4Q2002 NEWS ARTICLES

12/24/02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       Contact: Michele Plant

                                                                                                                                                               (407) 938-3823

DISNEY’S SOCCER SHOWCASE ATTRACTS TEAMS NATIONWIDE

Local Teams Travel to Orlando for Nation’s Premier College Soccer Recruiting Event

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (December 23, 2002) – The Chicago Magic Soccer Club Under-18 Boys team from Frankfort, IL will join over 150 boys and girls teams chosen to compete in Disney’s Soccer Showcase near Orlando from December 27-30, 2002.  These elite competitors will match off against the best junior and high school age players in the nation, demonstrating their abilities in front of hundreds of college coaches.  Teams that compete in the Showcase must meet a certain criteria based on national rankings, previous tournament records, state and regional cup results, and the quality of the team’s roster.   

The 2002 Showcase brings teams in 10 age groups (Under-14 through Under-18) to the world-class soccer facilities at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex as more than 350 college coaches are on hand to evaluate their skills and talents. 

Disney Sports Attractions launched Disney’s Soccer Showcase in December 2000, and the response was extremely positive. Sixty-nine teams in six age groups competed in front of 120 college coaches.  The event gave top players from across the United States the opportunity to impress the coaches and possibly earn future scholarships.  The tournament also offered coaches a much-needed opportunity to evaluate players and discover talented preps that could contribute to their college programs.

In 2001, the Showcase numbers grew to 91 teams and 350 coaches.  Based on the overwhelming demand on both sides, Disney has expanded the 2002 tournament to include Under-14 and Under-15 divisions for the first time. The expansion gives the nation’s best junior players an early opportunity to compete in front of top coaches.  The event will also maintain its competitiveness with a maximum of 16 teams participating in each age group.

The 2002 Showcase is highlighted by an “adidas Supergroup” that features U.S. Soccer’s Under-17 men’s national team and a handful of elite adidas sponsored international junior programs, including the Japan U-17 men’s national team, the AC Milan U-17 men’s team (Italy), and the Fulham U-17 men’s team (England).  Other top international teams who have competed the two

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(Page 2…DISNEY’S SOCCER SHOWCASE ATTRACTS TEAMS NATIONWIDE)

previous years include Ajax (The Netherlands), Ajax (South Africa) and Bayer Leverkusen (Germany). The United States Youth Soccer Association and Olympic Development Program

 will also send four regional Olympic Development teams to compete.

The 2002 Disney Soccer Showcase festivities kick off Thursday, December 26 at 7 p.m. with a highly anticipated exhibition match between the U.S. and Japan Under-17 men’s national teams.  Admission for the exhibition match is $6.  The Showcase starts the following morning and continues through Monday, December 30.  Daily admission prices for the Showcase are $10 (adults) and $7.50 (children, ages 3-9), while length of event tickets, covering all four days of Showcase competition, are also available for $24.75 (adults) and $17.25 (children, ages 3-9).  Parking is free at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.  Additional information, including registration for college coaches, is available online at www.disneyworldsports.com.

  For more editorial information, please contact Michele Plant, Disney Sports & Recreation community projects manager at either (407) 938-3823 or Michele.L.Plant@disney.com .

Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex has earned its reputation as a world-class soccer destination, having played host to training camps, instructional clinics, and countless tournaments.  The U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer teams have both trained at Disney, not to mention the renowned Celtic Football Club from Scotland. Disney’s resume of past soccer events also includes the Major League Soccer All Star Weekend, the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships, the Snickers/U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships and four annual Disney-created youth soccer tournaments.

D.W.W.S.

PRESS RELEASE:

Chicago Magic teams make big showing at NCAA College Showcase

FRANKFORT, IL – Monday, December 16, 2002 – Three of the Chicago Magic Soccer Club’s top teams shined in the NCAA Final Four College Showcase in Dallas, TX during the crowning of the new national champions of the Division I men’s programs across the nation.

The Magic’s U-16, U-17 and U-18 boys teams were invited to the very prestigious College Showcase tourney that has become one of the biggest scouting venues in the nation for the top high school talent in the country.

Coaches Mike Matkovich, Jeremy Alumbaugh, and John Hannan joined their national ranked squads for the special event that saw the U-16s go 1-1-1, the U-17 boys were 1-0-2, and the U-18 boys were 2-0-1 against other national powerhouse squads.

The U-18 boys who are the defending national runner-ups in the USYSA Snickers Finals defeated Match-Fit Club from New Jersey (2-1), tied the CASL All-Stars (0-0) who are the defending national Y-League champions for 2002 as U-17s, and defeated the Houston Classics (1-0).

The U-17 boys tied the Atlanta Lightning (1-1); defeated the Match-Fit Club of New Jersey (2-0); and tied the FC United of Tacoma, WA.

The U-16 boys defeated Charlotte FC (2-0), tied Match-Fit Club of New Jersey, and lost to Atlanta Lightning (2-0).

Head Coach Mike Matkovich said that the atmosphere of the Final Four is a special setting for all these young players who aspire to play college soccer in the next few years.

“We’ve been coming to these Showcase matches for about 6 years now,” said Matkovich, “and the competition gets tougher and tougher every year. So naturally were pleased with our results and it gives our boys a real chance to show the hundreds and hundreds of college coaches that are here for the Final Four just what they have to offer to their college programs in the years to come.

“We have more than 80 former Magic players competing on all levels of men’s college soccer this past fall, so we know that our young men can make a difference for many of the universities who would like to make it to the Final Four some time in the near future.

“One of our former Magic stars Johannes Maliza (Chicago, IL) played for Stanford University in the championship match, so it was great for our kids to see that they can reach for the stars and actually make it like Maliza did with Stanford.”

The Chicago Magic U-17s and U-18 teams will now travel to Orland, Florida over the New Year holiday period to compete in one of the most important winter-season tournaments – the Disney Adidas College Showcase.

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For additional media information – please contact: Tom Bonen (815) 469-1844

For other information see the following web-site(s) --- www.sportsclub1.com or www.chicagomagic.net

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Four former Chicago Magic stars are named to the College All-American Team

FRANKFORT, IL – Monday, December 16, 2002 – Four former Chicago Magic Soccer Club stars have been honored by being named the NCAA Division I All-American Teams for the 2002 season.

In what many soccer experts suspect is some sort of a national record, the four players played for four different college teams across the country, but earned the recognition and respect of their opponents throughout the 2002 season.

Former Chicago Magic stars Doug Warren, a senior goalkeeper, (Hoffman Estates, IL and Clemson University) and Ricardo Clark, a sophomore midfielder (Jonesboro, GA and Furman University) were named the first team All-American team, while Ned Grabavoy, a sophomore midfielder (New Lenox, IL and Indiana University) and Tim Regan, a senior defender (Orland Hills, IL and Bradley University) were added to the second team All-American squad.

Chicago Magic Head Coach Mike Matkovich says that he agrees that it might be some sort of a record to have 4 players from the same youth soccer club to be honored in the same year.

“We’re all very happy for these fine young men, their great universities, and their very supportive families for this very high honor, “ said Matkovich. “Regan and Grabavoy literally grew up in the club as very young players, so we’ve seen their dedication and passion for an awful long time. Our club has won an awful lot of State, Regional, National titles with all these young men and their families.

”Doug Warren joined us in his mid-teens and helped to bring considerable success to our club over his many playing years. Ricardo (Clark) joined us last year with our U-19 boys team that went to the Final Four in the US Snickers National Finals in Maryland last summer.

“All of these young men are a byproduct of the great competition we have in the Chicagoland area and the Midwest. They have all excelled throughout their playing careers and I expect they will continue to be playing at the next level for a good number of years.”

The Chicago Magic currently has a record number of 17 active players on US Regional and US National teams for the coming calendar year of 2003, which soccer observers can only surmise will be the next crop of possible collegiate All-Americans.


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For additional media information – please contact: Tom Bonen (815) 469-1844

For other information see the following web-site(s) --- www.sportsclub1.com or www.chicagomagic.net

 

Ned Grabavoy named to All Regional team.

http://www.sportssystems.com/applib/PDFload.cfm?file=/email/filehost/GE484.pdf&id=BC484GETD5008

For other information see the following web-site(s) --- www.sportsclub1.com or www.ussoccer.com or www.chicagomagic.net

ILLINOIS YOUTH SOCCER ODP PLAYER NAMED AS 2002 ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL BOYS PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND PREP ALL-AMERICAN

Jed Zayner of Orland Park, Illinois from Sandburg High School (Orland Park) and the Chicago Magic Soccer Club (Frankfort) has been named as the Illinois Boys Player of the Year by the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association and prep All-American.

A five-year participant in the Illinois Youth Soccer ODP program has also played on the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Team at several National and International events. Zayner was the captain on the Chicago Magic Under-17 boy’s team that finished second at the Snickers© US Youth Soccer National Championships this past July.

The last six Mr. Illinois Prep Soccer have been Illinois Youth Soccer ODP players and all have come from the Frankfort based Chicago Magic Soccer Club. The past winners have included: 2001, Joe Ducci, New Lenox; 2000 and 1999, Ned Grabavoy, New Lenox; 1998, Doug Warren, Palatine; 1997, Derek Shanahan, St. Charles. In addition, Grabavoy in 2000 and Ducci in 2001 were named US National Prep Players of the Year.
 

Super Y-League announces changes
Changes to advance competitive youth soccer over the next two years

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today significant changes in the operation of the Super Y-League that will go into effect over the next two years which will help advance competitive youth soccer.

“We are making a number of changes we feel that are necessary to advance the level of play in the Super Y-League as well as bring it in line with the international game administratively,” said Super Y-League Director of Operations and Development Matt Weibe.

“After four seasons, we have seen changes that we can make here and there that can help take player development in North America one step further.”

For additional information see the following site:

http://www.superyleague.com/mediacenter/A/47456_E.html

PRESS RELEASE:

Magic’s Jed Zayner named as Prep All-American and 2002 Player of the Year in
Illinois High School Boys Soccer

FRANKFORT, IL – Wednesday, November 20, 2002 -- Jed Zayner of Orland Park,
IL (Sandburg HS, Orland Park, IL) has been honored as an All-American prep
star for the 2002 soccer season and he was also named as the No. 1 High
School Player of the Year in Illinois by the Illinois High School Soccer
Coaches Association.

Zayner is now a two-time All-State player and was also named as the Chicago
Sun Times 2002 Player of the Year in Illinois. He was recognized as one of
the top players at the 2002 Adidas ESP Camp that invited the top 150 elite
teenage players in the country earlier this summer, including rave reviews
from several European clubs and scouts.

He has been one of the most highly recruited prep players in the nation with
scholarships offered from nearly every top program in the country. Jed has
verbally committed to play his college soccer at Indiana University next
fall.

Zayner becomes the fourth consecutive member of the Chicago Magic Soccer
Club to be named Mr. Illinois in high school soccer, after Joe Ducci in 2001
(New Lenox, IL and Lincoln-Way Central HS), Ned Grabavoy in 2000 (New Lenox,
IL), were named as the US National Prep Players of the Year for the entire
country in 2001 and 2000 respectively.

In addition the last six Mr. Illinois Prep Soccer have been members of the
Chicago Magic SC. In 1999 Ned Grabavoy was honored as the top player in
Illinois and in 1998 Doug Warren (currently at Clemson University) won
All-American honors and Derek Shanahan (St. Charles, IL) who graduated from
Stanford University won the award as the top player in Illinois in 1997.

Zayner and his Sandburg High School teammates have won back-to-back Illinois
state championships in the Illinois High School Association in 2001 and
2002.

Jed captained his Chicago Magic team that finished second in the nation in
the USYSA National Finals this past summer. His club teams were also the US
Region II Champions in 1999 and Illinois State Cup winners in 2000. In 2001
his Magic team lost in the state cup finals to another Illinois club team
that then went on to win the US National Title for U-16 boys in 2001.

He has played in Illinois State ODP Team for the past five years and has
also played on the US Region II team for the past couple years with several
trips abroad representing the United States in international competition.

Jim Launder is the head coach of the US Region II ODP Program and says that
Zayner is one of the top players in the nation.

”After working with Jed over the past four years,” said Launder, “three
truths are quite evident about this young man.

”One, Jed is an excellent player with a tremendous work ethic, strong
technique and tactical sense, and a high degree of adaptability. Two, Jed
has been improving at a high rate over the past three years-- going from the
Regional pool to a sure starter and on to a player you never want off the
field in a competitive situation. And three, he is a fine person and quite a
leader, that you know you can count on in any situation.

”In short, Jed is and will be a winner at the highest level."

Zayner’s Chicago Magic club coach Mike Matkovich says that Jed is clearly
the top player high-school-age player in the country. He’s proved it time
and time again that he can single-handedly take over a match and control the
flow of the contest with his play.

“I think that Jed has the skills and capacity to grow in to an exceptional
college and professional player,” said Matkovich. “He has already turned the
heads of many scouts from the top English and German clubs who saw him play
this year and last year. He’s one of the young men who you know will
continue to dominate every level of competition for the next several years.”


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For additional media information – please contact: Tom Bonen (815) 469-1844

For other information see the following web-site(s) --- www.sportsclub1.com
or www.ussoccer.com or www.chicagomagic.net
 

Tim Reagan is named the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the year.  See the following link for more information: 

http://www.mvc-sports.com/webapps/release?id=1369

PRESS RELEASE:

Three former Chicago Magic players star for US National Team

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Friday, November 15, 2002 -- Three former
stars of the Chicago Magic Soccer Club are currently starring with the US
Men’s Under-20 National Team as they compete for a northern hemisphere berth
in the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Youth Championship in the United Arab
Emirates in 2003 (March 25-April 16).

The former U-19 Magic players who part of the 2002 Magic team that finished
third in the nation this past summer in the USYSA Snickers National
Championships include Ned Grabavoy (New Lenox, IL and Indiana University),
CJ Klaas (Rockford, IL and the University of Washington), and Ricardo Clark
(Jonesboro, GA and Furman University).

The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team opened the CONCACAF Under-20 Group B
Qualifying Tournament with a 2-0 win over Haiti at Blackbaud Stadium in
Charleston, S.C. with all three Magic players playing integral roles in the
important US victory. The US will play Canada and El Salvador this weekend
for one of the two qualifying spots for the World Finals this coming spring.

Chicago Magic head coach Mike Matkovich says that is a very high honor for
the Chicago Magic to have three young men representing the United States in
this global competition.

“Ned and CJ have played with the Magic for many years here in the
Chicagoland area,” explained Matkovich, “and Ricardo joined us last summer
with our outstanding U-19 team that finished third in the nation. All three
of these young men have demonstrated the ability to excel at the
international competitive level with the best players in the world.

“I’d say their presence on the US National U-20 squad is a good indication
that the USA will qualify for its fourth consecutive berth in the FIFA Youth
U-20 Championships that are held every two years. All three of these young
men have been playing on the national level for the past 5 years and have
made an impressive name for themselves in the process.”

The USA will meet El Salvador on Friday evening and then meet Canada on
Saturday. A victory in either match combined with the US’s win over Haiti
should qualify the team for the World Finals in March 2003.




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For additional media information – please contact: Tom Bonen (815) 469-1844

For other information see the following web-site(s) --- www.sportsclub1.com
or www.ussoccer.com or www.chicagomagic.net
 

Ned Grabavoy named to the All Big Ten Team.  See the following link for more information:

http://www.sportssystems.com/applib/PDFload.cfm?file=/email/filehost/DJ484.pdf&id=BC484DJTD5008

Michael Bock and Tim Reagan named to Academic All-District Team.  See the following link for more information:  Academic All-District Team

AGUIRRE SECURING THE WIN: Eastern Illinois can thank senior Aaron Aguirre for its last two wins. He scored the game-winning goals at Evansville and versus Illinois-Springfield, his last game at Lakeside Field. Those were Aguirre’s second and third career game-winners. He is tied for third in points (8) and second in assists (4).

http://www.eiu.edu/~sprtinfo/sports/soccer/m_1st.htm

The Chicago Magic U14 team defeated CASL Elite 2-1 to win the US Club Soccer National Championship game.  CASL Elite took an early 1-0 lead.  CASL Elite got on the board first and the Magic answered with Lichaj scoring to tie the game at 1-1.  Duran scored in final minute of the game to give the Magic the victory.

As winners of the US Club Soccer national Championship the U14 Chicago Magic team will receive a free 9-day trip to train at one of the top European soccer academies courtesy of The International Academy (1-877-909-GOAL).

See the following links for more details: 

http://usclubsoccer.com/news/index.cfm?n=34

http://www.sportsclub1.com/press/2002-releases/release-10-21-02.htm

Former Chicago Magic player Ned Grabavoy named Big Ten Offensive Player of the week.  See the following link for more details:  http://iuhoosiers.com/menssoccer/news/02-03/msc10-14-02.html

Former Chicago Magic player Hamid Mehreioskouei has been named the Bradley University/CILCO Scholar-Athlete of the Week, by the Bradley Athletic Department.

See the following Link for more details:  http://www.bubraves.com/press/200210091.html

PRESS RELEASE:
Chicago Magic to play for national title in Providence, RI

FRANKFORT, IL – Thursday, October 10, 2002 --- The Chicago Magic Soccer Club has yet another chance this year to add a prestigious national title to its long list of annual accomplishments next weekend in Providence, Rhode Island when it meets the 88 CASL ELITE from Raleigh, NC in the 14 year-old boys finals of the National Association of Competitive Soccer Club Championships.

The Magic won the NACSC Club Championship semi-final tourney last weekend in Dallas, Texas and now moves on to the national finals as part of the Major League Soccer’s Cup Finals in New England for the weekend of October 19-20. The national finals will be played at Brown University of the Ivy League in Providence, RI on Saturday, October 19th, and both teams will be honored in pre-game ceremonies of the 2002 MLS Cup on Sunday, Oct. 20th on ABC –TV.

The Magic Boys 14s eliminated top ranked teams from Houston, TX, La Jolla, CA, and Portland, OR.

Magic head coach Mike Matkovich says that the competition in the semi-final matches was perhaps the best he had ever seen at this age level.

“We’ve seen all of these teams in tournaments across the nation,” said Matkovich, “but to play them all in the same weekend was just unbelievable.  We had to fight back from a 3-0 deficit in the first match to earn a 3-3 draw, but then we finished very strong and we were fortunate to win the semi-final playoffs in Dallas.

The Magic boys will meet the other finalist from Capital Area Soccer Leagues in Raleigh, NC who is ranked #1 in the nation in the 14 year-old age division for boys. The boys finals will be played at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 19th at Brown University. In the girls championships it will match up the Santa Rosa (CA) United squad against FC Delco from the Philadelphia area and that match is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the same site.

The NACSC will expand their National Finals next year to include ages 14 through 18 years old for both the boys and the girls and the national finals will become an integral part of the MLS Cup Week in 2003.

The Chicago Magic boys team finished second in the Midwest Region II this past summer in the USYSA National Playoffs and finished the 2002 summer season ranked #6 in the nation.

The SportsClub Media Group will televise the championship finals in the Chicagoland Metro area on a tape-delayed basis at a later date – to be announced.

The SportsClub is a privately owned and managed company with its headquarters at 10850 West Laraway Road in Frankfort, IL.


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For additional media information – please contact: Tom Bonen (815) 469-1844

For other information see the following web-site --- www.sportsclub1.com and www.usclubsoccer.org.
 

Former Chicago Magic player Ned Grabavoy has been highlighted in a recent article in the Indiana Daily Student.  See the following link for details:  http://www.idsnews.com/story.php?id=12088