The Hawthorn Woods Elite Soccer Club (U9 - U19) philosophy emphasizes discipline, hard work, integrity, responsibility and honesty as the fundamental building blocks to success in soccer and most importantly, in life. We also believe our players should enjoy their high school experience including participation in their high school soccer teams. Accordingly, Hawthorn Woods Elite is not a year-round program. Our players train and play in their high school off-season, and return to their schools as team leaders with improved skills, tactics, confidence, and most of all, experience gained from high-caliber competition.

Our players will be exposed at national college showcase tournaments and will be well marketed by our coaching staff. Well-run elite soccer clubs can be magnets to college programs, and Hawthorn Woods Elite Soccer Club will be no exception. We will prepare players and their parents for the recruiting process and we provide insight into the athletic and academic requirements of the process. In 2009 alone, 12 of Coach Chmela’s former players were placed in college programs earning more than $1 million in scholarships.