Charnas paints winning scenes at NSCD
By Bill McLean
Allie Charnas’ painting of Wrigley Field hangs either on a wall in her father’s office or one in her brother’s dorm room.
The North Shore Country Day School senior center-midfielder’s father is Chris, a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan. Big brother C.J. — a senior at the University of Denver and a former NSCD right back — roots, roots, roots for the Cubbies and majors in mechanical engineering.
They like her artwork, and she likes the process.
“Painting relaxes me,” Allie Charnas said.
What she’d also like to create more than anything else this spring? Gobs of scoring chances for her teammates, a year after helping the Raiders reach the Class A girls soccer championship match for the second year in a row.
Unfortunately, soccer balls remain motionless because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has set May 1 as the target date to resume practices for all sports but only if state governmental, educational and health bodies approve such action.
“It’s been tough, waiting and wondering,” admitted Charnas, a 2020 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List selectee and a 2019 Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-Sectional Honorable Mention honoree. “The seniors are pretty bummed. I’ve been trying to stay in the best shape possible. I want to be my best for my team if we ever get to play.”
In 2019, the program that NSCDS finally bested for the first time was Latin, and it conquered the Romans convincingly, netting four first-half goals en route to a 5-1 victory. The result secured the Raiders’ first Independent School League (ISL) title.
“Allie was a leader for us in every game last year, but you could tell, in the practices before the Latin game and all during the game, she wanted us to win that game badly,” said NSCD senior back Caroline Segal, another 2020 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List pick. “Allie was invested, fully. Her focus was intense. The win was a big deal for our program.”
NSCD (16-4-0 overall) went 6-0-0 in the ISL in ’19, a year after losing twice (5-3 and 4-1) to Latin before appearing in its first state semifinal. Charnas earned All-ISL First Team honors for the third time in as many seasons.
She and other Class of ’20 Raiders are revved up for another memorable season and lengthy postseason run — this time against Class AA squads.
“Great group of leaders; all are pretty athletic,” Charnas said of Raiders coach Lizzy Giffen’s senior class. “And our team’s chemistry? Unmatched.
“Close, we’re so close, especially the juniors and seniors. Two years ago, when we went as far as we did in the postseason, it was fun, making program history the way we did. We weren’t worried. It was cool. We took it game by game.
“Last spring,” the Dickinson (Pa.) College recruit added, “we played with more confidence, because we knew what we were capable of doing.”
Dickinson’s women’s soccer team enjoyed its most successful season last fall, going 16-3-4 and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III playoffs under coach Ted Zingman. The Red Devils’ defense allowed only 0.58 goals per game during the campaign.
The program averaged nine wins per season from 2015-18.
“The coach did such a good job turning it around,” Charnas said. “I’m excited to play there. The soccer team’s values are selflessness, relentlessness, accountability and respect, and each player embodies all four.”
Charnas is thinking about studying environmental studies, a major that’s heavily interdisciplinary at the liberal arts school in Carlisle, Pa.
“Strong department,” says Charnas, a North Shore Country Day lifer (senior kindergarten-12th grade). “It drew me to the college.”
Her dream job?
“It probably doesn’t exist now,” she says.
Her major task as a youngster was going 1-v.-1 against CJ in the Charnas’ back yard.
“He did not take it easy on me, and he’d always try to ‘meg’ me,” the 5-foot-4 Charnas recalls gratefully. “It toughened me up, the physicality and the competitiveness of those sessions. I started playing soccer, because he played soccer; I wanted to do everything he did.”
She wants to battle this spring with fellow midfielders and Chicagoland All-State Watch List picks Julia Fortier, a senior, and Eun Hae Lillig, a junior. But all she can do now is sit, wait, e-learn from home, run, juggle a soccer ball, run some more.
And break out the brushes and paint, and blank canvases.
Segal hopes Charnas will the opportunity to paint an IHSA masterpiece this spring.
“We’re all hanging in there and adapting,” said Segal, who helped North Shore Country Day School’s field hockey team take state runner-up honors in 2017 and committed to play field hockey for three-time reigning NCAA Division III national champion Middlebury (Vt.) College. “Maybe we’ll hear some good news [from the IHSA].
“Allie,” she added, “has so much passion for soccer, as well as leading her teammates, and what I’ve always admired is the way she pushes herself to improve. She’s very good at distributing the ball from the middle. She’s also vocal and bubbly. Allie unites us.”
By Bill McLean
Allie Charnas’ painting of Wrigley Field hangs either on a wall in her father’s office or one in her brother’s dorm room.
The North Shore Country Day School senior center-midfielder’s father is Chris, a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan. Big brother C.J. — a senior at the University of Denver and a former NSCD right back — roots, roots, roots for the Cubbies and majors in mechanical engineering.
They like her artwork, and she likes the process.
“Painting relaxes me,” Allie Charnas said.
What she’d also like to create more than anything else this spring? Gobs of scoring chances for her teammates, a year after helping the Raiders reach the Class A girls soccer championship match for the second year in a row.
Unfortunately, soccer balls remain motionless because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has set May 1 as the target date to resume practices for all sports but only if state governmental, educational and health bodies approve such action.
“It’s been tough, waiting and wondering,” admitted Charnas, a 2020 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List selectee and a 2019 Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-Sectional Honorable Mention honoree. “The seniors are pretty bummed. I’ve been trying to stay in the best shape possible. I want to be my best for my team if we ever get to play.”
In 2019, the program that NSCDS finally bested for the first time was Latin, and it conquered the Romans convincingly, netting four first-half goals en route to a 5-1 victory. The result secured the Raiders’ first Independent School League (ISL) title.
“Allie was a leader for us in every game last year, but you could tell, in the practices before the Latin game and all during the game, she wanted us to win that game badly,” said NSCD senior back Caroline Segal, another 2020 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List pick. “Allie was invested, fully. Her focus was intense. The win was a big deal for our program.”
NSCD (16-4-0 overall) went 6-0-0 in the ISL in ’19, a year after losing twice (5-3 and 4-1) to Latin before appearing in its first state semifinal. Charnas earned All-ISL First Team honors for the third time in as many seasons.
She and other Class of ’20 Raiders are revved up for another memorable season and lengthy postseason run — this time against Class AA squads.
“Great group of leaders; all are pretty athletic,” Charnas said of Raiders coach Lizzy Giffen’s senior class. “And our team’s chemistry? Unmatched.
“Close, we’re so close, especially the juniors and seniors. Two years ago, when we went as far as we did in the postseason, it was fun, making program history the way we did. We weren’t worried. It was cool. We took it game by game.
“Last spring,” the Dickinson (Pa.) College recruit added, “we played with more confidence, because we knew what we were capable of doing.”
Dickinson’s women’s soccer team enjoyed its most successful season last fall, going 16-3-4 and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III playoffs under coach Ted Zingman. The Red Devils’ defense allowed only 0.58 goals per game during the campaign.
The program averaged nine wins per season from 2015-18.
“The coach did such a good job turning it around,” Charnas said. “I’m excited to play there. The soccer team’s values are selflessness, relentlessness, accountability and respect, and each player embodies all four.”
Charnas is thinking about studying environmental studies, a major that’s heavily interdisciplinary at the liberal arts school in Carlisle, Pa.
“Strong department,” says Charnas, a North Shore Country Day lifer (senior kindergarten-12th grade). “It drew me to the college.”
Her dream job?
“It probably doesn’t exist now,” she says.
Her major task as a youngster was going 1-v.-1 against CJ in the Charnas’ back yard.
“He did not take it easy on me, and he’d always try to ‘meg’ me,” the 5-foot-4 Charnas recalls gratefully. “It toughened me up, the physicality and the competitiveness of those sessions. I started playing soccer, because he played soccer; I wanted to do everything he did.”
She wants to battle this spring with fellow midfielders and Chicagoland All-State Watch List picks Julia Fortier, a senior, and Eun Hae Lillig, a junior. But all she can do now is sit, wait, e-learn from home, run, juggle a soccer ball, run some more.
And break out the brushes and paint, and blank canvases.
Segal hopes Charnas will the opportunity to paint an IHSA masterpiece this spring.
“We’re all hanging in there and adapting,” said Segal, who helped North Shore Country Day School’s field hockey team take state runner-up honors in 2017 and committed to play field hockey for three-time reigning NCAA Division III national champion Middlebury (Vt.) College. “Maybe we’ll hear some good news [from the IHSA].
“Allie,” she added, “has so much passion for soccer, as well as leading her teammates, and what I’ve always admired is the way she pushes herself to improve. She’s very good at distributing the ball from the middle. She’s also vocal and bubbly. Allie unites us.”