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Heart of the City named 2018 Nonprofit of the Year by Waukegan Chamber

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:36:12 GMT

Heart of the City named 2018 Nonprofit of the Year by Waukegan Chamber

By Leah Perri | February 5, 2019

We are excited to share that the City of Waukegan Chamber of Commerce named Heart of the City as 2018 non-profit of the year!

We are grateful to be part of this great community of business leaders and supporters who believe in the important work we are doing.

Two HOTC Elite athletes sign to play soccer on scholarship at College of Lake County

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:27:14 GMT

Two HOTC Elite athletes sign to play soccer on scholarship at College of Lake County

By Leah Perri | April 5, 2019

Claudia Hernandez

Two HOTC Elite athletes, Claudia Hernandez and Desareih Juarez, officially signed to play soccer on scholarship at the College of Lake County beginning in Fall 2019.

Claudia, Round Lake high school athlete, accepted her scholarship offer on April 1, and Desareih, Waukegan High School athlete, accepted hers on April 5.

Claudia and Desareih both played at their respective high schools all four years and have been playing club soccer with HOTC Elite for over a year now. We are extremely proud of how hard the girls have worked to earn this achievement. Congratulations, Claudia & Desareih!

Desareih Juarez

Heart of the City receives $1,000 “For The Good of The Game” Grant

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:04:28 GMT

Heart of the City receives $1,000 “For The Good of The Game” Grant

By Leah Perri | January 18, 2020

We are SO excited to be partnering with the United Soccer Coaches Foundation – For The Good Of The Game initiative this year!

In January, our staff was presented with a $1,000 check at the Foundation Celebration in Baltimore. This award will help us implement our Referee Certification Clinic, enabling our youth with a way to earn extra income and gain stackable credentials and job skills.

Thank you, United Soccer Coaches Foundation!

Executive Director Scott McLellan receives a 2020 Drum Major Award

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:50:41 GMT

Executive Director Scott McLellan receives a 2020 Drum Major Award

By Leah Perri | January 20, 2020

Congratulations to our very own Executive Director, Scott McLellan, for receiving a 2020 Drum Major Award as a Champion of Youth Services at the Waukegan Township ‘s Dr. MLK Jr. Dreamer’s Breakfast!!

The event honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by recognizing individuals in our community who have shown outstanding service in faith, business and public life.

Thank you, Scott, for all that you do for Heart of the City and for the youth of Lake County!!

David Motley receives IYSA Volunteer of the Year award

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:46:54 GMT

David Motley receives IYSA Volunteer of the Year award

By Leah Perri | March 7, 2020

Congratulations to Heart of the City Board Member, coach, and volunteer extraordinaire David Motley on being named Volunteer of the Year at the 2020 Illinois Youth Soccer award banquet.

David, thank you so much for all that you do for Heart of the City. We would not be where we are today as an organization without your hard work, leadership and commitment to this mission and the youth of Lake County. THANK YOU!!!

Covid-19 Food Relief for Families

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:43:08 GMT

Covid-19 Food Relief for Families

By Leah Perri | May 9, 2020

In addition to providing virtual programming to keep youth active, connected to their coach-mentors and on track with their post-secondary goals, we have identified food security as a critical need for our families.

Most recently, we provided nearly 500 meals to Heart of the City families through a partnership with Green Town Tavern. We assembled and distributed care packages with essential items like masks and hand sanitizer, and we also started providing monthly nonperishable groceries for families.

Thank you to our awesome community partners for helping us make this happen!

Contact maria@heartofthecitysports.org if you are interested in supporting an upcoming food initiative.

Donate $25 to Support our Back-to-School Initiative!

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:39:46 GMT

Donate $25 to Support our Back-to-School Initiative!

By Leah Perri | July 23, 2020

Help us close the gap for youth in our programs in need of school supplies this Fall now through September 1! Your generous gift is tax deductible. Donate here.

Interested in donating items in-kind? Items must be in NEW condition. Contact leah@heartofthecitysports.org to coordinate an item drop-off.

Thank you for your support!

Now introducing: Fall Academy! Aug. 10 – Nov. 5

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:29:56 GMT

Now introducing: Fall Academy! Aug. 10 – Nov. 5

By Leah Perri | August 5, 2020

**Staff, coaches & tutors will be following strict Covid-19 protocol with all the on field and e-learning activities.

NOTE: If you already registered your player for the 2020-21 travel season, we will apply your registration and $70 deposit to the Fall Academy.

Grassroots Soccer Clinics Tuesdays, 9/15 – 10/6

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:21:39 GMT

Grassroots Soccer Clinics Tuesdays, 9/15 – 10/6

By Leah Perri | September 3, 2020

We are pleased to offer a new, fun & energetic recreational program with a strong emphasis on developing ball mastery.

Join us for Grassroots Soccer Clinics Tuesdays at the Waukegan Sports Park. Open to players of all skill levels. Illinois “Return to Sports” protocol strictly enforced.

Heart of the City hosts College Soccer Recruitment Presentation

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:29:00 GMT

Heart of the City hosts College Soccer Recruitment Presentation

By Leah Perri | September 24, 2020

On September 24th, our student-athletes attended a College Soccer Recruitment presentation with recruitment specialist Rob Kettle as well as Calumet College of Saint Joseph women’s and men’s head coach and College of Lake County women’s and men’s head coaches.

Student-athletes had a chance to talk with the coaches and ask questions about the college recruitment process before finishing the night off with an inter-squad scrimmage!

Heart of the City transforms program center into Learning Lab

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:24:10 GMT

Heart of the City transforms program center into Learning Lab

By Leah Perri | September 30, 2020

This program provides our student-athletes with a safe space to conduct their e-learning with staff supervision and support, high-speed internet, and snacks/lunches.

Interested in making a gift to support our efforts? Donate here.

To meet the current needs of our families, Heart of the City has transformed our program center into a Learning Lab during the Covid-19 pandemic, following strict social-distancing protocols.

Join us — if you dare! FREE virtual mixology event, Oct. 29th, 7pm

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:19:56 GMT

Join us — if you dare! FREE virtual mixology event, Oct. 29th, 7pm

By Leah Perri | October 9, 2020

During this FREE Live Zoom virtual event, professional mixologist Alexandra Bookless will guide us through the creation of 3 Halloween-themed cocktails while educating us about the ingredients and the mixology process.

You can choose to sit back and enjoy the show or purchase ingredients ahead of time to follow along during the demo. Participants will also have the chance to learn more about Heart of the City’s programs directly from players themselves.

This event has a capped registration, so reserve your spot by registering today! Zoom link will be shared prior to the event date. Come enjoy a night of ghoulish fun!

Register for the College Soccer ID event, Oct. 29th

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:15:42 GMT

Register for the College Soccer ID event, Oct. 29th

By Leah Perri | October 9, 2020

At the College Soccer ID event, players and parents will be able to learn more about the college soccer recruitment process, speak with local college coaches themselves & ask questions, and enjoy free food. Players will have the opportunity to scrimmage and show off their skills on the field with college coaches present.

Due to Covid-19 precautions, player registration is limited, so be sure to register ASAP to reserve your spot: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSc4HRfo…/viewform

We are very excited to host this FREE event open to ALL interested soccer players in the community (not just Heart of the City players) on Thursday, October 29th!

Now Introducing: our 2020 Winter Academy

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:57:25 GMT

Now Introducing: our 2020 Winter Academy

By Leah Perri | November 7, 2020

Open to boys and girls born in 2002-2014. Program will run Dec. 7th – March 8th at the Lake County Sports Center. Cost is $50-$75 (with/without uniform)

Limited spots due to Covid-19 precautionary protocol. Register here by 11/27!

Read now: Q&A with Heart of the City Graduate, Sofia

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:44:37 GMT

Read now: Q&A with Heart of the City Graduate, Sofia

By Leah Perri | November 10, 2020

What made you first want to join HOTC?

I was introduced to it by another player. At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it because I had never been in a club outside of AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) so it was kind of scary for me. But then the first day of my tryout, I liked the environment a lot. It was very family-friendly and I got comfortable really easily.

How did you get introduced to soccer?

Through my family. My sisters started when they were 8 or 9, mainly because of my dad — they wanted something to share with him. And then I got pulled into it, and my mom was my first coach.

What was your senior year like this year as a high school senior during Covid-19?

We went on spring break a week before we were supposed to – they wanted us to quarantine. We all thought we would be back after spring break, and we would still have our soccer season, but then we never went back to school. So it was kind of hard. Especially for me, since my sisters played soccer in high school and they had their senior night for soccer and everything, and I always looked forward to having that someday. But my teammates made the most of it — they did the senior parade which was really nice.

Soccer is very much a stress reliever for me when it comes to school. So being all online the rest of the year and not being able to go outside and play was kind of hard.

Was Heart of the City able to support you during that time?

They still checked up on me to make sure I was doing what I needed to do so that I could still go to college and play soccer. They were giving out soccer drills to do to help us stay in shape. And then with the meal plans, I didn’t get the meal plans, but I saw other people getting them, which was really nice because that’s what people need right now with everything going on.

You are now playing soccer in college at Marian University. Did you ever see yourself playing soccer in college/ was that part of your plan growing up?

I think I’ve always wanted to play soccer in college, I’ve never wanted to stop playing soccer, but Heart of the City gave me the opportunity to pursue that more seriously, and pushed me further to want to play.

It has to be challenging starting your first year of college during this time. What has it been like this Fall?

We weren’t able to start soccer to do preseason practices initially. The athletes have been impacted by Covid-19 a lot. First hockey had someone who got Covid, and then lacrosse, and then men’s and women’s volleyball, so basically everyone has been quarantined. So they pushed back our practices another week or two. Now they’re telling us during practice we have to wear our masks the whole time. We practiced yesterday and it was so hard to breathe and everything.

Overall, how has your experience at Heart of the City impacted you?

With the physical aspect of playing soccer, Heart of the City helped me a lot with my skills and learning different playing styles. And with college especially, Heart of the City helped me a lot. They really pushed me to do more with my college, helped me fill out my applications, made sure I went on college visits, and helped me get in contact with coaches. I honestly don’t know if I would be playing soccer in college right now if it wasn’t for Heart of the City.

As far as non-soccer related programming, what is one thing that you feel has been most meaningful to you?

I think having the opportunity to coach the younger kids and just spend time with them, see how they think when they play. Being able to help them be better soccer players or just continue playing soccer was really nice to do, and coaching helps me obviously with pursuing my career as a teacher and knowing what I want to do and everything. It’s nice to be the person who the kids look up to.

I’ve also made a lot of friends here…I never really knew anyone in Waukegan because I’m from Round Lake, but I feel like Heart of the City really helped me create a family. It’s really nice to have friends that are outside where I’m from and outside my comfort zone and everything. Also the coaches here were always there for me and just pushed me to be better — not only a better player, but a better person. It was really nice to have older people to look up to that want to see me do good things and are positive role models in my life.

If you could say anything to Heart of the City donors, what would you say?

I would tell them how impactful it is for them to be doing this for us and allowing us to play while getting help with education. It’s really nice of them to help us pursue our dreams and our careers and what we want to do in the future while playing soccer.

We recently had the chance to talk with Heart of the City 2020 graduate, Sofia, who is now attending Marian University and playing collegiate soccer on scholarship.

Sofia shares how she got started with soccer, her journey with Heart of the City, and her current experience as a college freshman during the times of Covid-19.

There are other students like Sofia who could greatly benefit from Heart of the City’s programs. To support students like her and ensure we can continue to run our programs for the youth of Lake County, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today!

The Julian Grace Foundation is supporting this year’s annual fund efforts with two really impactful opportunities for donors. Every new or increased donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar! And, if you support Heart of the City with a monthly sustaining donation in any amount, you’ll help us unlock a $5,000 program grant. We hope you will consider joining our community of supporters. Thank you!

Read now: Scott McLellan, Executive Director, shares how sports impacted his life

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:35:40 GMT

Read now: Scott McLellan, Executive Director, shares how sports impacted his life

By neonadmin | November 11, 2020

Dear Heart of the City Supporters,

Growing up, sports were always a safe place for me. And in times when my home life was in crisis, sports meant that I didn’t have to go home right after school. My senior year of high school, I was in and out of foster homes. But being a part of something, being a part of a team – it got me through that time of being lonely. Sportsalso got me through college. Basketball kept me on track in school, because I knew I had to be eligible to play. It taught me grit and hard work. It gave me a lifelong mentor, my coach. And it gave me a family.

For many kids in our community, Heart of the City is that outlet, support system and extended family — especially now in times of crisis. Our mission is not just about kids having the opportunity to play sports. It’s about the lessons you learn through sports, the people you meet, and the family you gain. It’s a safe place where you can take race, gender, religion, any issues going on at home… take all of that out of the equation. And it’s about the ability for sportsto develop you as a person and, ultimately, help get you to where you want to be in life.

For these reasons and more, I hope you will join me in supporting the youth in our community by giving a donation this year. During this time, our youth require increased academic support, a healthy outlet to get physical activity, access to coach-mentors, and –most of all—the sense of normalcy and security that our staff, coaches and program bring.

All donations, no matter the amount, make a meaningful difference in the lives of our kids. Thank you for the support.

With deep appreciation,

Scott McLellan, Executive Director

P.S. The Julian Grace Foundation is supporting this year’s annual fund efforts with two really impactful opportunities for donors. Every new or increased donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar! And, if you support Heart of the City with a monthly sustaining donation in any amount, you’ll help us unlock a $5,000 program grant. We hope you will consider joining our community of supporters.

Read now: Michael’s message for Heart of the City Supporters

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:31:48 GMT

Read now: Michael’s message for Heart of the City Supporters

By neonadmin | November 12, 2020

Dear Heart of the City Supporter,

My name is Michael, and I recently graduated from Waukegan High School. I joined Heart of the City a couple years ago because I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to improve my soccer skills.

Before Heart of the City, I didn’t give a lot of thought to my plans after high school. I wanted to go straight to the workforce, or maybe the police academy, but I didn’t really want to go to school. I was a student whose GPA wasn’t really up there…I thought grades were not that important.

But when I got to Heart of the City and met the HOTC staff, they really helped me and taught me how important education is. The coaches here motivated me and told me I had the talent to play soccer in college. They pushed me to do better academically, so that gave me a bigger boost to consider college and just to play soccer at the same time and be a student-athlete.

With their support, my GPA improved. I was able to tour college campuses, speak to recruiters and learn about financial aid options. Ultimately, all of this led to me being recruited to play soccer on scholarship at Lincoln College.

Heart of the City has opportunities for us to grow, not just as soccer players, but as students and as part of the community. For kids like me, who don’t always have a lot of support or know where to start, this is a great program, and I’m personally really thankful.

Sincerely,

Michael

P.S. There are other students like me who need the support and knowledge to plan for their future. Your support is really helpful and appreciated. Thank you!

Donate Now

HOTC Elite 2021/2022 Season Tryouts

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:23:36 GMT

HOTC Elite 2021/2022 Season Tryouts

By Leah Perri | January 22, 2021

We are excited to announce that Heart of the City Elite is conducting tryouts for its 2021-2022 season!

Click here to register for tryouts , which are open to both new and returning players.

Heart of the City Hosts Girls College Soccer Recruitment Seminar

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:10:22 GMT

Heart of the City Hosts Girls College Soccer Recruitment Seminar

By Adrian Nevarez | February 25, 2022

On Wednesday, February 23, Heart of the City hosted an informational meeting at Waukegan High School on the college recruitment process for our high school girls team.

Our College Soccer Recruitment Specialist Rob Kettle shared details about what college coaches are looking for when recruiting and the benefits of playing college soccer.

The girls learned how to better position themselves as potential college athletes and prepares them to play at the collegiate level.

For more information on all of our programs, visit https://heartofthecitysports.org/ .

If you would like to make a donation to Heart of the City please click the link below.

Heart of the City Hosts Youth Travel Soccer Team Tryouts for 2022-23 Season

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:04:31 GMT

Heart of the City Hosts Youth Travel Soccer Team Tryouts for 2022-23 Season

By Adrian Nevarez | May 16, 2022

For Elite players interested in playing soccer after high school, Heart of the City creates and distributes highlight videos and profiles of players to coaches and recruiters across the country. Elite athletes also have the full support of staff and coaches during the recruitment process and in playing at a collegiate level.

Costs are subsidized and scholarships are available. Tryouts will be held at Waukegan’s Greg Petry Sports Park throughout the month of May. Visit www.heartofthecitysports.org for registration and more information about Heart of the City programs.

(Lake County, IL): Heart of the City is excited to announce that tryout registration for the 2022-23 season of their youth Elite travel soccer team is now open until May 20th for players born between 2008-2016 and high school boys. High school girls interested in trying out have until May 1st to register.

The program is intended to give promising student-athletes who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, training, or resources to excel in soccer and develop successful pathways in a career and higher education.

Along with providing youth with professional coaching and top tier equipment, Heart of the City works with students and families to achieve academic success through school performance tracking, field trips to colleges and local businesses, volunteering with local organizations, and health and wellness resources.

Heart of the City Partners with Rosalind Franklin University to Provide In-House Trainer for Student-Athletes

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:44:40 GMT

Heart of the City Partners with Rosalind Franklin University to Provide In-House Trainer
for Student-Athletes

By Adrian Nevarez | May 20, 2022

Damaschke will be on-site with his team at Heart of the City offices each week to triage and provide musculoskeletal evaluation and treatment for injuries sustained during weekend games. Rosalind Franklin University will also provide some on-field coverage during specific matches and events and have the Care Coach available at the field once a month.

In addition, Rosalind Franklin University will provide Heart of the City families with information related to healthy living in areas of exercise, sleep, stress, resilience, and social connection at wellness events twice each month.

Heart of the City is excited to partner with Rosalind Franklin University on a new initiative that will provide medical care and physical therapy for no cost to our injured student athletes.

“We look forward to working with Heart of the City and keeping their athletes and families healthy and well and hope that this collaboration will grow into the future,” said Dr. Jeffrey Damaschke, Chair of the Lifestyle Medicine Department and Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

“Having Rosalind Franklin University onsite as a no cost physical therapy provider for our student athletes is a critical piece in helping families stay healthy without worrying about the future,” said Scott McLellan, Executive Director of Heart of the City. “We are extremely grateful to Dr. Damaschke and his team for their support and dedication to our student athletes and our programs.”

The partnership with Rosalind Franklin University is part of Heart of the City’s new health navigation initiative to identify the resources student athletes and their families need to be healthy and successful. This includes providing wrap-around services, creating wellness plans, building on community partnerships, and connecting families to the community resources they need.

Visit www.heartofthecitysports.org for more information about Heart of the City programs.

Olympic Athlete and Sports Psychologist to Speak at Heart of the City’s Soccer to Success Gala

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:38:21 GMT

Olympic Athlete and Sports Psychologist to Speak at Heart of the City’s Soccer to Success Gala

By Adrian Nevarez | July 6, 2022

Celebrating Heart of the City’s fifth anniversary and its recent high school graduates, the Soccer to Success Gala will be a fun and impactful evening of fine dining and drinks, a spectacular live and silent auction, and raffles to raise awareness and funds for soccer and education programs that empower student athletes on and off the field.

Sponsors for the Gala include New City Moving, Medline, Miraflores Films LLC, the College of Lake County, Rosalind Franklin University, GCM Construction, Waukegan Community Bank, Old National Bank, the Waukegan Park District, and the Xcel Group.

For more information, visit the Soccer to Success Gala website a t
www.heartofthecitysports.org/gal a to purchase tickets or become a sponsor.

“I am honored and excited to be a part of Heart of the City’s Gala,” said Fink. “The impact that sports can have in a young person’s life is invaluable, and Heart of the City continues with their commitment to have a positive impact on as many young people as possible through their soccer initiatives. I am glad I am able to contribute.”

Cristina Fink, PhD, sports psychologist and former Olympic athlete.

Heart of the City serves over 500 youth from underfunded communities with after school, recreational, and travel soccer programs. Eliminating the financial barriers of playing sports, Heart of the City subsidizes the costs of the programs so they are accessible to all. With a youth developmental pathway and college and career readiness support, student athletes gain experiential opportunities and life skills that help them have a brighter future.

(Lake County, IL): Heart of the City is excited to announce that Olympian and Sports Psychologist, Cristina Fink, PhD, will be the 2022 Soccer to Success Gala keynote speaker on Saturday, August 13, at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan.

With over 25 years of experience, Fink served as the Sport Psychologist for several teams in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympic Games. She also competed in two Olympic Games – Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992 – and held the Mexican High Jump Record with a 6’4″ (1.94) jump for 22 years.

Fink is the Director of Performance Psychology for Football Science Institute and the Mental Performance Advisor for the Elite Clubs National League Soccer. She is also the Associate Athletic Director of Student Athlete Welfare for Rowan University and is the author of a number of published papers and books.

A Big Name in Sports Broadcasting, Dave Smith, to Emcee at Heart of the City’s Soccer to Success Gala

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:53:27 GMT

A Big Name in Sports Broadcasting, Dave Smith, to Emcee at Heart of the City’s Soccer to Success Gala

By Adrian Nevarez | July 14, 2022

Dave Smith, professional sports PA announcer and radio host

(Lake County, IL) : Heart of the City is excited to announce that professional sports broadcaster and radio host, Dave Smith, will be the 2022 Soccer to Success Gala Emcee on Saturday, August 13, at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan.

With over 20 years of experience, Smith received his degree in Communications for Broadcasting in 1997 while attending Olivet Nazarene University. He has been the PA Announcer for the Chicago Bulls (2002-2017) and ONU (1992-2022), and the evening host for WFAV.

Smith was inducted into the ONU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 for announcing both men and women’s basketball. He is now at Illinois State University announcing for the Redbirds.

For more information, visit the Soccer to Success Gala website at www.heartofthecitysports.org/gala to purchase tickets or become a sponsor.

“Heart of the City is an amazing program directed towards helping kids to build life changing characteristics through a love of sports,” said Smith. “I have a 10 year old son that just recently started playing soccer and it’s helping him learn teamwork, sportsmanship, and helping him gain personal confidence…the same traits Heart of the City strides to teach with their kids.”

Heart of the City’s Fall Youth Soccer Program Kicks Off in August

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:35:04 GMT

Heart of the City’s Fall Youth Soccer Program Kicks Off in August

By Adrian Nevarez | July 19, 2022

(Lake County, IL) : Registration for Heart of the City’s 2022 Fall Youth Soccer Academy is now open until August 5th for players born between 2008-2016.

“We are excited to start up our fall soccer academy this year,” said Adrian Roman, Community Programs Manager. “The Academy is a great foundation for a physical, healthy lifestyle. It teaches young players the fundamentals of soccer, as well as developing tactical and technical skills with the ball.”

The Fall program runs for eight weeks with professional coaches and top tier equipment. Participants gain basic soccer skills on the field, develop their athletic abilities, and improve their physical and emotional health. The team environment, with the guidance of coaches, helps build relationship, communication, and leadership skills.

Heart of the City’s soccer programs are intended to give student-athletes who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, training, and resources to excel in soccer and develop successful pathways in a career and higher education.

The Fall program is a part of the pathway for athletes to be introduced to Heart of the City and eventually transition to other programs like the ELITE travel team or the referee/coach certification, which the organization offers.

Training will be held at Waukegan’s Greg Petry Sports Park throughout the months of August, September and October. Visit www.heartofthecitysports.org for registration and more information about Heart of the City programs.

Desareih Juarez: Returning to Heart of the City as an Intern

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:17:48 GMT

Desareih Juarez: Returning to Heart of the City as an Intern

By Adrian Nevarez | August 30, 2022

(Lake County, IL) : This year, Heart of the City employed its first Summer intern, Desareih Juarez (DJ). It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to her now that summer has ended, but not without having a few words with DJ before she begins her fall semester at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

DJ first got involved with Heart of the City after she moved to the area from Las Vegas, Nevada in the Fall of 2016. Inheriting her passion for the sport from her father who has “played soccer all his life,” she was involved in soccer programs at a young age, playing for competitive youth leagues and her high school women’s varsity team while she lived in Las Vegas. However, at the start of her second year of high school, her father’s job moved them to Waukegan, Illinois.

“It was really really really really hard, because I had a best friend, my favorite cousin went to the same high school (as me), and I had a boyfriend. I was into so many things; softball, soccer, flag football, I was in marching band, choir, band, theater, I was in a lot! So it was a lot to leave behind,” DJ recalled. “Being a dramatic 14 year old, it was the end of the world.”

The change was hard on DJ, as she was forced to leave behind all her friends and relationships in Las Vegas, and she refused to start fresh on all the activities she had previously been involved with. All except for the one she felt the most impassioned about.

Despite her efforts to seem as miserable as possible in an attempt to convince her parents to move back to Nevada, DJ was approached by her gym teacher who encouraged her to try out for the high school’s women’s soccer team after noticing her proficient soccer abilities. She decided to give in and was placed on the varsity team, where she began forming relationships with her teammates.

During her junior year in the spring of 2018, a Heart of the City representative visited the team during one of the practices to talk about their travel soccer team and all the resources the organization had to offer, which were accessible to everyone, no matter the cost.

It was around this time when DJ began to think about her future and whether or not she wanted to attend college after her senior year of high school.

“I had never played club (soccer) before because of the fact that it was so expensive, so I told my parents about Heart of the City. They said yes, I tried out, and made the Elite team!”

“When I started high school, I didn’t even think about going to college because it was too much money. I wasn’t going to be able to afford it and I didn’t want to put that on my parents. I think during my junior year was when I was like ‘hm, maybe I do want to go to school’, but the only way I was going to be able to go was through sports. I knew that if I didn’t make it in sports then I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“I wanted to broaden my ability as a player by understanding the coaching philosophy and how to referee, which made me a more well rounded player. It 100% helped me as a player and helped me teach my teammates more about the game.”

DJ began attending Heart of the City’s college tours, which otherwise wouldn’t have been possible since her parents didn’t have the ability to drive her hours away to visit colleges. It was on a tour of College of Lake County (CLC), where DJ met the coach for the women’s soccer team. She was offered a scholarship to play on the team, and after attending FAFSA workshops with Heart of the City, she attended CLC with no out of pocket cost.

While attending CLC, DJ remained involved with Heart of the City by coaching for the soccer academy program and attending the referee certification clinic to become a certified referee.

During her sophomore year at CLC, DJ decided she wanted to transfer to a new school and she signed up to attend one of Heart of the City’s College ID events to play for and meet local and regional college coaches. After the event, she was immediately recruited to play for the women’s soccer team at Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC).

While at WLC, DJ decided to change her major from Kinesthesiology to Sports Management after realizing that she wanted to stay involved with sports at a professional level when she eventually stopped participating as an athlete.

It was no surprise that the first organization she reached out to for professional experience was Heart of the City. Working with their Director of College and Career Readiness, Yanelly Villegas, DJ became Heart of the City’s first summer intern, where she helped organize resource events, College ID events, and helped work at the inaugural 2022 Soccer to Success Gala. She also gained experience managing the organization’s TikTok account and recorded/edited multiple videos that were shared on social media.

DJ brought an energy to the organization during her time as an intern. Her passion and commitment to sports and her community is second to none. Although she is back at WLC for her Fall semester, she plans to remain involved with Heart of the City whenever she returns home for break.

Best of luck to DJ as she continues her professional journey in Sports Management!

“What I liked most about the internship was working behind the scenes and actually feeling like what I was doing mattered. It was a lot of fun and it definitely gave me a better understanding of what I have in store for the future.”

Tigres UANL FC Scout Featured at Heart of the City’s College ID Event

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:34:01 GMT

Tigres UANL FC Scout Featured at Heart of the City’s College ID Event

By Adrian Nevarez | February 17, 2023

LAKE COUNTY, IL – Heart of the City is hosting a College Soccer ID Event for high school age Lake County
youth which will feature a scout from professional Mexican team, Tigres FC in attendance exclusively for
the event.

The event is an opportunity for student athletes to display their soccer skills for scouts and college
coaches from teams playing at different divisions, and a chance to be recruited to play soccer at a higher
level. It also includes a scrimmage that will be recorded and shareable with additional coaches not in
attendance and a Q&A to learn more about the recruitment process.

Tigres UANL is a world-class football club based in Nuevo León, Mexico. Tigres scout, Prof. Pavel
Alvarado, will be making the trip from Mexico to Lake County Sports Center exclusively for this event.
The attendance of a scout from a professional soccer team provides additional opportunity to the
talented youth in our community, who otherwise wouldn’t have any exposure to professional soccer.

“It is a pleasure for me to be able to participate in this College ID Event, where many young people have
the opportunity to showcase their talent and qualities,” said Prof. Pavel Alvarado. “It is an area of the
state of Illinois that I have yet to visit and I am excited to be able to see the local talent of that area.”

The College ID Event will be held at the Lake County Sports Center, where Heart of the City programs are
currently being held for the indoor season. Lake County Sports Center are the sponsors for this event,
providing the fields where the College ID Event will be taking place and also generously covering costs
for travel and lodging for Prof. Alvarado.

“We at the Lake County Sports Center are honored to be a part of such a great event. We enjoy working
with HOTC and helping our community,” said Sandra Fajardo, Manager of Lake County Sports Center.
“This event will make a positive impact not only on our student athletes but also on our community.”

In addition to a variety of college soccer recruitment programs offered throughout the year, Heart of the
City has full-time staff members and coaches dedicated to providing one-on-one college and
postsecondary readiness support to prepare student athletes for success after graduation. Staff work
with each player to develop an individualized development and action plan that includes athletic,
academic, and college and career goals.

There are many benefits to playing soccer in college, which include scholarship money, team and coach
support systems, and life skill development. Heart of the City gives student athletes as many
opportunities to get in front of recruiters as possible, including offering field trips to attend college
showcase tournaments at colleges throughout the region.

Heart of the City’s programs serve over 500 youth from underfunded communities through after school,
recreational, and travel soccer teams. With an accessible soccer program that eliminates the financial
barriers of playing sports, and a youth developmental pathway, student athletes gain opportunities and
life skills to see their futures and score goals on and off the field.

The College Soccer ID event is open to any Lake County high school student who is interested in playing
soccer in college. More details, including registration, are available at
https://heartofthecitysports.org/college-soccer-recruitment/

Ari’s Journey to Monterrey: From Heart of the City to Tigres FC

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:23:48 GMT

Ari’s Journey to Monterrey: From Heart of the City to Tigres FC

By Desareih Juarez | July 7, 2023

(San Nicolás de los Garza) – Ariadne Gonzalez who goes by the nickname Ari, is 17 years old, from Round Lake, IL and is a part of Heart of the City’s Elite travel soccer program. As an elite player, Ari participated in our winter College ID event that was held in partnership with Tigres FC, a professional Mexican soccer team. Prof. Pavel Alvarado, a recruiter for Tigres FC, was in attendance to scout players.

Ari immediately caught the attention of the Tigres scout and was invited to begin the process of traveling to Mexico to try out for the team. She traveled to San Nicolás de los Garza, a city in the Monterrey metropolitan area, Nuevo León to try out for Tigres Femenil. When speaking with Ari, she expressed her nervousness about this opportunity and initially considered not going. However, her family convinced Ari otherwise, emphasizing that this was a unique opportunity that should not be missed.

Leading up to the trip Ari was not fully prepared when it came to training. It was a quick decision for Ari, and she expressed feeling conflicted with the thought of going, leaving not much time left for her to prepare herself. Ari did not want to go on this trip alone knowing her parents would not be able to go with her, but Heart of the City was able to have a chaperone escort her to make sure she was comfortable and safe on her trip. We spoke about her mentality going into the experience and what she did to prepare.

Ari’s day always started out at 5 a.m. to prepare for practice. She described the extreme 100+ degree heat as unbearable and how she was not prepared for it. Practices would be 2-3 hours long. Throughout the practice sessions, there was limited time for conversation. However, once practice ended, the players took the initiative to engage with her and reassure her of her acceptance. The team made a point to share kind words and affirm that she was a valued member of the team. In those moments, she felt a sense of belonging that further solidified her place within the group!

“I don’t know. Mentally I didn’t, I was just like, oh, well I gotta go out there and do my thing, I guess.”

Even with the fun she was having at the time, she had some moments where she felt overwhelmed. Asking her to elaborate, she had mentioned that she felt a lot of pressure from people sending her messages and well wishes. Overall, she mentioned that she would do it all over again, just changing the fact physically and mentally preparing for this experience.

The coaches shared that Ari is a dynamic player with a lot of talent, and with continued work can have a future at a professional level of play. Ari deeply cherished and valued the opportunity she had in Monterrey, and looks forward to the next step in her journey! At Heart of the City, we strive to even the playing field by making opportunities like this possible for the student-athletes we serve. We are proud of Ari, and eager to continue supporting her growth on and off the field.

Ari explained her teammate’s immediate acceptance “They made it as, as if I was already part of the team.”

Ronnie’s Soccer to Success Story

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:01:58 GMT

Ronnie’s Soccer to Success Story

By Adrian Nevarez | September 12, 2023

Heart of the City (Lake County, IL) – Amairani “Ronnie” Hernandez is a Heart of the City alumna and Youth Coach for our academy and grassroots programs. Witness her story at Heart of the City and her send off into college soccer and post-secondary life.

Visit our new website PLAYWITHHEART.org

for more stories and info on our current U18 ELITE roster !

Heart of the City is Elevating Soccer Performance with FIFA 11+

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:18:39 GMT

Heart of the City is Elevating Soccer Performance with FIFA 11+

By Dulce Dominguez | October 12, 2023

Earlier this year, Heart of the City teamed up with Rosalind Franklin University School of Science and Medicine (RFU) to initiate a groundbreaking impact performance and injury prevention program developed by the International Football Federation Association, widely known as FIFA.

This program, FIFA 11+, was conceived in 2010 by FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Centre. Over time, extensive research has validated its effectiveness, demonstrating a remarkable 37% reduction in training injuries and a 29% decrease in injuries during competitive play among its regular users.

While soccer, often referred to as the beautiful game, offers numerous physical fitness and health benefits, it also poses a substantial risk of injury. FIFA 11+ serves as a warm-up training regimen comprised of three parts, featuring a total of 15 exercises:

Slow running exercises, combined with stretching and controlled partner interactions.
Exercises designed to enhance core and leg strength, balance, plyometrics, agility.
Running exercises at moderate to high speed, accompanied by planting and cutting movements.

During our spring season, Rosalind Franklin University enlisted the help of some of their students to collect pre- and post-assessment data, tracking the progress of participants who incorporated FIFA 11+ into their daily warm-up routine. These assessments scrutinized leg strength, balance, general fitness, and speed.

The results revealed remarkable improvements:

Faster 40m sprint times.
Enhanced performance in the 3-hop test.
Increased hip strength.
Improved overall fitness.

Furthermore, injuries throughout the season witnessed a significant reduction compared to previous seasons.

The primary objective of the FIFA 11+ program is to prevent injuries and enhance performance. This innovative program not only prioritizes safety and well-being during play but also elevates performance outcomes, offering our student-athletes a level of care, attention, and expertise akin to that enjoyed by many professional soccer players.

“Our partnership with RFU and implementation of this program has shown exceptional results. HOTC athletes are healthier, spend more time on the field with less injuries, and consistently demonstrating increased performance during games”, said HOTC Sporting Director, Dean Smith.

Following a successful pilot session in the spring, RFU has made the decision to reintroduce this program with HOTC Elite’s High School Girls team. In addition to conducting pre- and post-test assessments to gauge its impact, Walter Wilson, who is pursuing his Ph.D. in Physical Therapy at RFU, will conduct a study for his dissertation with the intention of publishing the findings. It’s worth noting that women and girls are significantly underrepresented in sports and exercise research, underscoring the importance of this initiative in enhancing the overall well-being and safety of female athletes.

Heart of the City deeply values our partnership with Rosalind Franklin University, recognizing their unwavering commitment to our students’ well-being, which aligns perfectly with our mission. We eagerly anticipate continuing the Impact Performance and Injury Prevention program and look forward to sharing our progress and growth with everyone involved in the process!