Four Team Chicago Academy teams traveled to Fort Wayne, IN this past weekend to participate in the “Shoot for the Cure” tournament. With 65+ players and their families all staying in the same hotel there was a very strong Team Chicago feel to Downtown Fort Wayne, and players, coaches, and families had a great bonding experience.

It was also a successful weekend on fields with 3 Team Chicago teams advancing to the finals and Cruzeiro (U12 Girls) claiming the U13 title with a 2-0 win over the host Fort Wayne Fever’s U13 team. Mia Lakstigala and Jamie Goralski got the goals, and Bailey Witt earned the shutout in goal.

Palmeiras (U17 Boys) lost a heart-breaker in the final on a goal with 2 minutes left of the 2nd overtime. And Vasco (U14 Girls) lost the final in the cruelest of manners in a PK shootout after a 2-2 tie. Taylor Leskovar and Katie Brown got the goals.

Finally, Brasilia (U13 Girls) made it to the semi-final after two very impressive wins in the group play.

Closer to home, the Falcons (U13 Boys) made it to the championship game of the Hawks Tournament. Playing Eclipse they were down 3-1 at the half. However, they rallied in the 2nd half with goals by James Zhang (who scored the 1st half goal, too) and Alex Filo. Playing some really good team soccer, they ended regulation tied 3-3. With an exciting PK shootout going to 7 shooters, the Falcons unfortunately lost in the end. Great game and a great tournament.

TEAM CHICAGO ACADEMY COLLEGE COMMITMENTS

This is the list of current college commitments of Team Chicago Academy players in the 2013 H.S. Class:

2013:

Ashley Handwork, Marquette University

Brooke Ksiazek, Illinois State University

Bryce Banuelos, West Virginia University

Dana Miller, Miami University of Ohio

Darby Moran, University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Gianna Dal Pozzo, University of Miami

Hope D’Addario, University of Illinois

Jenna Romano, Wake Forest

Jorie Clawson, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

Kaela Leskovar, Lee University

Kaitlin Johnson, University of Toledo

Karla DiJohn, Notre Dame College

Meegan Johnston, University of Illinois

Rachele Armand, University of Louisville

Zoe Swift, University of Kentucky

Zoey Goralski, UCLA

Team Chicago Academy-Brasília players & coaches took time out of their busy schedules to come together for a great cause at “Feed My Starving Children”. Not only was this a great team-building experience, but more importantly it helped others who are less fortunate.

The girls packed 20,520 meals, which will feed 56 kids for a year. It was a great time filled with a lot of laughter, dancing, and hard work. The team is looking forward to getting back there soon.

Karla DiJohn, a midfielder on Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo, has accepted a generous scholarship offer to continue her soccer career at Notre Dame College in Cleveland, OH. DiJohn, who plays her prep soccer for Julie Bergstrom at Waubonsie Valley H.S., will be part of Head Coach Mike Shiels’ freshman class in 2013.

Notre Dame College has recently completed the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II, and will begin play in the GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) for the 2012 season. The conference is arguably the strongest Division II conference in the country as it includes national powerhouse Grand Valley State University.

Team Chicago Academy-Santos midfielder Mary Rounce, and her mother Laura, are starring in the upcoming documentary Head Games.

Head Games is a revealing documentary about the concussion crisis in sports. Athletes and parents share their personal struggles in dealing with concussions from the professional to youth levels. From acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) and award-winning producer Bruce Sheridan, Head Games takes a deeper look at the devastating and long-term effects of concussions in all sports. Inspired by events from the book Head Games written by Christopher Nowinski, the film offers eye-opening insight and cutting-edge science on head trauma from the nation’s leading medical experts.

Please, check out the trailer here http://vimeo.com/40456083