Chicago Fire FC and RCX Sports created a first-of-its-kind camp where 120 young athletes could explore five sports without the pressure to choose just one.
Standing at the Fire Pitch in Chicago this summer, Lee Hannant watched an idea come to life.
Across the facility, kids were playing soccer, flag football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and softball as part of the inaugural Chicago Pro Sports Camp. Among them was Hannant’s own son.
“I want my son to experience all the different sports, even though I’m biased toward soccer,” said Hannant, Vice President of Community Soccer for Chicago Fire FC. “There are many benefits to participating in different sports: hand-eye coordination, social-emotional learning, being active, having fun, and the overall participation experience.”
That simple idea shaped the entire week: Give kids the chance to discover what they love with their friends, in a fun environment with professional coaches.
At a time when young athletes can feel pressure to choose a sport and specialize early, Chicago Fire FC and RCX Sports created a different kind of camp. Kids ages 6 to 14 could walk into an unfamiliar sport, give it a try, and discover what they enjoyed.
There were no expectations that they already knew how to shoot a basketball, run a football route, handle a hockey stick, or swing a bat. They simply had to be willing to play and the coaches did the rest!
Where trying matters more than mastering
Hannant has spent 15 years with Chicago Fire FC. He began by coaching and now oversees the club’s youth and adult programs, and other community soccer initiatives.
Through that experience, he has seen the benefits of high-level competition. He has also seen how quickly pressure can take the fun out of playing.
“I played soccer at a high level in England, but I have also seen the enjoyment go out of sport very quickly,” Hannant said. “This camp felt very counter to that high-stress environment. It was about having fun and giving other sports a try.”
The multisport format gave every camper a familiar place to return to and something new to discover. A soccer player could try hockey. A basketball player could pick up a football. A child with little experience in any of the five sports could participate alongside everyone else.
“Kids can try new things, and if they don’t like something, they can return to the sport where they feel most comfortable,” Hannant said. “They’re able to try and participate in sports they may not be as strong in, in a safe environment. I love that aspect.”
For parents, the camp offered a simple way to experience multiple sports all in one place at a world class facility. And for kids, it created something even more valuable: the freedom to be a beginner.
Chicago sports, all in one place
The idea felt especially fitting in a city where sports are part of the culture.
The Fire Pitch provided two full-size turf soccer fields and an adjacent blacktop, giving organizers the space to build a week around different activities. Chicago Fire FC had the facility and community reach. RCX Sports brought experience across youth sports, established programming, coaches, equipment, and relationships with professional leagues.
“We have the facility, and we’re in an incredible sports town,” Hannant said. “We started thinking about how we could diversify our camp offerings, reach kids and families outside our traditional soccer network, and offer them something different.”
Soccer and flag football served as anchors throughout the week, with Lamont Jones, General Manager at the Rockford Park District, helping lead the NFL FLAG experience.
“For years, our staff has used the power of sports to connect with and inspire youth throughout the Rockford community,” Jones said. “Introducing NFL FLAG at the Chicago Pro Sports Camp gave us another opportunity to grow the game by teaching fundamentals, building confidence, and, most importantly, having fun. It was a reminder that meaningful experiences through sports help shape the next generation of athletes, leaders, and teammates.”
Each day also introduced another sport through programming from RCX-operated youth sports properties.
Campers played NHL STREET™ hockey, took the court with Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Leagues programming, tested their baseball and softball skills through MLB Pitch Hit & Run, and participated in soccer activities connected to MLS GO.
The experience also included a special appearance by Chicago Fire FC mascot Sparky. Quality coaches and sport-specific equipment helped make each activity feel like an authentic introduction rather than simply another camp drill.
“We were very focused and deliberate that this must be a professional event and an elevated experience,” Hannant said. “The little details may not seem like much to us, but to the kids and their parents, they mean so much.”
The right partners make it happen
For Chicago Fire FC, creating a multisport camp was about more than placing several activities on the same schedule. Each sport needed knowledgeable coaches, the right equipment, an age-appropriate curriculum, and a program designed to give kids an authentic introduction.
The club’s existing relationship with RCX through MLS GO made the organization a natural partner.
“We have a great relationship with RCX,” Hannant said. “They have the expertise and relationships with the professional leagues. Given the MLS GO relationship with RCX, they were the logical partners to work with.”
That expertise helped turn an ambitious idea into a connected camp experience.
“We weren’t just throwing this together,” Hannant said. “We had the experts, the infrastructure, and the established programs to make each sport feel authentic. It wasn’t soccer coaches trying to deliver another sport. We had NFL FLAG, NHL STREET, Jr. NBA/WNBA, and MLB Pitch Hit & Run bringing real expertise and credibility to the experience.”
The camp also demonstrated how RCX can help professional clubs reach families beyond their traditional fan and participant networks.
“This camp brought the RCX portfolio together in a way we had never done before,” said Chris Ward, Program Manager of MLS GO at RCX Sports. “It showed what’s possible when our programs, operators, and professional club partners work together toward a common goal—getting more kids to play.”
Building confidence along the way
Athletic instruction was only one part of the camp.
Young athletes worked in small groups with coaches and participated in activities designed for different ages, abilities, and experience levels. Daily themes also incorporated SEL topics such as relationship skills, self-awareness, self-management, decision-making, and social awareness.
Together, those elements helped create a place where campers could build confidence on and off the field, connect with new teammates, and learn how to tackle new challenges.
For Hannant, the impact became especially clear as he watched the camp as both a Chicago Fire FC leader and a parent.
“I’ve run a lot of programs and trialed a lot of programs, but this was a really proud moment for me and for the club. Seeing this camp come to life and seeing my son trying new sports with the biggest smile on his face, that is what it is all about.” Hannant said.
Room to grow
The first Chicago Pro Sports Camp offered proof that a multisport model can give families something they are looking for: high-quality instruction without a high-pressure environment.
It also created a foundation for what could come next.
Chicago Fire FC works with approximately 50 park district partners, opening the possibility of taking the camp into more neighborhoods and suburban communities. Future programs could also involve more of Chicago’s professional sports organizations through players, alumni, mascots, equipment, merchandise, and other experiences.
Chicago Fire FC already welcomes approximately 5,000 participants through its camp programs. With interest in soccer continuing to grow following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the club sees an opportunity to reach even more families, including those whose children may be drawn to other sports.
“How can we continue to engage different families and kids across Chicagoland?” Hannant said. “That was always the goal. And given all the properties they have, RCX was the right partner to help us do it.”
For one week, 120 kids did not have to decide which kind of athlete they wanted to be. They could try something unfamiliar, return to a sport they already loved, and experience what youth sports can be when enjoyment comes first.
Sometimes, the best way to help a child find their sport is to give them more ways to play.
