BY ROSS FORMAN
CMSA has formally approved soccer to join its sports roster—and indoor action kicks off next month, marking the nation's first LGBT indoor league.
Registration for the co-ed inaugural season is Feb. 3, starting at 6:30 p.m., at the Windy City Fieldhouse ( 2367 W. Logan Blvd. ) . Games will be held that evening and the season will run every Friday night ( except Feb. 17 ) for eight weeks, with one-hour games starting at 7 and 8 p.m. The playoffs are slated for March 31.
'This first year will be a growing year. The first year is always filled with growing pains,' said Jason Weaver, the league's founder and coordinator. 'I'm hoping people will come out with a good, positive attitude and just enjoy playing soccer.'
CMSA officials have been intrigued about adding soccer for several months due to an abundance of requests for the sport, but have not had a coordinator. Enter Weaver, who arrived in town about six months ago from Boston where he was working and attending graduate school. Weaver, 26, also played for the Boston Strikers, a gay-friendly soccer team that's been around for about 18 years. 'When I moved here, I was hoping to continue that experience,' he said.
'I thought it would be an interesting challenge to coordinate a soccer league, especially being new to the city.'
In mid-October, CMSA conducted a survey of its membership to see if there was interest—and received about 100 replies. A follow-up survey was conducted around Thanksgiving—and 50 continued to express interest.
'The response from the board was very positive, very supportive. They've felt for a long time that there were plenty of LGBT soccer players in Chicago,' Weaver said.
The inaugural season will be capped at 64 players and players of all levels of play are welcome, and expected. Weaver said the league has had interest from former Division I college soccer players, along with many who have not played in years. 'Hopefully, all of the teams will be balanced skill-wise, so each team will have a chance to win each week,' Weaver said.
An outdoor league is expected for the spring, summer and fall.
'My vision for the league is, we can eventually form traveling teams,' for major national and international tournaments, such as the 10th annual New York Indoor Classic ( March 24-26 ) , hosted by the New York Ramblers, Weaver said. There also are annual indoor tournaments in Atlanta, Montreal and elsewhere.
'I'm hoping there's a strong social aspect of the league. We hope it's a great way to get to know some new people. Soccer is a great workout and hopefully there will be great competition.'
Once selected, teams will be able to pick team-colors and team-names.
The biggest challenge, Weaver predicted, will be finding goalies. Some teams may use multiple keepers, he said.
Weaver, who works as a consultant, grew up outside of Cleveland and played center midfield for North Ridgeville ( Ohio ) High School. He attended Ohio State University.
Weaver also played this fall for the Chicago Dragons rugby club, his first foray into that sport and only because Chicago didn't have an LGBT soccer league.
Now he's going to play both sports, if time permits.
'I enjoyed rugby, which was a new sport to me, but missed soccer,' Weaver said. 'I really enjoy the camaraderie that the Dragons have, and I hope to extend that to the soccer league.'
'I'm very excited for the gay league to start; it will be real cool and hopefully this indoor league will spawn an outdoor one as well,' said Philip Maziarz, 25, who lives in Wicker Park and already plays soccer twice a week in straight soccer leagues. 'Some of my best friends are people I've met through playing sports. I'm glad there now will be another opportunity to meet new people.
'Plus, I'm just really excited for the soccer league because that's the sport I grew up playing and is my first love. It'll be nice to be playing something I'm good at as opposed to softball and flag-football, sports I'm still learning.'
For more information on CMSA soccer, e-mail Weaver at CMSA_soccer@hotmail.com or call the CMSA soccer hotline at ( 312 ) 409-7932, ext. 2.