HENRY CHEUNG NAMED TD/HC FOR INAUGURAL CHICAGO HOUSE AC WOMEN’S WPSL SEASON

Chicago, Illinois (November 21, 2023) – The Chicago House AC Women’s Premier Soccer League team announced today that Henry Cheung has been named the Technical Director and Head Coach for the club’s 1st season in WPSL beginning next Spring. Cheung, an experienced WPSL coach, led the team through its 2023 independent schedule of eight matches and will now lead the club for its first pre-professional league season.

Cheung led Chicago Dutch Lions through their 2022 WPSL season prior to taking over coaching duties this year with Chicago House. WPSL is America’s oldest and the world’s largest women’s soccer league with 130 teams in 2023.

Cheung is also the Women's Soccer Head Coach for Joliet Junior College where he has been since February 2022.  Prior to that, he served two seasons as the Head Women's Soccer Coach at Kishwaukee College in Malta, IL where he recruited more than 25 student-athletes to help turn around the program. In his first season, he coached freshman midfielder Darian Lucas, who was named to the NJCAA Region IV - DII All Region First Team. In his second season with the Kougars, he inherited six players from the previous season and quickly expanded the roster to 20 within just one season. For the first time in program history, his team went undefeated against all opponents without conceding a goal in the Arrowhead Conference, his goalkeeper Abigail Provo earned NJCAA DII National Goalkeeper of the Week honors (9/29/21).  
 
“I am extremely excited and motivated to lead the Chicago House women's team on the field next season and beyond,” Cheung said. “Peter (Wilt) and this ownership group are deeply committed to building a world-class club both on and off the field and I look forward to being a part of creating our culture and style of play as a team. Our journey begins today, and I am eager to begin work immediately ahead of our inaugural year of competition in WPSL next season,” Cheung said.

Jason Almazan, Director of the House women’s program shared his enthusiasm for the hire. “We are very excited to have hired our new head coach Henry Cheung. Coach Henry fits the exact culture we are trying to build for our women's program along with his knowledge in the league from previous experience. I had the pleasure of knowing Coach Henry and working with him in the past. Bringing him in as head coach and technical director to open up the season was a no-brainer,” Almazan said.

Almazan also noted that the first set of tryouts for the House women’s team are this weekend.  “We look forward to assessing area talent at our first tryouts Saturday and Sunday, November 25 and 26 at Strikers Fox Valley Indoor Center, 1000 Kirk Road, Geneva, IL 60134. Players can register for the tryout here on the club’s website,” Almazan said.

Cheung’s coaching experience is extensive as he has coached several club teams in Morris, Minooka and Aurora, Illinois. Cheung was the head coach of the varsity boy’s soccer program at Newark (IL) Community High School from 2019-2021. In his first year as the Norsemen Head Coach, Coach Cheung had five players named to the All-Conference team and one player on the IHSSCA All-Sectional team. Midfielder Brooke Kala, who went on to play NCAA DI soccer for the University of Tennessee at Martin, had 2 goals and 3 assists in her freshman year. In 2021, senior forward Angel Fernandez (37 goals, 9 assists), was selected Kendall County All-Area First team and LTC All-Conference First Team.
 
Coach Cheung has earned a number of soccer coaching credentials. He has his United States Soccer Federation “D” License, he received his United Soccer Coaches (USC) National Diploma in 2019, a USC Advanced National Diploma in 2021, USC Level 1 Futsal Diploma, USC Attacking & Defending Principles Diploma, USC 11v11 Formations & Systems of Play Diploma, Level 1 Goalkeeping Diploma. He has served on staff at the elite soccer camp at Texas A&M University. He is a member of the United Soccer Coaches and Asian/Pacific Islander Coaches Advocacy Group. 
 
Prior to arriving in the United States, Coach Cheung played soccer for Bentham Academy in Lancaster, England. After that, Coach Cheung relocated to Chicago and played varsity soccer throughout high school and served as the team’s captain his senior year.
 
When he is not coaching, Coach Cheung enjoys cheering on his favorite soccer team, Newcastle United, cooking, and spending time with his family. In addition to his coaching duties, Coach Cheung works as a certified interpreter for the state and federal government. Coach Cheung and his wife, Kristin, reside in Shorewood with their children, Adriana, Landon, and Ella.