Gallery | Chicago Fire Academy Joins the First Team in New England

By Carlos Rodriguez

Published Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025 08:00 PM

Academy Technical Director Gary Lewis leads the U-13 and U-14 sides to the first team's charter plane en route to New England (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Members of the U-14 side excitedly make their way onto the tarmac before boarding (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
The Academy sides board the team's charter plane before the first team (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
All Academy players were expected to follow the same dress code as their first team counter parts (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Winger Jonathan Bamba greets Academy players before the flight to New England (Chicago Fire FC)
Academy and first team players alike were thrilled to share a flight before Decision Day (Chicago Fire FC)
Leading scorer Hugo Cuypers is warmly greeted upon boarding (Chicago Fire FC)
Xavier Anunobi opened the scoring for the Fire's U-13 side against New England (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Oskar Kwiatek was among the standouts in a 4-1 win over the New England U-13s (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Fire U-13 player Skylar Bradshaw was a force on the pitch (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
U-13 Head Coach Tanner Chassman (left) makes adjustments at the half (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
The U-13 side listens to Chassman's instructions at the half (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Goalkeeper Xavier Meller was effective in the U-13 victory against New England (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Malachi Moore and his teammates look on in the bench in a 4-1 victory (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
Academy athletic trainer Jennifer Garcia (front) and performance coach Bristol Countess (back) were quick to assist both teams (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
After the game, the sides got to take in New England's fall foliage and cranberry bogs (Chicago Fire FC)
The Fire U-14 side took in the best of iconic Gillette Stadium (Chicago Fire FC)
From left: Performance Coach Bristol Countess; U-14 Coach Brandon Boucaud; Head of Education Patrick Stanton; Athletic Trainer Jennifer Garcia; U-13 Head Coach Tanner Chassman; Mental Performance Coach Craig Chudley
The boys made themselves heard at Gillette Stadium during the first team's Decision Day match (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)
The Academy sides proudly represented their hometown in New England (Joey Perez | Chicago Fire FC)