Indie Chicas director of coaching Allison Gibson has a favorite saying.

“Carve and connect”

It’s a means of encouragement to her players, emboldening them to carve — or dribble their way through defenses. And, if those attacking channels close, they are to connect — or find a new pass, reset the play.

For Gibson, the phrase serves as a central ethos to the club, one meant to cultivate creative and brave soccer players. And it shows on the pitch. Chicas teams like to attack, move fluidly and create problems for opponents. That style has made them one of the standout teams in a small Boise, Idaho club soccer circuit.

“From our very little Itty Bittys in the academy, all the way up to our top teams, we all train the same system, we all train with the same style of play,” Gibson said.

Indie Chicas isn’t a massive club. The Idaho based outfit relies on a relatively small but experienced coaching staff to lead a number of talented teams. Gibson is at the center of it all. The former Idaho State head coach has nearly 30 years of experience in the college and pro game. And in that time, she saw a sport that could perhaps be applied differently to younger girls.

“We're actually here for the kids. And we want them to succeed. Like we've all had our day in the sun. And so it's not about how many state cups you can win? It's more can we develop the players?” Gibson said.

To that end, Gibson and club administrator Amelia Keily have planned a series of social events for the girls. There are the pizza nights where they can hang out together. And then there are the more personal discussions, where the girls are encouraged to talk about embracing failure and growing from life experiences.

“There's been some really, really strong positive feedback from parents just seeing their kids, not bullied as much at school or stepping in when they see something, some sort of injustice happening,” Gibson said.

All of that has created a club that supports players and coaches alike. One that is fun to watch and enjoyable to play for. And in a relatively small soccer world, it’s those moments, those feelings, that perhaps matter the most.

They’ll be on show at the TopDrawerSoccer Veterans Day Showcase in November, bringing three teams to Phoenix, Arizona. In Gibson’s words, here’s a brief look at each.

U13
“They're a little group of kids that just battle. They're so committed to their team and their club. They've, they really started to take off a little bit this year in their club season. I want to see great things for them. I want to see them be able to compete on a level outside of Idaho that gives them some more confidence as a team.”

U15
“They'll only be back together as a team for about two weeks before the tournament. So for them, it'll be I think exciting just to kind of get their feet under them again, and get to know each other again.”

U18
“They were like one of the top three teams in the state last year. So they're excited. This is only their second time out of state as a team. So that'll be really fun for them.”

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