Ela Soccer Club Going Strong After 25 Years

Soccer is known as the most popular sport in the world—and it's also got a foothold in Lake Zurich.

Ela Soccer Club has more than 1,200 participants and 1,000 families involved. It is the youth soccer program that serves Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods, Deer Park, Kildeer, Long Grove, North Barrington and other surrounding towns.

That makes Ela Soccer Club one of the largest youth sports organizations in the greater Lake Zurich area and one of the largest youth soccer programs in northern Illinois.

Dependent entirely on volunteers,  the non-profit organization has been teaching area children and teens from 4 to 18 years old since 1985.

Assistance also is available for families that are going through financial hardship, with different options that include a full scholarship.

In 2008, Ela Soccer Club entered a five-year marketing partnership with Blue Fence Real Estate. 

"We couldn't be happier teaming up with such a great community-based organization,"  said Doug Anderson, president of both Blue Fence and the Ela Soccer Club. "Ela Soccer Club plays a substantial role in the community."

Blue Fence assists Ela Soccer Club with developing soccer-related community events.

Ela Soccer has two 10-week seasons in the spring and the fall that include from eight to 10 games, depending on the level.

There are three different programs to accomodate players of various skill levels.

The recreational program is for beginners who are interested in learning the fundamentals of the game. Coached by volunteer parents, games take place on the weekend with one practice during the week. There are no tryouts and all players are accepted, though registration is required.

The competitive program is for more advanced level for players who have progressed to a higher skill level. Tryouts take place every summer for the teams, who play year-round. The schedule includes a total of 10 games, five home games and five away games that are played throughout Chicagoland.

There are also a number of tournament games, some of which may be out of state. There's also an indoor league season, with usually two or three practices per week. These teams are coached by hired professional with extensive soccer playing and coaching experience.

The elite program is the most advanced, for those players in older age divisions that are pursuing the highest level of competition with the desire of playing at the college level and beyond.

The elite teams participate in college showcase tournaments across the country and have scheduled on-field training hours. The elite teams are coached by some of the top coaches in the state as well as the country.

The Ela Soccer Club has two full-time employees. Jackie Marais is the director of club operations, and Gin Sharma is the director of coaching and player development.

For more information, call Marais at 847-726-6909.