Palatine Celtic Soccer Club

The Palatine Celtic Soccer Club was founded in 1968 by Bill Hughes and Jimmy Kinsella, a transplanted Scotsman.  Together, they were the first people in Palatine to organize local children into teams to play the game of soccer.  Jimmy named the Club after his home club, Glasgow Celtic.

The Palatine Celtic Soccer Club oversees the youth soccer program for the Village of Palatine, Illinois.  The Club, which is affiliated with the Palatine Park District, provides youth soccer programs for girls and boys ages 6-18.  Many of the players on the William Fremd and Palatine High School varsity soccer teams have, at one time or another, played either Recreational and/or Travel soccer under the Celtic banner.  Our Club is organized into two programs:

The House Program is designed to provide a venue for the recreational soccer player to learn fundamentals while developing self-esteem and  teamwork.  The House Program hosts about 85 teams ranging from U8 thru U14 for both boys and girls.  The fall season is typically eight weeks long and begins the weekend after Labor Day with girls' games on Saturdays and boys' games on Sundays.  The spring season consists of four action packed weeks with an exciting House tournament to conclude the season.

The goal of the House Program is to provide players of all skills and abilities an opportunity to learn the game of soccer along with other children their age.  The teams are formed based on age, grade, and ability with an equal number of players rated appropriately by their coaches from the previous season.  Travel players who also choose to play in the House Program are distributed equally amongst the teams.  Go to the House Program Page...

The Travel Program provides an environment for our area youth to develop skills and technical proficiency so they are able to thrive in the sport at a competitive level. The Travel Program consists of approximately 30 boys and girls teams from U8 thru U18 age divisions competing in IYSA competitive leagues.  Our girls teams compete in the Illinois Women's Soccer League (IWSL), and our boys teams compete in the Young Sportsmen's Soccer League (YSSL).

Celtic Travel teams are coached by USSF and NSCAA licensed coaches who often have collegiate and, in some cases, professional playing experience. Our program's primary focus is player development cultivated in a competitive, yet fun, team-oriented environment.  Technical proficiency is the foundation of the curriculum taught to players at the younger ages to ensure they are able to thrive at a competitive level. As players grow and mature, technical skills are continually refined, with the concentration gradually shifting to the tactical aspects of the game. Many former Celtic players have continued their soccer careers in NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA college programs. Go to the Travel Program page...

Our boys teams compete in the Young Sportsmen's Soccer League (YSSL), while our girls teams compete in the Illinois Women's Soccer League (IWSL). All teams are affiliated with the Illinos Youth Soccer Association (IYSA), the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYS), the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), and, of course, FIFA.

Additionally, for over 25 years, our Club has hosted the annual Palatine Celtic Cup soccer tournament featuring 350 teams from across the Midwestern U.S.A.  Click for more information about the Celtic Cup...