The Chicago Fire might have a MLS Rookie of the Year candidate in Homegrown midfielder Harry Shipp. Shipp was named MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week Ten of the 2014 MLS season. Harry Shipp scored a hat trick and added an assist in the Fire’s 5-4 road victory over the New York Red Bulls that week.
Yesterday, in a 1-1 draw with the L.A. Galaxy, Shipp did a fine job with the difficult transition from midfield to forward, according to Fire Head Coach and Director of Soccer Frank Yallop.
“I thought Harry Shipp in a different position was very good,” said Yallop after the game before noting how Shipp, combined with Forward Quincy Amarikwa to provide a good third and fourth attacking option.
The 22-year-old Lake Forest, Ill. native’s hat trick is the just the sixth hat trick scored in MLS by a rookie and the first since Kekuta Manneh’s for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Oct. 9, 2013.
Fellow Homegrown player, Forward Chris Ritter on being part of the first two Homegrown players to take the field in Fire history
“Definitely exciting. Harry Shipp has done a great job this year, and I’m kind of just trying to follow in his footsteps. It’s fun to be out there with Harry, a guy I know pretty well and spend some time with off the field; so definitely a special moment.”
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also a frequent guest on national talk radio. Banks, a former contributor to NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, has been featured in numerous outlets including NFL.com, Forbes and the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)