"Making Change Count" - 6/24/2008
The United Girls were challenged by their coaches to make a difference by "Making Change Count". The girls have been working hard to earn their parents "spare change" by doing chores around the house and simply helping their families out. The change is then collected as a group to benefit a couple different charities of our choice.
A couple sisters on the team, Kelda and Anika, took a creative and inspiring approach to make a big impact. They decided to have a lemonade stand in hopes of earning even more change to contribute to the cause. They were very successful earning over $14.00. Their hard work is very touching and a great example to us all. With continued enthusiasm and passion like that of Kelda and Anika, we will become more than a successful team...we will make our world a better place! Many thanks to all of the girls who have contributed thus far. Keep up the great work.
To read more about the charities we support, please visit the Make Change Count link on the top of the Girls team page or by clicking here.
U9's Win Chicago Fire Cup in Shootout - 4/26/2008
As I stared in at home plate, the crowd in the sold out stadium began to cheer loudly. I was facing the best hitter in the majors and I was one strike away from a World Series Championship! I gripped the baseball tightly in my glove and was ready to make the biggest pitch of my life. I had decided on the fastball and slowly began my wind-up. As I let go of the ball, I could tell it was headed directly at my intended location. The batter took a big swing but missed and the umpire yelled…STRIKE THREE, YER’ OUT! As I began to jump around in excitement, my mom rushed angrily out the front door of our house. Needless to say, my daydream ended quickly, and my perfect pitch did not win me the World Series but instead, had busted through the window of our front door…AGAIN.
If you played sports as a young child, the story above may sound familiar. Regardless of what sport you loved growing up, we all dreamed of what it would be like to play on the pro field, in a big moment. For our U9 Dabrico boys, that moment became a reality on April 26th, 2008.
The table had been set several weeks back matching Dabrico United against the talented Northbrook Spartans in the Chicago Fire Cup Championship Game. The United lost 3-2 to the Spartans in their last match so victory was far from guaranteed. As the boys prepared to walk into the stadium for the first time as players, they were individually presented letters written by their head coach. The letters described the importance of the day, congratulated them for how hard they had worked and painted a picture of the opportunity in front of them. As the parents read the letters to their player, the mood was set and the only thing between them and victory was a 25 minute match.
The match was filled with excitement. Both teams had opportunities to score but the keepers were on their game. The match would end 0-0 as time expired and the victory would need to be won in a shoot-out.
At this point, I would normally give you the details of the shoot-out but I don’t think my writing abilities could do the moment justice. That being said, I decided to post the video instead. Congrats again boys!
Spring Fever - 4/19/2008
The U11 team had its first game of the spring season on Saturday in Yorkville. It was a long car ride, especially since they were given the wrong directions. Once they finally arrived, they showed no signs of weariness, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first five minutes on a Nathan Eylander goal. Nathan Lauvina and Dean Lauvina would add goals to make it 3-0 at the half. The team was playing well but knew they would have to up the intensity to get their first victory. Dabrico dominated the first ten minutes of the 2nd half, but two quick goals by their opponent made it a tight affair. However, Nathan Eylander slammed home his second goal of the day and Dabrico controlled play for the rest of the game, achieving what was the first in hopefully many victories for the squad this spring.
Picture Day Details - 4/17/2008
Team pictures for the U9 boys and U10 girls teams will take place on May 6th at 5:30 p.m. at LaVasseur School in Bourbonnais. Please check with your coach to determine which uniform you will be wearing for the pictures.
Girls "Spring" into Action - 4/13/2008
Cold temperatures and howling winds could not lessen the excitement the U10 girls shared in their first competitive outdoor match together. Good passing, stellar defense and constant pressure were the keys in allowing the girls to earn the 4-0 shutout win. The balanced attack produced goals by four different players and the opponent was not able to get a shot on goal the entire match. Way to go girls!
U9's "Golden" in Opener - 4/6/2008
No one was quite sure what to expect as the U9's played their first Spring game in their new Gold Division. Their jump from the Red division was a substantial move in terms of opponent talent and the boys definitely lived up to the challenge with a big 6-1 win. They proved they not only belong on the field with some of the best teams around...they happen to be a great team themselves. Congrats on a successful transition!
Club Update - 3/16/2008
Due to the growth of our Club, posting articles for each teams individual games will be discontinued. We will use this section of the website to post important Club news and updates, helping to keep everyone better informed.
The U10 Girls Spring schedule information has been posted. The Boys Spring schedule information will be posted by mid-week. We will again include maps and directions to away games as this was a feature many parents enjoyed. Thanks for your understanding in regards to the wedsite philosophy change. We hope it will better serve your needs.
Spring Seeding Complete - 2/24/2008
Our phenomenal U9 boys were shown great respect at the NISL seeding meeting this weekend. All of their hard work earned them the largest gain in ranking of any team in the south and they will now be competing in the Gold Division this Spring. Congrats boys!
Back To Business - 2/23/2008
Despite only playing 7 games out of their 9 game schedule due to scheduling conflicts and an early season exhibition, the United boys could still win their division if they could win their remaining 6 games. That quest would begin with the Black Widows who were 11-1-1 in winter play with their only loss coming against our Dabrico United boys in session 1. The United got off to a big lead but the Widows would battle back to within a couple goals late in the first half. The second half would be much different as Dabrico gained momentum turning away a great opponent for the second straight time.
Boy Oh Boy - 2/23/2008
Facing off against the boys teams has not been a great experience for the Dabrico girls. And this game would not be much different. The girls would show improvement in many areas but could not keep up with the highly ranked LWSC Gold. The girls remain winless against the boys in 5 winter matches while managing an impressive 6 wins,1 tie and 2 losses against girls teams.
Getting Even - 2/23/2008
Bouncing back from defeat is one of the most difficult accomplishments in sports. Dabrico's U10 boys remembered vividly the introduction the Chicago Magic gave them a little over a month ago in the teams first game together. But this day would be different as the United would return the favor with an impressive 8-2 win. The boys moved to 4-2 on the season just one game out of the top spot.
U9 Boys Advance To Championship - 2/16/2008
Dabrico's U9 boys team had already accomplished everything it had set out to in the local area. It was time to venture north to face some of the toughest competition available. The Chicago Fire Cup Tournament offered just that as the United would face some top-notch Illinois soccer clubs. In addition, a chance to play the Championship game at the Chicago Fire's Toyota Park in April was at stake.
Game one was phenomenal, matching our boys against the northern affiliate of the Chicago Magic. The teams were evenly matched producing a 3-3 tie filled with action. Game 2 was just as exciting with the United coming out on top 4-2 against the opponent from Wheeling. The final game of the day would determine whether or not advancing to the Championship game was possible. The United did not need a win, scoring two goals would earn them their spot. Facing off against the Northbrook Spartans, considered by many as the best team in Northern Illinois, would prove to be a great test. The Spartans started quickly with a goal in the first minute of play. They would take a 2-0 lead before the United could answer back on a big goal by Efrain Davila Jr. Again the Spartans would score moving them ahead again by 2 goals at 3-1. With the game clock quickly evaporating, the United needed the one important goal that would allow them to advance. On a hard push into the corner, the ball escaped to the top of the penalty box. As the fans rose to their feet, Jack Kramer seized an opportunity and took a quick shot to the corner of the net. The surprised Spartan goalkeeper could not get a piece of it and it managed to get through. Despite the match ending in a 3-2 loss, the United were moving on! And as irony would have it, the Championship opponent would end up being the same Spartan team.
The United boy's would make everyone proud on this day. The talent level at the tournament was head and shoulders above anyone they had battled to this point. And all this small town team did was prove they can play with any of the elite Illinois teams around. The Championship game will be held April 26th. As soon as more details are available they will be posted on this site. We hope many of you come to support them.
On The Job Training - 2/16/2008
In the march to their first division title, the girls had a minor set-back against an out of division opponent. The match against the USSA Lightning was tight but the girls could not seem to find their stride resulting in a 5-1 loss. The girls played relatively even in the second half but could not overcome the early deficit. Despite the loss, the United remain undefeated within the division and will look to make the neccesary adjustments to get back on track.
Win Some, Lose Some - 2/16/2008
With some of the rostered team participating at the Chicago Fire Cup, the U10 boys solicited help from the ladies. With 4 girls joining the squad for the day, the team split a double header. The new additions contributed nicely with good scoring and solid defense.
Final Tune-Up - 2/10/2008
LWSC Gold was the perfect team to get our boys ready for the upcoming tournament. The United looked to fine tune their game and the Gold would prove to be a solid test. In a close match, the United would post a shutout in a 3-0 victory.
In A Groove - 2/09/2008
A solid effort put the U10 boys back into contention within the division as the game ended up being a coming out party of sorts with the team putting it all together. The passing was good and shots were plentiful as the team won by double digit goals. It was an overall team effort and needed confidence and valuable experience was gained in the victory.
Redemption - 2/09/2008
The United girls had very little success against the Lincolnway Storm in the first winter session. Two previous losses would serve as fuel for the United as they looked to prove their growth and improvement since the early meetings. Getting off to a good start would be crucial and that is just what the girls did. With a couple quick goals, confidence was built and the United finally realized they could compete with the Storm. In the winding seconds, with the game tied at four, the United made one final push. A nice shot on goal was turned away by the Lincolway goalie and the buzzer sounded. The final result was a 4-4 tie. For the girls, they overcame a mental obstacle that will serve them greatly in the future.
Increasing Confidence - 1/27/2008
It is obvious that the hard work and determination put in by all of the girls is starting to pay real dividends. The skill level across the board has deepened with all members of the team able to provide a real spark when given the opportunity. Sunday was no exception as the girls produced a 10-2 win over IUSC 98/99. A couple of players new to the scoring role, Jenna Devenouges and Morgan Samp, came away with 3 goals a piece. 3 other players scored as well and the defense/goalkeeping continued to provide game stability. More important than the score was the fact that all of the girls played an important role in the positive result.
U10 Boys Get First Win - 1/26/2008
