps in,” said the head coach. “Then you pick your side and you strike the ball, and you hope either the keeper makes a great save and you live with that, or you score. I don’t think there’s any magic to it, you just have to make sure you’re confident when you strike the ball.”
Unfortunately for the House, they’ve lost a man who scored several crucial spot-kicks for them in qualifying, and that’s Seo-in Kim. He left for USL side Lexington SC, and although that was a wonderful move for himself and the club, further cementing Chicago’s path-to-pro program, it still put the team in a tricky spot. They've had to replace him, just like they’ve had to replace a few others that have also departed since their last game.
“It’s definitely a challenge. It’s great to develop them and see them go, but then we have to fill that spot,” said Poland. “It’s great though because it gives guys an opportunity to step up and make their mark and take ownership. It’s obviously different, and there’s never a simple replacement, so you have to tweak little things like how you play or how that position is going to be used.”
A lot of the news surrounding the club has been about what has and what will happen on the field, but the House recently made an important deal off the pitch. They formed a community partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities (of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana), and it’s already proved to be an impactful one.
“It’s been great partnering with the Ronald McDonald House,” said Poland. “I’m excited to represent them on the front of the jerseys for the Open Cup games, auctioning off the jerseys afterwards, and giving 50% of the ticket sales to them. It was a great time volunteering and serving meals for families. It’s good for our players to get involved in the community that they play soccer in.”
A firm handshake concluded the interview, but his work was not done. The head coach then grabbed a camera and took a headshot photo of a new club signing, which was then posted on social media later on in the day. Chicago is such a tight-knit group, and this moment was just further proof of how willing everyone is to help out no matter what is needed.
Family matters
Last but certainly not least was Peter Wilt.
Now, his formal titles are the club managing partner, president, and CEO. However, anyone who knows anything about the House or knows anything about Wilt realizes that he’s much more than that. My dad calls him our resident cool uncle. I refer to him as “the main guy” whenever I talk to others about him.
We had talked earlier in the day about a few different things, like a former Chicago Fire player that was so random that I couldn’t even find a photo of him. None of that was on the record, though, so we still needed to have a proper interview.
He walked me over to a set of bleachers so we could sit down, which was a smart call considering how cold it was and how tired we were from standing around. He's no spring chicken since he’s in his early-60’s, while I might be the oldest 24-year-old on the planet in terms of how I feel mentally and physically on a daily basis.
I ask my first question. Wilt answers it in detail, and then segues that answer into another topic. He does it again a few minutes later. At one point I realized that I still hadn’t asked my next question, but I also realized that he had already answered a different question that was coming down the line.
That’s what it’s like interviewing Wilt, and it’s a joyous experience.
He starts by giving a nod to head coach Matt Poland and his team’s work ethic. “Matt (Poland) does a great job of developing a culture of responsibility and professionalism. Having four training sessions a week is underrated, I don’t think people realize that there aren’t many amateur teams in this country that train four days a week. It’s not just the quantity, it’s the quality. You can see how organized it is, and you can see the quality of these guys on the field. They hold themselves accountable.”
Even though they’ve lost a few pieces, this team has still grown as a unit. A big reason for that is the path they had to take to get here. Three tough qualifying games, two of which went to penalties, with the final match being one of the wildest this country has seen in a while.
“With this Open Cup game, the guys are really motivated. It helps that we went through qualifying last year,” said Wilt. “They all fought hard, they all sacrificed to get to this point. If we had an automatic berth, I don’t know if the feeling would be the same. How we got here is embedded in the memory of these guys, and they’re going to carry that forward.”
Speaking of forward, there’s the Forward Madison dynamic that has added even more to this Wednesday’s contest. U.S. Soccer did the draw for the second round a few weeks ago, and they announced that the winner of this game will travel to Madison to take on the USL outfit.
Wilt, who helped create Forward Madison back in the day, understands the gravity of a potential matchup for either side. “Whether it’s Bavarians or Chicago House the matchup at Madison will be a big one, there will be a lot of attention on it. Regionally, it’s a great rivalry.”
Then again, he also knows how important it is to stay focused on the upcoming opponent, especially one that’s as dangerous as Bavarian United.
“I was talking to someone about not looking ahead, but staying focused on the task at hand. There are dominos, and all we focus on is the first domino. If we’re fortunate to get to the next domino in Madison then we’ll think about that then,” said Wilt. “We’re only focused on one game. The Bavarians are very good. We got a draw last season against them, it was a fair result, a really good game. We’ve improved, and I think they’ve improved since then.”
You still can’t help yourself, though. “It’s human nature to think about where it could go. I’ve let my brain drift, beating Bavarians, beating Madison, Indy Eleven might be along the way, even the Fire,” said Wilt. “It’s unlikely to happen in the real world, but you gotta dream. It’s remarkable. That’s the sort of opportunity this sport provides, and this tournament provides. That’s why I love it so much. You dream, and Madison is part of that dream.”
It’s the hope that may kill you at the end of the day, but it’s also what keeps you alive.
The upcoming Open Cup contest is obviously what everyone is focusing on in the short-term, but as the club managing partner, president, and CEO, Wilt still has to keep an eye on the long-term, both on the field and off of it.
“We’ve also lost a good amount of players to the pros. We’ve lost some talent, but we’re about developing players and staff and coaches to go on to other levels,” said Wilt. “We’re proud of that. It makes us more attractive to younger players who want to do something with their careers. The track record of this team shows that players that do well here go on to the pros. We then have to reload and bring more into the pipeline, and we’ve done that. We’re on a 13-game unbeaten streak, and it would be so wonderful to increase that. We will see.”
(Ian Cerro, if you’re seeing this, I miss you man.)
I ended our chat by asking about the House’s partnership with the Ronald McDonald House, and you could tell by the look on his face that he’s so happy with how things have gone for the club and for the charity.
“This is about giving back,” said Wilt. “It was a good team-bonding experience. We had players, staff, and coaches. We prepared, cooked, and served meals for the families that are staying there. It was rewarding. It was hard work making meals for up to 70 folks that are there. It gives them a sense of home, and it takes something off their plate in terms of having to worry about getting and preparing food. The same goes with the ticket sales, and the special jerseys that are then being auctioned off.”
For now, though, all eyes will be on Wednesday’s game against Bavarian United, which takes place at Langhorst Stadium at Elmhurst University, with kick-off set for 7:00 pm central time. Fans can purchase tickets ahead of time online or at the stadium on the night of the match. Those who can’t make it can still watch the action unfold, as the tie will be livestreamed for free on the Bleacher Report (B/R) app and the B/R Football YouTube channel.
No matter what happens, and no matter who wins when all is said and done, what is certain is that there will be magic. It’s the Open Cup after all.