SemiProfessional Soccer

Adnan Bašić

Good afternoon, my name is Adnan Bašić, and welcome to the first-ever Midwest Premier League whiparound!

The 2024 campaign began about a month ago, but the games have really started to come thick and fast in recent weeks. There’s been some good, some bad, and some really interesting, which is exactly what you want from an amateur league at the end of the day.

So what’s been going on?

A tour of the standings

To start things off simple, let’s take a look at the standings so far. There’s not been too many games, but there’s still some intriguing story lines already starting to unfold.

(All results as of June 4th)

The Gateway Conference doesn’t have much to write about just yet. Cedar Rapids Inferno and St Louis Stars SC both sit at the top with seven points from three games, while Ajax St Louis could join them if they win their game in hand. Pearl City Soccer Club are at the bottom, but both of their losses have been close ones. 

Heading over to the Great Lakes East, Thundercats FC currently lead the pack with three wins from three, but the more chaotic team has been Inter Detroit. In four games they’ve scored a remarkable 16 goals, and they’ve also conceded an almost equally remarkable 12. That’s 28 goals in total, for an average of seven a match. They opened the campaign with a 7-4 win, then followed it up with a 6-2 loss. Turning to midtable, there’s Futsal Factory Academy, who have managed to play six games already, two more than any other team in the East Division. The bottom sees Ypsi Yetis FC, who are the only side yet to pick up a point.

“We’ve scored a lot of goals, but we’ve also conceded a handful. There’s been pressure to win again, so we know we had to come out firing. We haven’t done the job defensively, but we’ve been working on that and cleaning things up, which we have done a bit already. The guys are excited, and we just need to keep doing our job,” said Inter Detroit president Edwin Jimenez. “Last year we scored a total of 47 goals in 10 games, and we only conceded 10. The goal was to pass that goalscoring record, but we’ve already conceded in four games what we conceded in 10. It’s hard because there’s a lot of tough teams and teams with talent, but if we wanna be the best, these are the things we’ll have to deal with.”

We go from the Great Lakes East to the Great Lakes West, where the duality of man is really on show. Northern Indiana FC has made a lovely start to life, winning their first four games and flying to the top of the division table, while the Holland Rovers are also perfect, although they’ve only played twice. Meanwhile, on the other end of the standings, both Tulip City United SC and Indy Boyz FC have lost all four of their opening contests. There’s plenty of time for both to turn things around, but there’s a chance the team from South Bend could run away with it.

The winners of the Great Lakes East Division will face the winners of the West Division in a Great Lakes Conference Championship Game on July 27 in Lansing, MI.

Up next is the Heartland Conference, which is unique since it’s the only MWPL conference with promotion and relegation. 

Division 1 unsurprisingly has Bavarian United SC at the top, with a 100% win record after four matches, although Chicago House AC has the same winning percentage, just with two fewer games. The surprising part of the table is at the bottom, with last-year’s winners Czarni Jaslo Chicago failing to pick up a single point so far, scoring just twice and conceding ten in four games.

Division 2, meanwhile, might be home to the best team in the entire league so far. The Green Bay Glory have won four like many others, but their goal differential makes them stand out, with 14 goals scored versus just 1 conceded. They’re five points ahead of AFC Roscoe as a result, but the latter do have a game in hand. Everyone in this division has at least one point to their name, and Rockford FC picked up a pretty marquee win when they defeated Edgewater Castle FC.

That’s the last of the conferences to cover, and it’ll be interesting to see how much changes in the coming month.

Promotional push

One of the coolest things about this season in the MWPL was the introduction of promotion and relegation in the Heartland Conference. It’s a simple set up, as the last place team in Division 1 will be sent down to Division 2, and the top two teams in Division 2 will rise up to Division 1.

Pro/rel, as the kids call it, is something we barely see any of in American soccer, and it’s completely nonexistent at the highest level. Many feel that’s a shame, as pro/rel is a meritocracy-based format that rewards teams who do well, and punishes those who don’t. This has added a new dynamic to the Heartland Conference, giving teams something to fight for and something to fight against.

One team who’s really in the midst of a promotion push is the aforementioned Glory, who have picked up 12 points from their opening four games. They’ve made themselves one of the early favorites to go up, and they’re looking to keep the good times rolling.

“We started really hot, we’ve been starting hot the whole year. That’s been a big part of us, getting up early and then holding on to the lead. The biggest thing has been motivating the guys to keep the energy high in games and in practice. We gotta think of creative ways to maintain that so there’s not a drop off,” said head coach Patrick Birder. “It’s our first year and it’s been going well, but at some point you know there’s gotta be some downturn, so weathering that and moving forward is going to be key.”

While Edgewater Castle hasn’t been as hot out the blocks, they were a team that many fancied to get promoted, and they’re still very alive in that race. 

“There’s no doubt that adding pro/rel to the Heartland Conference adds higher stakes to the whole season and to each individual match. This creates a more intriguing story within each match, and that gets people more excited to come out and support the clubs and the league,” said founder, president, and general manager Andrew Swanson. “Being on the inside of a potential promotion season this year, I can definitely say that it’s also more stressful.” 

So that’s one side of the pro/rel coin, and coins famously have two sides. Division 1 is concerned with avoiding relegation and making sure they retain their status as a Division 1 team. DeKalb County United isn’t at the bottom at the moment, and they’re not planning on getting into a fight at the bottom.

“We managed to get ourselves placed into the top division, which has been a great test of our coaches and our players, but we’re up for it! We expected it to be tough, and I think a lot of people thought we would be relegation fodder. The results and performances so far would go against that,” said club director of media and engagement Nik Myles. “We’ve had our two toughest road games before we’ve even kicked a ball at home, and we’re in a healthy place in the league. If we can use our home atmosphere to our advantage, I think we’ll surprise a few people.”

DeKalb’s also ready for whoever decides to make the jump up, and leaves them with a warning.

“If anyone else wants to step up and join us, they’re welcome to the bum fight.”

No one’s getting promoted or relegated in June, though, so we’ll have to wait and see how the Heartland Conference unfolds. 

New kids on the block

With the start of the new campaign, there were a number of new sides joining the Midwest Premier League. There are eight teams playing in their first season here, and while there’s been varying results, each club has dealt with similar challenges.

Chicago Ghost joined Division 2 in the Heartland Conference and has quickly learned what it’s like to handle an expansion roster, having to manage a number of different talents in a short amount of time on the practice field.

“The biggest challenge is obviously the amount of new players. How does each individual player fit into the system and the way we want to play? As a learning experience, only training once a week, I think the growth we’ve seen from the first game to our most recent was really pleasant to see,” said head coach Jamie Martin. “We talked about making sure to get three points on the board to start. The first game we lost, the second we tied, so it’s always a little bit anxious when you don’t have a win. Beating Rockford was huge to settle us down, and we can kick on from that.” 

Another newbie is Junction FC in the Gateway Conference, in their first year of existence, who have focused on maximizing their market in Decatur while also making the most of their spot in the league. 

“As a first-year club in the MWPL, we’ve faced numerous challenges. Garnering support at the lower levels in central Illinois is difficult – especially in soccer because we are under-served in our soccer market. What we’ve learned is that putting on a good product from the start and connecting with the community is crucial for success in central Illinois, and we fully intend to make that happen,” said founder and president Abby Hammer. “Within the league, it’s challenging to be taken seriously as newcomers, even though we have valuable advice to offer. Despite this, the league is generally collaborative…We’ve made many great connections and learned a lot from other teams about their markets and what works for them.”

Green Bay Glory have gotten off to a flying start to life, and are a bit more of a unique case. They’re in a division with sides mostly in and around the Chicagoland area. They’re up north in Wisconsin, which means a much longer commute than others for away days.

“We had a little bit of experience before on the girls side, which set the stage for making these trips for the guys, we’ve had to travel long distances. With Green Bay, we don’t have these higher-level opportunities, so being able to play teams like this at this level and making these trips is really exciting,” said owner and assistant coach Kerry Geocaris.

It’s not hampered them in the slightest, though. “It’s awesome. Coming in we didn’t know what to expect at all, and then being put in the second division seemed kinda scary. To be able to come out the way we have has been awesome. The guys have really come together, and the chemistry has been amazing.”

It’s safe to assume these teams will only get better as the season goes on and they grow more comfortable with the league, which should serve as a warning for the MWPL’s established sides.

Goodnight sweet prince

This was initially going to be a section on Chicago House Athletic Club’s upcoming friendly with the Chivas U-23 team. I had talked to president Peter Wilt, head coach Matt Poland, and captain AR Smith about the exciting matchup against the youth side of a Liga MX powerhouse. 

Then the House decided to drop a bombshell on a random Friday afternoon. 

At 10:13 am, the club officially announced the departure of longtime head coach Matt Poland, who is set to join a yet-to-be-announced professional side in a similar role. 

The post was quickly flooded with messages in support of Poland, wishing him luck in the future and thanking him for all the work he had done for Chicago. In the official press release, Peter Wilt said, “We are grateful that Matt has given so much to Chicago House on and off the field over the years. We are thrilled that he has this well-earned opportunity to continue his success in the professional ranks.”

In that same article, captain AR Smith added, “It was a long time coming as well as overdue. Matt’s led this team to successful seasons three years in a row; we’ve competed against and beat teams the whole world thought we would lose to. If anybody deserves an opportunity to go to the next level, it’s that guy.”

I was fortunate enough to speak with Poland moments after the news dropped, and moments after he had wrapped up practice for the day. 

“This has been the longest I’ve been at a club as a coach, and it’s special to have been this long in one space, personally and professionally. Nowadays coaches don’t stay very long, so to be here since 2021 is nice,” said Poland. “It was amazing that (former head coach) C.J. Brown trusted me and gave me an opportunity, and then to have Peter Wilt trust me with the club after Brown departed was a great stepping stone for me. I think I grew a lot, especially the last two years. I was challenged in different ways, both on and off the field, and it drew me to develop more as a coach. I’m very sad about coming to an end with House. I care for the club deeply. I always say the House is my home, but I am excited for the next steps and the next level of responsibilities and challenging myself at the next level.”

Poland took over the head coaching role from Brown at a critical time for the club, as they had just transitioned into amateur status following their start in the professional NISA league. Poland not only steadied the ship, but he also steered it into a positive direction. He guided House through U.S. Open Cup qualifying twice, with two wins in the knockout rounds of the 2023 edition of the tournament, including a dramatic extra-time victory over USL League One side Forward Madison FC, before falling to the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in a dream matchup.

“Honestly I think the biggest thing is dealing with adversity. The number of situations that have arisen in the years and dealing with them and dealing with the potential outcomes. Getting guys to know how to deal with adversity, how to frame it in ways that can make the team grow stronger and become better. I think that’s a massive takeaway I’ll take,” said Poland. “The other thing that I’ve really seen is the strength of the community of a football club. We might not be the biggest club in the world, but the fans we have, the staff we have, the self-sacrificing attitude from everyone to make the club successful is the only reason we’ve survived and thrived. There were numerous times where you didn’t necessarily know if we were going to be able to play the next game, and yet somebody stepped up and we made the wheels turn. I’m very proud of where the club is now from where it started and when I took over in 2022 as the head coach.”

The House has not officially announced a new head coach just yet, but according to the press release they are looking to “identify short and long-term appointments to fill Poland’s roles.” Their hope is to have an update by next week.

“I think that the framework and the groundwork we’ve laid is there. It’s just like with the players we’ve had sign professional contracts, it’s next man up. The other thing I always tell the guys is to leave the jersey better than you found it. For me, I think from when I took over in 2022 to now, I’m leaving the club in a better place than I found it,” said Poland. “Now it’s up to the next guys, and I think they’re more than ready and capable to lead that charge. It’s also good for some of our older players, as they’ll get an opportunity to step into more leadership roles in terms of keeping those standards. It’s exciting for a lot of people, and it allows them to grow and develop in different ways as well.”

Poland’s next venture has not been announced yet, but his future should be clear in a few weeks. He’s a great man and a great manager, and it’s clear everyone involved with the MWPL wishes the best for him going forward.

“Up the House forever.”