C
entral Illinois has long been a hotbed
for high school basketball and football.
But in the last decade or so another
sport has been steadily climbing the ranks of
popularity among area athletes: Soccer.
Participation in the sport, which older sports
purists still don’t follow like they do football,
basketball and baseball, has grown consider-
ably, with thousands of school-age children
playing in various leagues in the region.
And with the success of some high school
teams, including perennial state finalist Peoria
Notre Dame, and the national attention enjoyed
by college soccer powerhouse Bradley Universi-
ty, more people are paying attention to the sport
that many countries refer to as futbol.
“
I think seeing our success and that of other
schools is a factor, but there are other reasons
soccer is growing. For one thing, it is just a great
sport for young athletes, boys and girls, and
anybody can play it at the youth level,” said
Mike Bare, the head coach at Peoria Notre Dame
who already has two state championships and
four consecutive state finals teams in his five
years at the Irish helm. He is only 31 years old.
“
Soccer gets the kids off the couch and away
from the video games and gets them involved
in something that keeps them moving. Some
become very good at the game and stick to it
into high school. Some get to play beyond that,
even,” he said.
Another positive about the game that calls for
continuous movement and running is that it is
great for fitness, Bare said. “Body awareness is
developed at a young age and these kids learn
coordination. That makes good athletes,” he
said.
Bare himself was a four-year varsity player at
Peoria Notre Dame under coach Danny Driscoll,
who now is one of the team’s assistant coaches.
That, Bare said, enables him to continue to em-
ploy the Notre Dame system he learned from.
“
It’s a system that works, obviously. It develops
into a belief system for our kids, a belief that
they can be the best in the state every year,” he
said.
That kind of belief and winning attitude is
what college coaches look for when recruiting,
said Jim DeRose, head soccer coach at Bradley
University who has taken that program to new
heights nationally, including to the final eight
in the nation a few years ago. The Bradley team
has been nationally ranked eight seasons.
DeRose said he can recruit nationally and
looks for players who grew up in strong youth
soccer programs. That includes the Peoria re-
gion, he added.
“
Soccer in Peoria has always been kind of a
niche thing. I’ve never been in an area that has
as many teams and leagues at the grassroots
level for such young ages. It’s great,” he said.
DeRose said he can’t say for sure that the
Bradley success has heightened awareness of
soccer in central Illinois, but hopes it has helped.
“
I hope there has been some pyramid effect.
We’re giving kids the opportunity to see the
game played at a higher level, seeing some of
the best college players in the country. Some of
these players may be future professional play-
ers,” he said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
THE PRESENT
FUELED BY AREA SUCCESSES SOCCER
GROWTH HAS BEEN STEADY
PAUL GORDON
PHOTO BY MITCH INSKEEP
25
THEPEORIAN.COM
