March 21, 2018

Eleven United Families:                                                                                                                    

I am pleased to announce that after much dialogue and consideration, we have decided to become formally affiliated with Chicago Fire Juniors (CFJ), effective this July, 2018.

In December 2017, Eleven United was approached by CFJ leadership about a possible relationship. This was driven by their desire to have a stronger presence in the northern suburbs and to partner with a club they know that has a similar player development philosophy and core values. Evanston Soccer Association (ESA) and CFJ have maintained a strong working relationship and held one another in high regard for many years.

After many discussions and learnings, the ESA board of directors and coaching leadership agree that an affiliation brings many benefits. They include:

• Access to, and training with, Chicago Fire/CFJ player development programs
• Expanded coach development and training opportunities
• Development opportunities for players who qualify to participate in/on supplemental programs, tournaments, teams, and leagues at increasingly higher levels of competition
• Access to the CFJ network of leaders, experts, coaches, and affiliates to help continuously improve club effectiveness and efficiency
• Strong Chicago Fire/CFJ name, resources, and events to enhance club visibility, player recruitment, and team building at all levels

In this partnership, ESA will maintain management, operational, and coaching leadership of the club, while leveraging the resources and programs of CFJ. The name Eleven United will change to Chicago Fire Juniors North Shore in order to fully realize the benefits of the affiliation.

Change can be challenging and this announcement likely prompts many questions, which we have begun to address in the attached frequently asked questions document. We will also be hosting a parent meeting on Tuesday, April 10, at 7:00pm at the Levy Center with the Eleven United and CFJ leadership. The agenda that night will focus on the new CJF affiliation and will also include an update on the “State of the Club” for all Eleven United and Team Evanston parents. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at boardpresident@elevenunited.org with immediate questions.

We are excited about this strategic affiliation and look forward to our future as Chicago Fire Juniors North Shore!

Sincerely,

Rich Gallun
Board President, Evanston Soccer Association