This Wednesday, Chicago Fire fans will have a chance to see the team up close and personal. The Fire will be playing the University of Illinois-Chicago at Flames Field (901 W. Roosevelt Rd.) at 6 p.m. The two teams will be playing in a match which benefits the FireWorks for Kids Foundation and America SCORES Chicago.
"America SCORES Chicago has been one of our grantees for years now," said Donald Ortale, Chicago Fire senior director of Community Relations and CEO of the FireWorks for Kids Foundation. "I used to serve on their board. Now [Fire vice president] Mark Washo serves on their board. They do a tremendous job using soccer as a tool to help students achieve academic goals."
America SCORES Chicago combines soccer practice and writing workshops, giving students a chance to achieve their goals both on and off the field.
UIC is thrilled to welcome the Fire back to Flames Field. During the college season, you can catch an occasional Fire player on the sidelines. Wednesday, they'll be the competition. The last time the teams met, April 25, 2007, the Fire picked up a 4-0 win.
"This is a great event that we've been able to put together for the last two years," UIC head coach John Trask said. "It gives our players a chance to play against professionals, along with giving the Fire a chance to interact with their fans. And at the end of the day, the ones that benefit are the kids. It truly is a win-win situation."
Last season some 1,000 fans came out to watch the match under the lights at Flames Field. The UIC fan group is vocal, but not as vocal as the Fire's own Section 8. With the additions of Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Tomasz Frankowski, UIC is hoping the word will get out in the international community.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we had 3,000 fans out here," Trask said. "It should be a great atmosphere."
The midweek match will give the Fire a competitive match during an eight-day break. In last year's game most of the squad got some playing time. Wednesday night's match should give the same opportunity to both teams. The best part is the stands are right next to the field. Fans will literally be on top of the action. You can't get much closer to the action then that.
"It's a very unique opportunity for soccer fans who would otherwise not get a chance to see the Fire play or support a charity event like this," Ortale said. "It's a bit of a David and Goliath story as well with a professional team playing a college team. Both teams will perform to the best of their abilities. You never know what can happen."
General admission tickets are being sold in advance through April 15 for $10 at www.americascoreschicago.org. Tickets can be purchased Wednesday at the gate for $12. Fans might want to get there early however, to get a good seat.
Kathryn L. Knapp is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
