Prep Sports Report

#PrepSportsReport

[Kate Chappell @kchappellnews]

Coaches question IHSA decision to shorten girls flag football season
@nbcchicago
https://t.co/sXTxqzIvPw

[Trost @TrustTrost]

#NBC coverage: From student athletes and parents to coaches and school leaders, there is frustration over the fact the IHSA is cutting the length of the girls flag football regular season this fall while expanding the boys football season at the same time.

#MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA

[Rod Shilts @RodShilts]

This is just crazy

[Trost @TrustTrost]

Good stuff

When it comes to caring and investing in kids, families, school and community, Dennis has selflessly given so much to so many over the decades.

#MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA

[Trost @TrustTrost]

A special moment this afternoon honoring and surprising Kevin Fitzgerald, a 25-year teacher and coach at Plainfield Central, for #MakingADifferenceOnANDOffTheField.

It marks the 121st consecutive month - 11 straight years - of special moments a part of the effort to spotlight student athletes, coaches, schools and communities.

Kevin’s wife, children and parents also were in attendance.

Note the chant: “Mr. Fitz, Mr. Fitz, Mr. Fitz.”

#MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA

[Trost @TrustTrost]

On #CBS tonight: 100s of high school students from St. Edward in Elgin are in different communities right now creating a wave of service to enhance the lives of others.

The school is helping support nine different organizations today, with students on-site at seven of those locations.

Keep this in mind: February is #RandomActsOfKindnessMonth. You don’t need money to make a difference, just a little effort and time is what local organizations need more than ever these days.

When you provide kids with opportunities, more times than not they’ll exceed expectations.

#MoreThanJUSTGames

[FOX 32 News @fox32news]

Two teachers share how mentoring transforms students’ lives and offer advice for anyone looking to make a positive impact during National Mentor Month. https://t.co/J5vTE00RtQ

[Trost @TrustTrost]

The #PowerOfSport provides so many different opportunities to make a difference in the #GameOfLife.

Jan. 2026 will mark the 121st consecutive month - 11 straight years - of kids, families, schools and communities working together to enhance the lives of others.

All games, seasons and careers come to an end, but the opportunity to make a difference never does.

#MoreThanJUSTGames

[Trost @TrustTrost]

Tonight - and over the coming weeks - people across the nation will continue to talk about Pat Coogan’s @coogs53 impactful play on the field for @IndianaFootball this season.

The 6-5, 311-pound offensive lineman opened eyes again on Thursday night, as the senior transfer from #NotreDame was named offensive MVP of the 2026 #RoseBowl.

While Coogan continues to make a difference on the field, he’s also been doing just that off the field for years as a student athlete.

For example back in Feb. 2020, the former @MaristChicago High School standout from Palos Heights played a big part in surprising 100 elementary students in Cicero with new scooters a part of the Making A Difference On AND Off The Field campaign.

As Coogan noted then: There’s nothing better than helping create a smile for a child in the #GameOfLife.

#MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA #NCAA

[Trost @TrustTrost]

Build it, focus on kids and the rest takes care of itself.

30 days of a little fun and focus on kids, families, schools, communities and charities.

#MoreThanJUSTGames

[High School Sports Association (HSSA) @HSSportsAss]

And it’s back….

The Second Annual #HSSA JV boys soccer state tournament kicks off in October at sites throughout #Illinois.

Your Stage, YOUR Time.

#HoraDeFIESTA

[Prep Sports Report @PrepSportsRep]

@Tortiman05 @ATLUTD Guzan is leading the league in saves.

Miggy: $7.8 million, 3 goals/2 assists

Team starts slow to start games and second half: Poor coaching, no pride

Defensive miscues left and right.

[Prep Sports Report @PrepSportsRep]

@emilymahonn He is LEADING the #MLS in saves this season. It’s bad defense, bad coaching.

[Trost @TrustTrost]

Brad Guzan, broken cheek bone and all - having played one less game than the rest - is leading the #MLS in saves this season.

In a season filled with ups and downs for @ATLUTD - especially countless defensive breakdowns - Guzan has done his best to lead from the back to help right the ship.

Guzan & Co. will need to capture 20 points over its final 12 games to equal its 2024 regular-season point total, which allowed ATLUTD to slip into the postseason. Thanks to Guzan, ATLUTD then went on to stun #Messi and Inter Miami.

Despite the countless defensive breakdowns this season, which recently featured leaving the back post wideopen off a corner a mere two minutes into Wednesday’s 2-2 tie against the Chicago Fire, Guzan continues to be an MLS leader.

He recorded 113 saves in 34 games in 2024 and has already registered 81 saves this season in just 21 games.

Offensively, #ATLUTD has been #MIA in 2025. It has scored a mere 20 goals after recording 46 a year ago. To match its 2024 output, the overpaid/underperforming attack will need to average two-plus goals a game the rest of the way.

ATLUTD is on its third coach in two years, and the only stability for the club from the front office to the locker room has been Guzan - on AND off the field.

@DougRobersonAJC @HAHiguita @jprosopio1980 @tombogert @shwrites

[Trost @TrustTrost]

We are hours away from the final IHSA board of directors meeting for the 2024-25 school year.

On Monday morning, this group will come together once again and go through general checklist items before having discussions on how to help enhance items for the upcoming and future school years.

I - knowing many on this board - ask that the board delay the final approval of the 2025 soccer committee items for further discussion.

Someone needs to step up for 1,000s of kids and families vs just checking the box.

We all know that data has shown that more school suspensions have not led to less discipline issues in schools. Here is a recent Time Magazine article with data: https://t.co/0ymPKg8Ydr

I have pounded the drum nonstop for years to bring the attention to the general root causes around high school soccer. Suspending teams and/or kids more hasn’t been and isn’t the answer for future enhancement, because teams and kids are literally not playing on a level playing field.

I have been all over the state - for decades. I have seen the good and the bad from field conditions, game play, officials, coaches and adult fans.

I’ve ran a major event for decades that used to play countless games twice a year on narrow fields before moving to full-size fields two years ago. I used to think the previous site was great, and that teams needed to figure it out.

I was 110 percent wrong. I’m embarrassed how wrong I was year after year after year.

Since moving the massive event, the data has shown yellow cards have essentially dropped to little or none for nearly 100 schools at the same site on the same day - especially for physical play. With more space leading to fewer human-pinball occurrences, dissent has been at an all-time low.

To think that narrow fields, faster/stronger/smarter players and a weaker officiating core doesn’t create a pressure cooker for kids would be failing to be honest as adult leaders.

We need to have honest conversations as adult leaders and look at all the factors. It’s time to really look at things and see how can we help. I don’t care what other states do or what the NFHS says.

The IHSA can and should be a leader for its kids and families. We’re dealing with amateur athletes and amateur officials, many officials who have never played the sport and struggle at times managing the feel of the game.

There are enough good and very smart people within high school soccer throughout Illinois that can put together a large think-tank crew to see what makes sense and what is best for kids and families.

I say time and time again: It continues to disappoint me that the IHSA doesn’t talk to the kids. Has anyone asked the 1,000s of players what they think?

When you provide opportunities to kids, more times than not they’ll exceed your expectations.

Maybe they’ll have some ideas to help improve the sport for current and future generations and then I can stop pointing out that we have people at the executive level making decisions that have never played the sport.

IHSA: Please do the right thing for kids and families.

[Trost @TrustTrost]

Historic day for St. Laurence post its merger with Queen of Peace in 2017.

Prior to the merger of the two Burbank high schools, Queen of Peace had never won a state trophy in softball but did capture three sectional crowns dating back to 1962. #IHSA

[Trost @TrustTrost]

High school student athletes from the city and suburbs of #Chicago helped surprise two different second graders from military families with new bikes earlier this week.

The effort was a part of the #MakingADifferenceOnANDOffTheField campaign in honor of #MonthOfTheMilitaryChild (April), #MilitaryAppreciationMonth (May) and #NationalBikeMonth (May). A bike is a symbol of freedom for a child when they learn to ride on their own.

These were just the latest bike surprises, which take place between May 1 to Fourth of July each year for children of military families and first responders.

The #PowerOfSport is so much more than games on the courts and fields, wins and loses or points and goals scored.

#GameOfLife
#MoreThanJUSTGames #SelfCareYOUCare

[Trost @TrustTrost]

All night long, I’ve been talking to school leaders throughout Illinois - statewide.

There is a very consistent theme: The IHSA knows it is close to losing its control. For years, it has controlled and owned student athletes and their families - especially on Sundays.

It took the IHSA suspending an innocent freshman cross-country runner with autism for the season, because he took part in a Sunday 5K charity race to benefit a local hospital that treated his sister, to ignite a fire that was then fanned by families receiving little or no response from the IHSA.

The Right To Play Act is not at this point, because someone is out to get the IHSA. It’s because if this is how we’re going to impact kids and treat families, then there needs to be something to help kids and families, too.

At times, I’ve defended the IHSA. It’s not an easy position or role. It’s not.

I’ve also been telling you - for years - this was coming in terms of people saying why can’t I do this - especially on Sundays?

In the courtroom: The IHSA has lost three consecutive court cases, a first in its history. Now just weeks away from the #ILSen voting on the Right To Play Act becoming law, where high school student athletes would have two (2) waivers a school year to use to take part in outside school events, the IHSA is moving.

Think about that.

We shouldn’t be here, but we are. And you know why we are…whether you agree or disagree with Springfield being involved.

It makes you question whether this is to help kids and families or really to retain control?

[Trost @TrustTrost]

So we have movement from the IHSA, which officially submitted a suggested by-law change to the #ILSen on April 29 in order to get legislation halted in Springfield.

The legislation would provide waivers to high school student athletes, and you can read more about the Right To Play Act in the quoted post below.

As ADs and principals have been talking around the state, many agree the bill - as it is worded now - is manageable and would be good for student athletes and their families.

Here’s the interesting piece to watch, and it will be a heavy point of conversations with state leaders and the IHSA: The by-law will be put up for vote by the IHSA in late 2025. Will the IHSA continue to lobby to vote against it, as it has lobbied with state leaders and via consistent flooding of email boxes to school leaders?

This is why the IHSA might not get state leaders to go along with it, as they know they have the votes to pass it through. If the IHSA puts the waiver bylaw up, quietly lobbies to vote against it and it doesn’t pass, they have a talking point that the “schools” voted it down.

At times, and I say this honestly, some schools have no idea what they’re voting for. The IHSA hosts town halls, it tries to communicate but again school leaders - at times - aren’t fully tuned in.

And because of that, the IHSA - sometimes - is in a no-win situation.

So let’s say the by-law is voted down, it could be reintroduced in the #ILSen next spring. It doesn’t have to start at Step 1 from a legislative standpoint.

But then, it would look odd if schools voted it down - due to a lobbying effort - and it is reintroduced. We all should want to support kids, families, schools and communities.

ADs will be meeting in Peoria this weekend for their annual conference, and this will be a topic people will be talking about.

More to come from that meeting.

The IHSA can’t afford to have a bill like this pass against it. The organization knows that, and the board, which has very good people on it, knows that, too.

The goal of all should be to help all kids.

Now the question is this: Is there enough trust?

It took a public piece of legislation and a media campaign to get movement after a cross-country runner with autism was suspended for the season for taking part in a Sunday 5K charity race.

You tell me: Why did it take this long in the process to get movement from the IHSA?

That’s a fair question, one that has to be answered and will need honest talking points.

[Trost @TrustTrost]

For those wondering what the Right To Play Waiver Bill, this is a very balanced, straight forward story.

Again, the key is this: All kids - not just some - will have the opportunity - if they like - to do charity and community events, too.

Make sure you read to engage and educate yourself. #IHSA

Link: https://t.co/8d4bpr67Oe