COACH'S CORNER
GEOFFREY RUTTENBERG
PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND
BOYS & GIRLS VARSITY HEAD COACH
Coach Ruttenberg possess 19 years of soccer coaching experience, including 2+ seasons of Professional Men; 11 seasons as the Head Coach for the Lincoln Park High School Girl's Varsity; 11 seasons as the Head Coach for the Lincoln Park High School Boys Varsity; and 11 years as the Director of Soccer Operations. Coach Ruttenberg is the winningest coach in LPHS Soccer History. To date, Geoffrey has brought 6 Trophies (Championships) to LP Soccer.
Geoffrey has numerous NSCAA and NFHS degrees and certificates, including the NSCAA National Diploma and the NFHS Accredited Interscholastic Coach Level I & II. Geoffrey has also studied with LMA, comprised of past and present English Football Coaches. Aside from memberships with the NSCAA and NFHS, Geoffrey is part of the PCA Organization and sits on the CPL Boys Soccer Competition Committee. Geoffrey graduated from Tufts University with a B.A.
Geoffrey's Career LP Soccer Coaching Record (as of November 1, 2024): All Competitions:
Total games Coached 431. Games won 249, Lost 142, Tied 40
MATT LEVINE
BOYS & GIRLS JV HEAD COACH
Coach Matt has been with the LP Boys and Girls Soccer program since 2012. Coach Matt has over 19 years of Youth and High School coaching experience. He has his US Soccer Coaches Advanced and National Diplomas, and a USSF Adult Amateur license. He has certified hundreds of Youth coaches for AYSO as an Advanced Instructor and has overseen the largest AYSO year-end tournament in the country for 13 years. In 2013, Coach Matt also helped lead the JV Boys Soccer Team to its first CPS City Finals. Coach Matt has his B.A., B.F.A., and M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University, and has been happily married to his wife Marci and they have two children, Lucas, an IB graduate of LPHS and Alicia, who graduated from LP's IB program.
SARA OSOBA
VARSITY ASSISTANT COACH
Sara Osoba has been the Assistant Coach for the girls and boys soccer programs since 2017. After playing soccer during high school, Sara went to the University of Illinois where she played in recreational leagues and coached at the Champaign Park District. She a Special Education teacher at Lincoln Park High School, where she oversees the work program and independent living classes.
ADAM CALISOFF
JV ASSISTANT COACH
Adam Calisoff is a volunteer coach at Lincoln Park High School. He has coached 4 years of successful AYSO teams and 2 years of Elementary School school soccer. He started coaching with LP Soccer in the Fall of 2023. He is an attorney at Ice Miller. He has four boys, all who love the game as much as he does.
>> acalisoff@cps.edu
ELI LICHTMAN
FRESH/SOPH ASSISTANT COACH
Coach Eli is in his first year with the LP Soccer program. He's excited to support the student athletes' growth and help build a strong team culture. Eli was a soccer captain at Hamilton College, King High School (CT), and New York Soccer Club. In high school, he was a Scholar All American and selected to the Connecticut All State Team twice. Along with fellow captains, the soccer team founded the King Cares program, raising $8,000 for local charities. He has his B.A. from Hamilton, majoring in Economics and minoring in Psychology. He has enjoyed playing soccer throughout his life and appreciates the opportunity to be more involved once again!
LP SOCCER AND ITS “CUT” POLICY:
Please read the Soccer Handbook for details about the program >>
OUR MISSION
The mission of the LP Soccer is to provide a competitive arena where student-athletes can display their talents, enhance their physical wellness and skills, and gain greater technical and tactical understanding of and appreciation for soccer.
LP Soccer is first and foremost a family. Our family embraces the academic mission of Lincoln Park High School, and we view our Soccer Program as an extension of that mission. Our players strive to become the best soccer players they can be, learning lessons about accountability, responsibility, attention to detail, focus, commitment and respect that will guide them on the pitch, in the classroom and in real life.
LP Soccer has three Boys and three Girls teams: Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshman/Sophomore. We do cut for Freshmen and Sophomore players.
COMMITMENT IS KEY: No unexcused absences from practice or games. Miss a practice without a legitimate, communicated conflict, you don't play in the next game. Playing time will be allocated based not solely on talent. As important are accountability, responsibility, attention to detail, focus, commitment and respect.
OUR 'CUT' POLICY
Sports teach valuable lessons about personal growth, character and working toward a common goal. We owe it to our student-athletes to provide genuine opportunities for success through athletics. Consistent playing time, earning opportunities, and fulfilling a meaningful role within a team creates a sense of place for a player and a strong unity within the team. In addition, competition is a fact of life, and a major part of our society. Nobody gets a job or gets into college just because they fill out the application.
Moving forward, athletes will have to earn their roster spot. Prior placement or performance will have no bearing on each new season. We are seeking the best athletes each year, on each team. We believe we do a disservice to our student-athletes when we don’t cut. Keeping kids who see minimal game action is not in the best interest of the young person or our program. No one wants to work hard during practices and rarely play. This is why we require our student-athletes and their parents to read and sign the LP Soccer Program handbook which clearly lays out our expectations and requirements for participation.
Cuts won’t be easy for the Lincoln Park High School players or coaches. Change is often difficult and we will do our best to navigate through this transition. A “Cut” Program also means that just because an athlete had previously secured a JV or Varsity roster spot, that spot is not guaranteed for the next season. Each year, every athlete will need to tryout and work hard to showcase their skills in competing for a roster spot.
HOW ARE TEAMS FORMED?
Varsity: We will field a team comprised of the15-25 most talented players within the Program. Seniors who do not make Varsity will not automatically be placed on the JV team.
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JV: We will keep the next strongest 15-25 players. The focus of the JV team will be to develop future varsity talent and, like Varsity, will play to win. Playing time for both Varsity and JV players will not be guaranteed.
How many we keep each season will depend on the number of qualified players that (1) are soccer fit and technically capable of playing at each level; and (2) who fit into the technical scheme each Coach feels will yield the most competitive team with the highest chance to achieve the stipulated Team/Program goals each season.
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Fresh/Soph: Fresh/Soph does not cut players. Playing time will depend on skill, but coaches will try to give everyone playing time throughout the season. Basic tactics and technical skills will be emphasized in anticipation of a future spot on JV or Varsity.
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ABOUT THE PROGRAM
CONTACT
Questions� ‬Reach out to Head Coach Ruttenberg and LP Soccer Boosters by filling out the form below.