Aug. 30, 2005

By Kathryn L. Knapp

CHICAGO - After a miserable season that saw University of Illinois Chicago finish 5-12-2, athletic director Jim Schmidt decided it was time to make some changes. And so a new era begins for the UIC Flames soccer program. Schmidt named John Trask head coach in January. Trask was in Baltimore for the 2005 MLS SuperDraft on January 14th. Days later, he took a coaching job at UIC. He decided it was time to find a new coaching job.

"I decided it was time for me to become a head coach," Trask said. "I saw the UIC opening and thought it might be a good fit. I met with Jim Schmidt and we hit it off right away. We both share the vision for what this program could become."

Trask has 15 years of coaching experience. He started as a graduate assistant at Indiana University in 1991. He remained at IU through 1999, two years as a graduate assistant and seven years as an assistant coach. During his tenure with the Hoosiers, the team won two NCAA Championships, eight Big Ten Championships and made five College Cup appearances. Trask then took his coaching to the next level, when he became an assistant coach for the Miami Fusion (2000-01) of Major League Soccer alongside Ray Hudson. Trask and Hudson switched to D.C. United (2002-03) when the Fusion folded. In 2004, Trask became an assistant coach for the Dallas Burn. His last task as assistant coach - helping Colin Clarke select draft picks.

"After a very extensive national search, John Trask emerged as a perfect fit for UIC," Schmidt said. "The combination of his Major League Soccer experience and working at one of the best collegiate programs in the country was attractive. He has great Midwest and national connections. John will have an immediate impact in the Horizon League and move us toward our goal of being in NCAA Tournament play on a consistent basis."

Trask added Sean Phillips to his team within days of receiving the position. The duo began their coaching careers alongside Indiana University's former head coach Jerry Yeagley. They also played under him, Trask as midfielder from 1984-87 and Phillips as goalkeeper from 1991-94. Now they're bringing their coaching knowledge up North, to the heart of Chicago.

"My weaknesses are strengths that Sean has," Trask said. "It seemed to be a natural progression. Sean was the perfect fit and was ready to step out and take that next step."

Phillips most currently held the position of volunteer assistant coach at Indiana University. He spent four years at IU, coaching goalkeepers and helping keep them among the best in the country. In 2004, Phillips coached Jay Nolly to a 0.63 goals against average, seventh in the country. He was a crucial part of the 2004 campaign that ended in IU's seventh National Championship. Phillips also served as Director of Soccer for the Cutters Soccer Club since 2002, and is a staff coach for the Indiana Youth Soccer Association and for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

"Professionally, it had to be a natural progression," Phillips said. "I'm very ready to be challenged at the next step. I've spent four years as one of three coaches. I wanted a job where I could expand my role beyond goalkeeping. I was ready for a new challenge."

Now that the two have been at UIC for a couple of months, they're getting acclimated to the new environment. They're looking to improve UIC Flames soccer and eventually make regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament. They're taking it step by step, building on the foundation that already exists. Most of 2004's starters will return for the 2005 season. It will be a small recruiting class.

"We believe there is a lot of talent already on this team," Trask said.

In addition to making a name for themselves on the field, Trask and Phillips hope to turn the UIC experience into a tradition.

"We want to create a sense of belonging," Phillips said. "We want to get the parents involved. We want to cultivate alumni and eventually have an annual alumni game set up. We'd like to create some more awareness in the community."

Trask said another mission is to add big-name schools to the schedule.

"We want to up the level of competition," Trask said. "We want to add schools like Indiana and Creighton. In 2006, there will be a big jump in quality."

So far, the coaches are pleased with what they see. "The commitment has been tremendous," Phillips said. "The players are pretty disciplined. They have a good work rate and a willingness to learn. They're going out and playing on their own. We're starting to see results."

The selling point for Trask - the location. "You're in downtown Chicago," Trask said. "You can't get much closer than that. I'm pretty sure that if you stand on our field, at some point in the day, there's a chance you'll be in the shadow of the Sears Tower."

Adding to the coaching staff, Trask added Phil Presser as an assistant, Lazo Alavanja as a volunteer assistant and Ryan Singer as an undergraduate assistant. Presser and Alavanja both attended IU. Presser (1999-2002) won one national championship with the Hoosiers in 1999, while being named a two-time All-Big Ten selection. Alavanja (1995-1998) was a three-time All-American, All Big Ten and All-Region selection. He currently plays professional soccer for the Chicago Storm (Major Indoor Soccer League) and Charleston Battery (USL First Division). Singer played at UIC from 2002-2004 after transferring from Valparaiso. His defensive skills helped the Flames hold 28 opponents to one goal or less.

In spring, UIC faced five opponents and posted a 0-3-2 record. They kicked off the spring campaign on April 5th, playing the Chicago Fire and giving up a 3-1 result.

In the team's two preseason matches, UIC looked much improved. The Flames posted a 4-0 victory over IUPUI. One week later, UIC fell 2-1 to No. 1 Indiana University. Pavle Dundjer led the offensive attack for the Flames, with three goals in two games. The 2005 regular season kicks off September 3rd. UIC will face Loyola Marymount in the UC Irvine College Classic.

The new era has begun.

Kathryn L. Knapp is a freelance journalist and the editor of ChicagolandSoccerNews.com. She authored the book The Kickin' Hoosiers: Jerry Yeagley and Championship Soccer at Indiana.