Naperville Central graduate Emma Irle reconfirms ‘I can do this’ while playing in pre-professional league

Emma Irle did a lot of things well during her soccer career at Naperville Central, shining at several positions and doing whatever was asked of her.

But those qualities have not translated into much playing time at the college level. Irle didn’t get on the field as a freshman at Loyola and played in two games off the bench as a sophomore.

“It’s definitely tough,” Irle said. “It was like a rude awakening almost. I was like, ‘Oh, I really have to put in the work here and do a lot to get to where I want to be.’ All these girls are at the best level, so I want to push myself to be at that level too.”

That’s why Irle, 20, prepared for her junior season by playing for the Chicago Dutch Lions of the USL W League, a nationwide pre-professional circuit populated mainly by current or former Division I players.

The Dutch Lions, who play their home games at Aurora University’s Spartan Stadium, gave Irle a chance to play with — and in front of — some familiar faces.

Former high school teammates Megan Norkett and Ella Burke, who will be freshmen at Northwestern and Cincinnati, respectively, often were in the Dutch Lions lineup with Irle, a defender who started at right back but also played left back and midfielder.

“Because I haven’t really played much in college besides training, this is giving me a chance to be more confident on the field and be like, ‘OK, I can do this,’” Irle said. “There are things I’m good at, and I obviously know I still have to work on a few things.”

Irle played defender and forward at Naperville Central, using her speed to create havoc on the wings. That proved harder to do at the college level.

“In high school, I think I had an advantage with my speed,” she said. “Coming to college, I was like, ‘Oh, everyone is fast.’ It was crazy. It just made me realize that I have to keep pushing myself to be better than the best.”

Work ethic has never been a problem for Irle, who was thrilled to see Naperville Central assistant Barry Baldwin watching from the stands June 24 in the Dutch Lions’ 4-2 victory against the Green Bay Glory.

“The nice part about Emma is she is team-first,” Baldwin said. “She always had a positive attitude. Having not seen her play for a couple of years, it’s an absolute joy to get to come out and watch her play.”

Baldwin was wearing a Loyola soccer jersey with Irle’s name and uniform number on the back, a show of support that did not go unnoticed.

“It’s super nice to see those familiar faces and just feel like they’ve been supporting me this whole way,” Irle said. “For them to see where I am now and how I’ve grown, their support means a lot. It’s a big deal to me.”

Irle played one season with Norkett and Burke at Naperville Central. The Redhawks reached a sectional final in 2021 when Irle was a senior and Norkett and Burke were sophomores. Their reunion this summer was a sweet one.

“We only got one season together due to COVID, but I’ve always looked up to Emma,” Norkett said. “Emma is obviously so athletic. With her speed, she can defend and catch up to anyone, so she can literally do it all.

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“She’s fun to watch, and it’s fun to play with her again.”

Irle had fun playing with her former teammates.

“When Megan and Ella came, it was awesome,” Irle said. “I always saw Megan as younger than me. Now we’re at the same level, and she’s scoring all the goals. It’s super fun.”

Irle, a biology major, is hoping to earn regular playing time this fall for Loyola, which made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances before switching from the Missouri Valley Conference to the Atlantic 10 last season.

Baldwin is confident Irle will be ready if given the chance.

“Emma is at a very good school, and she’s able to play for a high-caliber soccer team,” Baldwin said. “Her playing time is something she can’t control. She can just control her attitude and how hard she tries, and the fact that she’s out here playing in the summer shows that she’s still got a good attitude.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.