Bradley's Egyptian side falls in debut

Bob Bradley -- AP photo

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Former Chicago Fire head coach Bob Bradley, coaching for the first time since his tenure with the U.S. National Team, saw his Egyptian national team debut end in a 2-0 loss to Brazil on Monday in Doha, Qatar.

Brazilian forward Jonas netted goals in the 39th and 59th minutes to pace his side past Egypt.

Bradley last coached the U.S. to a 4-2 loss to Mexico in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup final in front of 93,000-plus at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Eclipse Select alum David Tiemstra named Big Ten Defender of Year

Back-to-back Big Ten Defender of the Year
David Tiemstra of Ohio State

Eclipse Select Communications

CHICAGO -- Eclipse Select Soccer Club alum and Ohio State senior defender David Tiemstra (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central) was named the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the conference announced Thursday.

Tiemstra, who also was included on this year's All-Big Ten First Team, led an Ohio State defensive group that allowed only 20 goals in 18 regular-season matches, and only seven goals in six Big Ten games. This marks Tiemstra's second straight Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honor.

Read more at EclipseSelect.org.

Fire wrap training, focus on 2012

Frank Klopas -- AP

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire capped off their final training session on Thursday, and now the focus squarely shifts toward head coach Frank Klopas' club making the necessary moves to improve their fate for 2012.

The Fire, who posted a 9-9-16 record and put together a winning record in the final third of the season, anticipate that a bulk of this year's team will be retained for next season. That would be a big change of pace considering how hectic the player movement was after the 2010 campaign.

"We did a lot of that last year," Klopas said of the previous personnel changes. "Obviously we have to look to get better. With the expansion draft (Nov. 23, Montreal Impact) there's a possibility that you might lose a player there. Like any team you're looking to get better. I think we feel very good with the base that we have. Now we've got to continue to build on that, and that's the important thing."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Eclipse Select U-17 defender Holland commits to Marquette for 2013

Erin Holland

Eclipse Select Communications

CHICAGO -- Eclipse Select Soccer Club U-17 defender and Cary, Ill., native Erin Holland has made a verbal commitment to play for Marquette University's women's soccer team. The Cary-Grove High School junior is competing in her seventh year with Eclipse Select and will take her game to the college level heading into the Golden Eagles' 2013 season.

Holland looks forward to playing for a Marquette program that won its third straight Big East Conference American Division title, posting 10-1-0 Big East record and now gearing up for this year's NCAA Tournament. Holland said that Marquette's build-from-the-back style under head coach Markus Roeders resonates with her.

"Our Eclipse Select team right now likes to keep the ball in play and maintain some rhythm," Holland said. "That's pretty much how [Roeders] wants to play."

Read more at EclipseSelect.org.

Fire's Klopas best suited on sidelines

Frank Klopas -- AP

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have learned at times the hard way that every move has to serve a specific purpose.

Fire owner Andrew Hauptman began Thursday's introduction of now full-time head coach Frank Klopas with an initial dinner meeting the two had before the 2008 season. It ended with Hauptman expressing to Klopas that he wanted him on board that year. But Hauptman did not know right away what that specific role would be.

Following a tough stretch as the team's technical director and then producing a mostly successful interim coaching stint to close out the 2011 season, the results clearly showed that Klopas was best suited to lead the team on the sidelines.

"We made mistakes, we've had some successes, but I think we've all grown a lot along the way," Hauptman said. "This year, when they came to me and said they were going to make a change with the head coach, it made a lot of sense for me at that point for Frank to step in as head coach. I felt like the timing was right. No one really knew the club better than he did. No one knew the players better than he did. And no one understood the possibilities more than he did."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Ex-Fire F Carr steps up for Dynamo

Calen Carr -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Former Chicago Fire and current Houston Dynamo forward Calen Carr has had his share of injury spells over the past several years. This year it was a concussion that he suffered during the Fire's preseason in February when the team was training in Ave Maria, Fla.

Shortly into this year's regular season, the injured Carr found himself headed to Houston as the Dynamo swapped forwards with the Fire, sending Dominic Oduro to Chicago shortly after Houston's regular-season opener.

Oduro found his shooting touch with the Fire en route to 12 goals in MLS play. Carr needed several more months of healing time before he even had a chance to prove his worth for the Dynamo.

"It's been really frustrating not being able to have a run of games where I can put together a full, healthy season," Carr said. "The concussion, some injuries have been freak injuries -- the knee injury was a freak play. The concussion was a freak injury that I felt it would just take a couple weeks but it took longer than I was expecting. I think I've done a good job of coming back from injuries and putting them behind me. I haven't had as much work this season as I would like, but I'm looking to make the most of it."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Eclipse's Dalton earns Big Ten GK of Year; Forbes takes Horizon GK honor

Wisconsin's Michele Dalton (left) and
UW-Milwaukee's Jamie Forbes

Eclipse Select Communications

CHICAGO -- Two Eclipse Select Soccer Club alumni earned top goalkeeper accolades in their respective conferences this week.

On Tuesday, Wisconsin senior Michele Dalton (Mount Prospect, Ill./John Hersey) was named Big Ten Conference Goalkeeper of the Year. And on Monday, Wisconsin-Milwaukee junior Jamie Forbes (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) earned Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year and was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year, sharing that honor with Detroit's Alexandra Suschak.

Dalton also was included on the All-Big Ten First Team, becoming only the third Badger in the program's history to accomplish the feat, joining Julie Johnson (1996) and Ursula McKnight (1994). Dalton has played every minute in goal for Wisconsin this year. She is tied for second in the Big Ten with six shutouts, and is fourth in goals against average (0.91), save percentage (.825) and saves (85).

Forbes, an All-Horizon League First Team goalkeeper, has started in 17 of the Panthers' 18 games this season. Forbes has posted a 0.64 goals against average, a .851 save percentage and nine shutouts -- all top marks among Horizon League goalkeepers. During conference play, Forbes allowed only two goals in approximately 620 minutes for a 0.29 goals allowed average.

For more, visit EclipseSelect.org.

Tallahassee Democrat: Dream comes true for Eclipse Select's Brockmeier

Caroline Brockmeier -- Democrat photo

By Jim Henry
Democrat writer

Caroline Brockmeier has developed into one of the country's top youth soccer players. The sophomore goalie at Chiles High was invited to a national select camp two years ago and actually plays club soccer in Chicago. Established collegiate programs have started to express interest.

Impressive, yes.

But a dream came true over the weekend when Brockmeier earned an invitation to the U15 Girls National Team Camp next month in Carson, Calif. Thirty position players and two to four goalies will be vying for spots on the final roster during the week-long camp.

"It has been a goal of mine for a long time and I've always dreamed of doing it," said Brockmeier, who recently turned 15. "I've always worked hard, but I am going to work 10 times harder trying to get fit and ready and being the best I can when I get into camp."

Brockmeier plans to rely on her experiences to help in her preparation. Her Eclipse Select Club in Chicago travels and faces some of the country's best competition. Brockmeier also learned plenty when she attended the national select camp in Oregon with more than 70 age-group players also recognized for their skills and talents.

Read more at Tallahassee.com.