Travel soccer is competitive soccer played against teams from other towns or communities. Games are played mostly in the Chicago-land greater area as a member of NISL (Northern Illinois Soccer League). Travel soccer is designed for players and parents who are willing to make a higher level of commitment in time, effort, training and competition. Players who have shown an interest and ability can benefit from moving to travel soccer.

There are three basic levels of soccer: recreational, travel, and premier travel such as EDP and NPL. Each level provides an increased level of commitment and cost. Olympiacos Chicago strives to form as many teams as possible at the younger ages to give children a chance to experience travel soccer. As the teams get older the level of soccer and commitment may increase and or change to more premier travel either within the NISL or higher leagues depending on the makeup of the individual teams and participants. We encourage teams to take on higher levels of soccer where appropriate.

Travel teams generally practice twice per week starting in early August for the Fall session and early April for the Spring session. Practices are 1.5 hours long. Additional indoor training during the winter is also provided between mid-November to late March. Indoor training is once per week for 1.5 hours. Travel teams receive professional training as a team twice per week. The days and times are generally decided between the coach and the Club for the coordination of training. There are 10 games in the Fall, 8-10 games in the Winter (depending on league), and 8 games in the Spring and are typically on Saturdays or Sundays between the hours of 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM (older groups). There are some occasions where games may be played mid-week or you may have multiple games on weekends. Two tournaments a year are required typically one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Additional tournaments may be entered and the tournaments are at the coaches discretion and may be on holiday weekends such as Memorial Day etc.

Olympiacos Chicago teams play in the Northern Illinois Soccer League. In general, games are played on weekends between 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM (older teams). Home games are played at Maine East HS (Park Ridge teams) and Plainfield Central HS (Plainfield teams). There are 5 home and 5 away games for Fall, 8-10 home games in the Winter,  and 4 home and 4 away games for Spring. Away games are played in other towns in the Chicago-land and the surrounding areas. Most away games are within 30-40 minutes of our Park Ridge and Plainfield locations, with some being right around the corner, and others a little bit further away. Most tournaments entered by our Olympiacos coaches are also local within an hour or less.

Travel soccer is not for everyone. That being said, many of our players are able to juggle a schedule that includes baseball, basketball, swimming, dance, etc. Our coaches are expected to offer some consideration for conflicts but we do expect that soccer is your child’s #1 priority. If time permits other sports can be played.

If you commit to a travel team however, any conflicts should be discussed with your coaches before committing to a team as commitment can factor into placement on a team. Not conveying other commitments up front could negatively impact the team you commit to and its commitment to the league and or tournaments. This is particularly important as the teams get older from U12 and up.

Players are expected to be at all games and practices. Keep in mind that player(s) that do not attend practice regularly ultimately limit the effectiveness of the practice & thus is not fair to those that consistently attend. It is the player/parent’s responsibility to effectively plan accordingly in order to minimize the impact of conflicting commitments. Discuss or convey to your coach other commitments you have that may conflict before accepting a position on a team as it may impact your acceptance on a team.

If we have enough kids to form multiple teams per age group we form teams in such a way that players with the same skill set are placed on the same teams. A very important note to mention here is that Select, Elite, and Premier teams ALL receive the same instructional time and dedicated professional training. The expected commitment is the same at all team levels.

Teams are based on tryout results, trainer evaluations and properly sized rosters.

Each travel team must have one head coach and can have one or more assistant coaches. Head coaches are appointed by the Olympiacos Chicago Board . They are selected to handle the coaching responsibilities for the upcoming fall, winter and spring seasons. The selection of assistant coaches is the responsibility of the head coaches. Head coaches are held responsible by the Director of Coaching for adherence to all Olympiacos Chicago rules and policies by all team members including players, parents and coaches.

Olympiacos Chicago expects each parent to be supportive of their child and the club by getting your child to practice and games on time, helping them to be regular in attendance at all or most activities, showing consideration to the coach and team by giving notice of absence as early as possible, paying your fees to the club and team timely, and by volunteering your time to help with Olympiacos Chicago events, tournaments, fundraisers and any other small requests we may have to accomplish our task of providing a quality program for your children.  Once a child commits to a travel team, we hope the parent will help to assure that the commitment is honored for the full commitment of Fall, Winter and Spring.

All players and parents MUST READ our club handbook in detail and especially our code-of-conduct section.

The costs are outlined in much detail in the “Player Fees” section in the Registration Information section above.

Olympiacos Soccer Club Chicago is a For-Profit organization. However, in order to help set up fundraising campaigns to offset the rising costs of just about everything we have created Olympiacos USA Foundation which is our Not-For-Profit arm.  As a non-profit organization Olympiacos USA Foundation has the ability to offset the cost of club soccer to those families in our Club requiring financial assistance.

For more information visit our Olympiacos USA Foundation page.

The most important objectives of Olympiacos Chicago are to:

1. Maintain a safe, positive, fun and challenging soccer environment for all players.
2. Develop and prepare players for the future – both on and off the field – by teaching soccer skills as well as important “life skills” including leadership, communication, character, teamwork, responsibility, time management, self-discipline, sportsmanship and respect for others.
3. Engage high-quality coaches and trainers who provide the highest quality training and who motivate each player to work to his or her highest potential.

For more detailed information please visit our Academy Information page.

Yes! Even after tryouts, many teams may have roster spots open and we welcome players after the start of the season.