For the second consecutive year, members of the Chicago Fire Juniors - the official youth soccer club of the Chicago Fire - will dress up in uniforms of a different sort to practice and play small-sided games during their second annual Coat Drive. The Coat Drop Off and Watch will take place during the Halloween Practice on Friday, Oct. 22 from 4:15 p.m. CT-6:00 p.m. CT, and on Saturday, Oct. 23, during the Girls Under-11 Academy game that begins at 3:30 p.m. Both events will be held at Seven Gables Park in Wheaton, IL, located between Roosevelt and Butterfield Roads in the west Chicagoland suburb.
The philanthropically driven campaign is part of the national "Make a Difference Day," now in its fourteenth year, which encourages groups across America to address the needs of their communities. Led by the CFJ's Girls U-17 side that volunteered to spearhead this year's Coat Drive, 13 teams from the Fire Juniors program have been invited to participate in the special Halloween practice next Friday. However, in order to step on the field at the special Halloween practice, all members of the teams must wear Halloween costumes.
"We are proud of our leaders and members who strongly believe in helping those less fortunate," Larry Sunderland, Director of Coaching for the Chicago Fire Juniors said. "Through soccer we have had many hours of fun on the field together, and this opportunity allows us to work together another way, giving back to the community and making a difference to those in need."
The Juniors join fifty national groups in the Make a Difference Day effort, such as the Boys and Girls Scouts of America, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the Knights of Columbus, the Salvation Army, the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy; and the United Way of America. Make A Difference Day is the largest national day of helping others and is sponsored by USA WEEKEND Magazine.
Chicago Fire Juniors to Hold Tryouts for Boys U-15 Through U-19 Teams on Oct. 31
The Chicago Fire Juniors has also announced that it will conduct tryouts for the club's U-15 through U-19 Boys teams on Sunday, Oct. 31 at Seven Gables Park in Wheaton, IL from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CT. The tryouts will be held on fields A, B, C and D at Seven Gables Park, which is located between Roosevelt Rd. and Butterfield Rd. in Wheaton. In addition, a supplemental tryout will be held on Sunday, Nov. 7 at Seven Gables Park from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CT. This date will also serve as a make-up date should weather cancel the primary tryouts on Oct. 31. For more information on the Boys senior teams tryouts, please call the Chicago Fire Juniors at 630-882-8428 or visit www.chicagofirejuniors.com.
