When John Trask was named the fourth head men's soccer coach in UIC's Division I history on January 17, 2005, a new standard of excellence was immediately established for the program. That standard was on display throughout Trask's first two seasons at the helm, particularly last year's magical run to unprecedented national rankings, a pair of NCAA statistical titles, the 2006 Horizon League regular season crown and the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship. 2006 was one of the most successful all-around seasons in the history of the program. The Flames rattled off a nine-match unbeaten streak to open the campaign, notching road wins over nationally-ranked Saint Louis and eventual national champion UC Santa Barbara during that span. UIC moved up the national polls, becoming a consensus Top 10 team for the first time and earning the team's highest-ever national ranking during the week of September 25th, reaching the No. 6 spot in the SoccerTimes.com College Coaches Poll. The Flames, who also achieved the No. 1 ranking in the NSCAA/adidas Great Lakes Region poll for the first time in school history, went on to finish 13-3-5 and stand atop the NCAA statistical rankings for team goals-against average (0.36) and team save percentage (.908).UIC's 2006 GAA was the fourth-best mark in NCAA history, while the Flames' save percentage last year stands as the best-ever in Division I men's soccer. The motto "defense wins championships" is one that Trask fully believes in, and it proved to be the key to success for UIC last season. The Flames turned in 13 shutouts, a school record, en route to the team's first Horizon League regular season title since 2000. UIC, which gave up just eight goals in 21 games and only two goals after intermission during the entire year, went on to earn the team's first-ever at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament. There UIC picked up a 3-0 win over Western Illinois in the first round before giving Elite Eight qualifier Notre Dame all it could handle on its home pitch in a narrow 1-0 loss to the Irish. The accolades poured in for the national noise made by the Flames. Forward Tonci Skroce became the second All-American in program history after being selected to the NSCAA/adidas All-America Second Team for his seven-goal, seven-assist season. Four UIC players earned NSCAA/adidas All-Great Lakes Region accolades, while Skroce's Horizon League Player of the Year award, Jovan Bubonja's Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year award and six All-Horizon League Team honorees highlighted the haul. For guiding the Flames to national prominence in 2006, Trask was named the league's Coach of the Year. Trask began to lay the foundation for success in 2005, when the first-year manager guided a team that went 5-12-2 in the fall prior to his arrival to a fantastic 10-5-2 campaign and the sixth-best turnaround in the nation. The Flames stepped up their level of play against top competition in their first season under Trask. UIC earned road victories over Top 25 teams Loyola Marymount and Creighton that season, along with a road draw against 2005 NCAA Tournament team Milwaukee. In addition, the Flames battled to a spring exhibition draw against 2005 NCAA quarterfinalist Akron and fought national power Indiana tooth-and-nail in a preseason road match. Along with stellar showings against some of the nation's best teams, UIC also proved to be a club with better preparation and fitness under Trask's watch. The team's 5-1-2 record in overtime matches during the 2005 season proves such a statement. UIC's success in 2005 brought in various individual awards and team recognition. Pavle Dundjer, Tonci Skroce and Cesar Zambrano were named to the 2005 All-Horizon League First Team, while teammate Pawel Otachel earned Second Team honors. Dundjer also became the first UIC player since Joe Morelli in 2002 to earn NSCAA/adidas All-Midwest Team accolades. The Flames finished the year ranked ninth in the NSCAA/adidas Midwest Region Rankings, the first time UIC had been ranked in the final region poll since 2002, while also receiving votes in the national poll for the first time since 2001. Not only has Trask improved UIC's play on the field, he has already taken enormous steps in upgrading all facets of the program. Night games at Flames Field debuted last fall thanks to the installation of lights over the pitch, and the Flames thrived with an unbeaten 7-0-3 record at home. Theme nights, promotions and other additions to the operation of games at Flames Field have been implemented successfully, helping increase attendance by 675%. Plans for a soccer-specific stadium and other improvements are in the works. The Flames have become more active in the community through Trask's affiliation with the America SCORES program, an afterschool reading, writing and soccer program dedicated to inner-city children in 16 cities around the country. Trask has served as the lead clinician for the America SCORES Coaches Workshop at the UCLA campus the past two seasons. Trask, his staff and his players have proven to be a great resource for the Chicago SCORES chapter in the past year alone with their volunteer involvement in clinics and camps, and Trask and the Flames helped Chicago SCORES even more by teaming with the Chicago Fire to play a charity friendly at Flames Field this past April that raised over $7,000 for the organization.
Trask came to UIC with an impeccable soccer pedigree. An assistant at Indiana University for nearly a decade under legendary head coach Jerry Yeagley, Trask played a vital role in cultivating a Hoosier dynasty that claimed eight Big Ten titles, reached five College Cups and earned back-to-back National Championships (1998-1999) during his tenure from 1991 through 1999. Indiana amassed an unbelievable 169-29-12 record during Trask's nine seasons, including four 20-win campaigns. Not only did Trask play a vital role in the championship success of the team as a whole, he also assisted in the recruitment and development of the nation's finest players. Under Trask, Hoosier players amassed five Big Ten Player of the Year awards, 18 All-America honors, 27 All-Region First Team accolades, and 64 All-Big Ten selections. Trask also guided midfielders Brian Maisonneuve and Todd Yeagley to national player of the year honors in 1994, with Maisonneuve earning the Hermann Trophy and Yeagley winning the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year award. Along with Maisonneuve and Yeagley, Trask has had a hand in developing a slew of professionals, Olympians and World Cup players from the Indiana program. Dema Kovalenko, Yuri Lavrinenko, Lazo Alavanja and Pat Noonan are just a few of the former Hoosiers that have gone on to significant post-collegiate success on the soccer field following their tutelage under Trask. During his nine-year run at Indiana, Trask quickly made a name for himself in the national prep ranks, particularly in the Midwest. He served as the men's state senior coach for the Indiana State Soccer Association from 1992-1995, followed by a five-year reign as the state director of coaching for the ISSA. Trask was also the first Director of Coaching for what is now known as Cutters Soccer Club, playing such an enormous role in cultivating youth soccer in Bloomington, Ind., that he was inducted into the Cutters Soccer Club Hall of Fame in 2006. Thanks to his extensive work with United States Soccer Federation youth national teams in developing professional and international players for the U.S. over the course of his coaching career, Trask has helped develop some of soccer's biggest international stars. Freddy Adu, Landon Donovan and numerous other phenoms have trained under Trask. Trask also assisted with the Indiana Soccer Camp for 11 years and developed the famed John Trask Total Soccer series of camps, which he has brought to the UIC campus with a variety of spring and summer offerings for young players. After his successful apprenticeship at Indiana, Trask took his coaching skills to the professional level for five seasons as an assistant in Major League Soccer. Trask began his career in MLS with Miami in 2000, helping the Fusion reach the MLS semifinals in 2001 while serving on the Eastern Conference coaching staff for the 2001 MLS All-Star Game. He guided Alex Pineda Chacon to the league scoring title in 2001 en route to the MLS Honda Most Valuable Player award. Following his two seasons in Miami, Trask spent two years with D.C. United before heading to Dallas as an assistant for the Burn (now FC Dallas). While in Major League Soccer, Trask tutored some of the biggest names in the game. From popular veterans like Preki to young sensations such as U.S. National Team member Eddie Johnson, Trask has trained a long list of professional talent from all across the globe. Prior to his coaching career, Trask excelled on the pitch for the Hoosiers as a midfielder. A four-year letterwinner at Indiana from 1984-1987, Trask played for the 1984 College Cup team and two NCAA Regional Finalists. UIC marks a homecoming of sorts for Trask. Raised in Milwaukee, Wis., Trask was actually born in Chicago and lived in the city for three years prior to moving up north. Trask graduated from Indiana with a bachelor of science degree in management from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 1990. He also earned a master's degree in kinesiology in 1993 while serving as a graduate assistant coach with the Hoosiers. JOHN TRASK'S COACHING CAREERHEAD COACH - UIC Year Record Postseason 2006 13-3-5 NCAA Second Round 2005 10-5-2
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