DeKalb County United, league cancel 2020 season

As tempting as it was to wait and see if a shortened season would be a possibility, DeKalb County United president John Hall said the long-term vision prevailed among the clubs in the Midwest Premier League.

The first-year soccer league decided to cancel its 2020 season on Friday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We were talking about maybe waiting and seeing if we could force feed a small season, but economically it just didn't make sense," Hall said. "It's in our best interest long term to just wait. We as a league are only as strong as our weakest clubs. So it was an interesting conference call to say the least but we're all on the same page long term. You have to see the forest from the trees. You can't get over excited to maybe play a couple games and jeopardize all the hard work we've done.

The United, about to enter their third season, finished fifth in their inaugural season then second last year in their division of the United Premier Soccer League.

The club spun off with some other UPSL teams to form the new league, comprised of teams from Illinois, Iowa and Michigan to help limit travel.

Hall said he hopes the team still might be able to compete this summer in some friendlies, but called everything at this point amid the uncertainty a "dream."

"We still hope to play some soccer this year, it would just not be in a league setting," Hall said. "If schedules and safety allow it we'll schedule some friendlies or find some tournaments or something. But until we get further down the road no one really know what that may look like."

Hall did say the clubs two under-23 teams are still scheduled to compete later this summer. The MPL season was scheduled to start May 9, with the DKCU preseason was set to begin April 2.

Hall said thought the club was poised for a big season in the new league with a combination of returners and new players.

Instead, the team's third full season won't begin until at least 2021.

"Certainly it's disappointing when we already have a short four-month season," Hall said. "We put in a lot of work last season and during the offseason and it's hard to swallow there may not be a lot of action this year. But we understand our place in society and it is definitely not an essential thing. Our focus is on how we can shift our support in some way to local businesses and other community members."