Soccer programs growing in Brillion

July 11, 2024

By David Nordby

The Brillion News

The complete version of this story appears in the July 11, 2024 print edition of The Brillion News.

BRILLION – Youth soccer is on the rise in the Brillion area.

Holy Family Parish, which includes Brillion and Reedsville, is prepping to start its

second season in August.

The program was spearheaded by Jared Hause and Katie Micksch. The group had three

teams during its 2023 season – 8U co-ed, 10U girls and 10U boys. This season they will

add the 12U girls and 12U boys teams.

In total, there are almost 70 children involved from Holy Family Catholic School, Holy

Family Faith Formation and multiple kids who are not affiliated with Holy Family but

are playing soccer with the program.

“Our kids were playing soccer and we were looking for things for our kids to do in the

fall,” Hause said.

With the help of Ann Marx and the Brillion Community Center, a group was put together

to join the Eastern Wisconsin Soccer League (EWSL).

“There really wasn't a lot for kids to do in Brillion in the fall,” Hause said. “Football is too

young yet ... so we looked into getting soccer at the school.”

Coaches in the program include Micksch and Tracy Hause (8U co-ed), Amber Christel

(10U girls), Janessa Dallmann and Nicole Stehula (10U boys), Hause and Jon Kees (12U

girls), and Stehula and Joe Tilkasky (12U boys).

The first season was deemed a success.

“It was really cool. We had a lot of parents step up to volunteering to helping coaching to

getting their kids going,” Hause said.

Home games were once a week at Horn Park with one practice during the week for eight

weeks from the end of August to the end of October.

JV co-op with New Holstein

The rise of youth soccer in Brillion also coincides with recent approvals from the Brillion

and New Holstein school districts that Brillion High School students will be able to join

the New Holstein program.

That will start in the 2024-25 school year where high school students can join the junior

varsity team. The number of students involved this year will help give Kiel feedback of

participation to eventually be a part of the varsity program.

Hause said that fits in with what he and the other coaches hope to accomplish.

“We're trying to be the feeder program to make sure that program stays alive,” Hause

said.

“Our dream one day is to see our kids not wearing Holy Family but wearing Brillion

across the chest at the high school level,” he added.