GA_032119

28 | March 21, 2019 | The glencoe anchor sports
glencoeanchor.com
Spartan FC excited to provide North Shore
youth soccer ‘alternative’ experience
Michal Dwojak
Contributing Sports Editor
Yianny Caparos and
John Soltani want to give
North Shore families a new
opportunity when it comes
to youth soccer.
The two leaders of Northbrook’s
Spartan FC soccer
club have watched youth
soccer in the area transform
into a business rather than
a place for young soccer
players to grow.
That’s why the two announced
Spartan FC and
the Eclipse Select Soccer
Club have agreed to an
elite and youth development
partnership to establish
Eclipse North.
“A lot of people are looking
for an alternative opportunity
just to play for a
soccer club, not just about
business,” Caparos said.
“They miss that personal
touch, personal communication.”
The move comes a
year after youth soccer in
the North Shore area has
seen different headlines
and drastic changes to the
area’s lone soccer club
FC United. Former coach
Craig Snower left the club
after players at Loyola
Academy made allegations
against the coach for
inappropriate comments.
Glenbrook South and FC
United coach Seong Ha departed
the school and club
for personal reasons, but a
22nd Century Media investigation
found parents had
made complaints about the
coach before his departure.
Caparos and Soltani
started Spartan FC in 2008
as its own entity that was
affiliated with the Northbrook
Park District, elevating
it from a travel soccer
team to club. The club
became affiliated with FC
United four years ago, with
the importance placed on
having Spartan FC represented.
FC United made good
on its word, according to
the two, before there was a
change in ownership a year
and a half ago. That’s when
new leadership released
Soltani from his position
with FC United and the club
made changes to its organization
from top to bottom.
“We looked at that in August
and realized in more
ways than one, we weren’t
aligned,” Caparos said. “It
was important for us to figure
what kind of pathway
we can put together for our
kids to make sure they’re
successful with youth soccer.”
Caparos decided Eclipse
would be the perfect partnership
for Spartan FC this
past winter. He had a long
relationship with the owner
and knew there was a market
in the North Shore given
the recent changes.
“I think FC United took
things for granted,” Caparos
said. “I think adding an
Eclipse vehicle in the North
Shore is healthy for everybody.
The most important
thing is to give people options.
If you want to play
soccer, don’t feel like you
have to play somewhere
because you don’t have any
other options. It’s about
finding the right need for
you.”
One of the advantages
Spartan FC hopes to have is
that it will allow members
of its teams to play high
school soccer, something
many at FC United cannot
do. During the past four
years, Caparos and Soltani
learned many youth soccer
players wanted to be a part
of their high school team but
couldn’t. They believe high
school soccer is an important
variable in their development
and learning apart
from playing the game.
As a father of a high
school junior, Caparos
watched how important it
was for youth soccer players
to have the opportunity
to play high school soccer.
“High school, you get to
play stress-free, you have
the competition, you’re
playing for your school colors,
your playing with your
fiends,” Caparos said. “It’s
not about the level of play,
it’s about playing together
and learning how to succeed
together.”
The club alliance will begin
this fall. This will be the
third Eclipse satellite location
added to the club in
Chicagoland. Caparos and
Soltani hope to have a town
hall meeting in the near future
to address the changes
to the club and any questions
players and parents
might have. They also want
to have a new leader named
by March 24 at the latest.
While there might be
some challenges down the
way, Spartan FC is excited
to provide the North Shore
soccer scene an alternative
they think families deserve.
“[Eclipse] is a great vehicle
for us to be a part
of. We’re ecstatic. It’s an
honor for us to be with
them,” Caparos said. “I do
know we’re going to have
a competitive club and a
good pool of players that
can make our teams strong
from the start.”
This Week In...
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Badminton
■March ■ 21 - host Maine
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Baseball
■March ■ 21 - at Notre
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■March ■ 23 - at St. Rita, 11
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■March ■ 25 - vs. Valley
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■March ■ 26 - vs. Mountain
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Boys lacrosse
■March ■ 27 - at St. Xavier
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Girls lacrosse
■March ■ 21 - host Vernon
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■March ■ 23 - host Kentucky
Country Day School (Ky.),
10 a.m.
Girls soccer
■March ■ 21 - host Niles
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Softball
■March ■ 21 - host Lane,
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■March ■ 22 - host Young,
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■March ■ 23 - at Beecher, 11
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■March ■ 25 - vs.
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Girls lacrosse
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Annabelle Burke had six
goals in a win over Resurrection
Saturday, March
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New Trier 20, Lyons 2
Lucy Murray had six
Boys volleyball
■March ■ 21 - at Mundelein,
6 p.m.
Girls water polo
■March ■ 21 - at Mundelein,
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Rambler varsity
athletics
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■March ■ 21 - host
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■March ■ 23 - at De La Salle,
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■March ■ 25 - host Notre
Dame, 4:30 p.m.
■March ■ 26 - at Lane, 4:30
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■March ■ 27 - host Maine
South, 4:30 p.m.
Boys lacrosse
■March ■ 21 - at Bullis
School (Md), 4 p.m.
■March ■ 22 - at Georgetown
Prep (Md.), 11 a.m.
■March ■ 24 - at Calvert Hall
College (Md.), 11 a.m.
Girls lacrosse
■March ■ 24 - host Kentucky
Country Day School, 11 a.m.
Girls soccer
■March ■ 22 - at Evanston,
6 p.m.
Softball
■March ■ 22 - host Niles
West, 4:45 p.m.
■March ■ 25 - host Niles
North, 4:45 p.m.
■March ■ 26 - host Evanston,
4:30 p.m.
Boys track and field
■March ■ 23 - at Illinois
Top Times Invite (at Illinois
high school highlights
The rest of the week in high school sports
goals and five assists in a
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Girls soccer
New Trier 1, Prospect 1
Alex Wirth scored
Thursday, March 14, in
Mount Prospect.
Wesleyan University), 2:30
p.m.
Boys tennis
■March ■ 21 - vs. Providence,
4:30 p.m.
■March ■ 26 - host De La
Salle, 4:30 p.m.
■March ■ 28 - host Marmion,
4:30 p.m.
Boys volleyball
■March ■ 22 - at Vernon Hills
Invite, TBA
■March ■ 23 - at Vernon Hills
Invite, TBA
■March ■ 26 - at Brother
Rice, 6 p.m.
■March ■ 27 - host St.
Ignatius, 6 p.m.
■March ■ 28 - Wheaton-
Warrenville South Invite, TBA
Boys water polo
■March ■ 25 - at De La Salle,
4:30 p.m.
■March ■ 27 - at St. Patrick,
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Panther varsity
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Girls lacrosse
■March ■ 23 - host Trinity,
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■March ■ 27 - host Mother
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Girls soccer
■March ■ 21 - host Guerin,
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■March ■ 28 - host Zion-
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Softball
■March ■ 21 - host Taft, 4:30
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New Trier 1, Warren 1
Emma Weaver scored
March 12 in Northfield..
Regina 6, Intrinsic 0
Anelise Leahy and Abbey
Farmer both scored
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Thursday, March 14.