Nothing comes easy for a fledgling club. This couldn’t ring truer for the DePaul University Club Football team (DUCF), which has struggled to find a place to practice this season.
But hard work pays off, and the tireless efforts of the team finally came to fruition last Friday. Club president Riley Halligan scheduled the team’s first indoor practice at Max McCook Athletic and Exposition Center in McCook, Ill., which the team hopes is the next step in the fight for legitimacy.
“We were able to rent out two of the four soccer fields and have a really strong practice,” DUCF treasurer Devin Miller, said.
The team loved practicing at the center in McCook, but they might have to find another location due to insurance complications.
“Right now, things are still up in the air because of insurance … we’re working on an insurance plan and hope to have the problem fixed shortly,” Miller said.
Head coach Carlos Jones, founder of the semi-pro football team Chi-Town Blaze, has been helping the team with its insurance issues. Jones is working with a partner insurance company of the Blaze to get DUCF covered.
Although it’s club football, DUCF’s once-a-week practices are intense and competitive. Head coach Jones has always been creative in his coaching style and was able to incorporate excruciating drills into a two and a half hour practice.
“We’d start off with individual drills for an hour. Then the defense would work as a unit, work through plays and pursuing plays for a half hour. We would end our practice with a seven on seven drive down the field,” Miller said.
The team can’t have full contact practice yet, but they hope once their equipment is received, they can round out the rest of their skills and start hitting. They recently placed an order for their equipment and it should be arriving in late March or early April.
“We’re looking to hold scrimmages by the end of spring semester,” Miller said.
There has been a lot of excitement surrounding a possible DePaul and Loyola University matchup. Halligan is working with the Loyola team to possibly set up a scrimmage in May.
“We even got a name for it … we’re calling it the Red Line rivalry,” Miller said.
DUCF is applying for the National Club Football Association (NCFA) in the spring to have access to play universities like Loyola, Southern Illinois University, Miami University and Ohio State University. Halligan always wanted to play at the collegiate level and Miller supported him. The idea to start a club was generated after Halligan, Miller and a group of friends met in the student center.
They were bummed that there was no football program and decided to do something about it.
If DUCF becomes part of the NCFA, this will be DePaul’s first football season since Dec. 13, 1948.
DUCF hopes that through fundraisers and having a presence in Chicago, the team will gain recognition and raise awareness. They’ve volunteered at the Hot Chocolate Run this past fall, participated in the McCormick Place Expo and are currently selling discount cards for $15.
This discount card allows you to get great deals all around Lincoln Park.
“Look for anyone wearing a club football shirt to purchase these cards and get great deals to Chicago Dog, Jam N’ Honey and other great Lincoln Park places,” Miller said.
You can find DePaul University Club Football on Facebook and OrgSync for more information and to stay up-to-date on the coming season.
