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Chicago Sockers

Full name	Chicago Sockers
Nickname(s)	The Sockers
Founded	1995
Ground	Olympic Park (Capacity: ????)
Chairman	Peter G. Richardson
Manager	Bret Hall
League	Premier Development League
2000	1st, Champions
Home colours Away colours

Professional Team Chicago Sockers were an American soccer team, founded in 1995. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues, played at a professional level in the USISL Pro League, USISL Select League and USISL D-3 Pro League as the Chicago Stingers until 1999, when they chose to relegate themselves to the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, and re-named themselves the Sockers. The team was one of the most successful amateur teams in the late 1990, winning three national titles, reaching two divisional playoffs, and getting to both the quarter final and semi final of the US Open Cup prior to 2000, after which the team left the league and the franchise was terminated, despite them being the reigning champions.

The Sockers play their home games at Olympic Park in the village of Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The team's colors were blue and white.

Youth Programs

The Chicago Sockers is now a prominent youth soccer program, stationed in Palatine, IL. The program is ranked as the 5th best boys youth soccer program by both nationalsoccerranking.com and Soccer America. The Sockers play in the Northern Illinois Soccer League (NISL) and Midwest Regional League. The program has won multiple national championships and has sent multiple players to the US Men's National Team and Professional Teams. These players include Jonathan Spector, Michael Bradley, Jay DeMerit, and Bryan Namoff.

[edit] Year-by-year

Year	Division	League	Reg. Season	Playoffs	Open Cup
1995	3	USISL Pro League	2nd, Midwest East	Divisional Semifinals	Semifinals
1996	3	USISL Select League	5th, Central	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
1997	3	USISL D-3 Pro League	1st, North Central	Division Finals	Quarterfinals
1998	3	USISL D-3 Pro League	2nd, North Central	Champion	3rd Round
1999	"4"	USL PDL	2nd, Great Lakes	Champion	Did not qualify
2000	"4"	USL PDL	1st, Heartland	Champion	3rd Round

[edit] Coaches

• Bret Hall 1998-2000

[edit] Notable former players

• Michael Bradley
• Craig Capano
• Jay DeMerit
• Gavin Glinton
• Neil Hlavaty
• Will Johnson
• Rauwshan McKenzie
• Ryan Miller
• Bryan Namoff
• Brian Plotkin
• Jonathan Spector
• Brian Visser