There’s few things better than getting the chance to play for a trophy to end the season, and that’s the situation Chicago House Athletic Club finds themselves in.

Chicago’s final competitive match of the campaign will be this Saturday night as they take on RWB Adria at the CIBC Fire Pitch at 7:30 pm local time. This will be the last game of both team’s Midwest Premier League season, and they each have a potential claim to the Heartland Conference Division 1 title. Adria go into the weekend in 1st place, so they know a win or a draw will be enough for them. Technically they can even get away with a loss as long as it’s by a single goal. The House are technically in third, but they can pass both Adria and 2nd place Bavarian United with a win by two goals or more.

The stage is set. Let’s go talk to some dudes.

Breaking the drought

Chicago has always made sure to prioritize long-term development over short-term results, but even they recognize the opportunity that’s ahead of them. This would be the club’s first-ever championship for the men’s first team, cementing themselves as a top-tier amateur side in the Midwest.

“Development is a big focus of what we do on and off the field, but competing for trophies is part of our mission statement as well, and having fun while doing it. So competing for a trophy this Saturday is fulfilling our mission. Winning by two or more goals and winning a trophy would be exceeding our goals, and what we want to do is exceed goals,” said club managing partner, president, and CEO Peter Wilt. “It would mean a lot. It would mean a lot to these players. And I told them that in your career you won't have all that many opportunities to compete for a trophy. This is one of them on Saturday. I've been fortunate to lead teams that have competed for trophies at various levels, and it doesn't get old. I assure you it will mean a lot to these players and coaches.”

“We’ve been in this league three years, and I feel like we could’ve won it all three years. First and foremost I think we’re the top dog in the city, and everyone knows that when they play us. A championship would just stamp that for us,” said captain AR Smith. “We’re not going to approach this game any differently, we’ll have the same preparation and the same focus.”

This will certainly not be an easy day at the office, though. Adria have been a quality side for years now, and even though they started this season a little sluggish, they’ve recovered incredibly well. They beat the House on the road a few weeks ago, and that result plus others see them sit at the top of the table.

“It is a championship game, so anytime you get to play in a championship game, it’s fun, it's why we do this. I expect a lot of good energy and probably some good banter between us and their team. We have a good relationship with Adria, but it's a very competitive relationship naturally,” said head coach Shannon Seymour. “I can only imagine there'll be a couple of scuffles on the field, some high intensity and high emotions going in. I’m just making sure that guys are prepared and we're ready for anything that can come our way, and trying to base these sessions on making it as close to that game as possible.”

Yes, you read right, head coach Shannon Seymour. Let’s talk about that.

Bossman

Shannon Seymour will once again lead the way for the club, acting as head coach like he has done on a few occasions this season. Most will know him for his time as a player, as he’s been in the center of midfield for plenty of important House games over the years. He’s transitioned into a new role, which is an exciting update for both him and his team.

“Yeah, it's definitely different having to go from player and friend to coach and hopefully mentor. Having guys ask me things and helping them figure out a position that I may have played in or I can see from a different angle. The conversations have been different, but it's been great,” said Seymour. “They're an awesome group. They welcomed me as a coach very quickly, and even though I've been here as a player, it wasn't that awkward. They've shown me respect and they work hard. Nothing's changed, and I love that about them.”

This isn’t his first game as head coach, as he’s had the responsibility a few times this season, including a win over rivals Bavarian United. He’s had to learn quickly, but he’s made sure to learn as much as possible early on.

“I think the lessons from those games have been how important buildup is to games. I think being able to manage not just my emotions now as a coach, but other players' emotions, dealing with guys who might be on cards or might be feeling a knock or two, that has been very different. It's all become part of the learning curve,” said Seymour. “Some players are needed in different moments, and figuring out as a coach what players are needed in said moment and what players will bring the most success to the team is big because we're all needed in moments. I’ve got to make sure the guys stay ready no matter what and if they're called upon they keep up the positive energy.”

Everyone at the club has enjoyed working with him, and his experience as a player for Chicago has been vital in making this process a seamless one.

“Shannon’s been great. He’s a guy that’s trying to make that jump from player to coach, and he’s realized that’s something he wants to do,” said assistant coach Tyler Vanelst. “What helps him here is that he’s played with all these guys. He knows where they’re coming from because he’s been in their shoes for the last two years, he knows how we play, he knows what guys are seeing on and off the field. Being able to relate to them is huge, and that’s one of his huge strengths. He’s a young coach that wants to learn, so he’s always open to new ideas and new things we can do here.”

“Shannon’s a great player, and if you can take what you learn as a player and teach a group of guys what you’ve learned, that’s really big. Since he played at a higher level than we’re at right now, I feel like he has a better understanding than other coaches that may not have played at that level. There’s a difference,” said Smith. “When you can have someone who does both, relate to the guys, bring them together, establish that trust, I think he’s been a really great asset for us. We really need him.”

Youth movement

We’ll get to the season as a whole at the end, but as mentioned earlier there’s been a real focus on the club’s younger players. The U23’s once again had a phenomenal season, and a number of those players were integrated into the first team. The House academy keeps producing talent, and don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

“The U23 success is terrific. Competitively, the team has won three straight championships, and that's really special. More importantly, the development of the players is really what the U23’s is about. Having guys like Isaac here, having him develop his leadership as captain of that team and then carry that over to the first team has not only helped him in his career, it's helped his team and his teammates,” said Wilt. “You can repeat that story for a number of players. For all these young players, whether they take it on to the first team or they take it back to their college teams or their high school teams, it's a good experience for them. We're thrilled that the coaches have done a great job of integrating the U23 team with the first team. They’re not standalone teams, there are players involved in both. It has exceeded our expectations.”

The players are just as happy to be a part of the environment.

“I feel like it’s a big stepping stone in my career. I’ve been here since almost the start, so I kind of know the standard, and being able to implement that to the U23’s helps the process of bringing them up to the first team,” said the aforementioned Isaac Carnalla.

“It’s cool. We’ve got a lot of guys here to guide and support us, and there’s other youngsters here too,” said defender Jasper Waddington. “It’s good to be trusted by the club by three or four different coaches, and it’s a good feeling to always be trusted.”

All Chicago has left to do is get these young guys some media training, as they looked more nervous talking to me than they do playing on the field.

Wrap up

All things considered, it’s been a solid year for the House.

They featured in the Open Cup once again, they picked up a win in the National Amateur Cup, and they’re very close to winning their conference in the MWPL. That’s just on the field. They’ve seen growth in various other aspects, and they were able to send former head coach Matt Poland away and into the professional coaching world.

“The year has been good. We faced a lot of adversity, but that’s a part of soccer, that’s a part of becoming a man, going from an amateur team to a professional team. It’s nothing I’m a stranger to,” said Smith. “Overall the year’s been good, we kept the same group of guys all season, the guys worked hard, they showed up to practice. We tried to keep the foundation, and I think we did.”

“It's been a very good year. It's been a nonlinear year, I think that’s the nature of the beast in a way. When you have it broken down into stages, like the Open Cup, preseason, the Amateur Cup, the regular season, friendlies, almost by definition it's not linear. Then you throw in transitions and changes, especially with Matt Poland leaving, it makes for a dynamic season,” said Wilt. “Real credit to the players, coaches and staff for keeping focus on what's important on the competitive side and staying a real team, even when pieces of it go missing, because it's not always easy to do. There's always bumps in the road, and we've certainly suffered those, but the guys have remained focused on the goal at hand, which right now is to win the Midwest Premier League Heartland Conference Division 1 title.”

What the future has in store for Chicago House AC remains to be seen, but for now, all eyes are on Saturday.

Should be fun.

- Adnan Bašić