Join us for High School Boys Tryouts July 17-18

Attention Colorado Rush U16-U18 Players!

The Player OutREACH Program is a new initiative created to help the underprivileged youth in our community. This program is geared towards the U16-U18 Rush Soccer player looking to become more involved in REACH and build their leadership skills while gaining valuable volunteer experience.

Players participating in the Player OutREACH Program will:

• Help run a mini-camp for underprivileged youth in the Denver Metro Area

• Assist in the collection of uniforms and gear for their local club

• Contribute REACH videos/pictures/articles for Rush websites, newsletters and social media outlets about the local Club’s REACH activity

• Help your local club during tryouts, tournaments and other times needing volunteers

U.S. Soccer has announced the first 25 clubs that will be a part of the Girls' Development Academy, an initiative designed to accelerate the development of world-class female players. The new program, which will begin play in the fall of 2017, will be comprised of this first group of clubs that are among the most elite in the United States.

"Colorado Rush is proud and humbled to be accepted into the Girls Development Academy. We have always tried to be at the forefront of youth soccer on both the boys side and the girls side," said Colorado Rush Technical Director Erik Bushey. "We are proud members of the boys Development Academy (DA) and continue to be proud members of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). Both programs we have been a member of since their inception. Now, with the beginning of the girls DA we hope to utilize the federation's programming to take our girls program to new heights. We are excited for our players and our club!"

The program will focus on positively impacting everyday club environments to maximize elite female youth player development.  Increasing the training to game ratio, playing fewer but more meaningful games and providing assistance for coaching education and development are just some of the standards and best practices the program will promote.

Since 2007, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy has served as the elite male youth player development model for the country and has significantly improved the everyday environment for players, coaches, referees and clubs.  The Girls’ Development Academy will be structured with many of the same principles and will begin play in the fall of 2017.

“Launching a Girls' Development Academy is part of an unprecedented commitment to elevating the women's game," said U.S. Soccer Women's Technical Director April Heinrichs. "The Development Academy program will offer clubs support and education to positively impact the development of players and coaches throughout the country.”

"We all know how important it is to create the correct environment and expectations for elite player development, something that was highlighted for me during my time as Development Director for our youth Women’s National Teams,” said U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis. “The Development Academy is an important step forward to continue the growth of the women’s game in the United States, and to create the best pathway for players to reach their full potential.”

These first 25 clubs have a total of 119 staff and coaches that hold a U.S. Soccer A or B Coaching License, and includes 91 coaches who are employed on a fulltime basis.  To date, these clubs have produced 307 players for U.S. Soccer’s National Teams (youth and senior) as well as 84 professional soccer players. In addition, this group will be providing 276 full scholarships with a total of $1.49 million of scholarship funds being contributed.

Club applications were evaluated and accepted by U.S. Soccer’s technical staff based on the following criteria:

• Leadership of the club and quality of the coaching staff
• Desire to embrace and promote the core values of the program
• U.S. Soccer license levels of coaching staff
• Infrastructure of the club and the resources currently being invested in development (facilities, scholarships, staff to player ratio, etc.)
• History of player production for Youth National Teams, the senior Women’s National Team and professional leagues
• Market and depth of the player pool, geographic location and travel implications and proximity to other elite clubs

The program will feature three combined age groups: U-14/15, U-16/17 and U-18/19. Clubs will be expected to train a minimum of four times a week.  The use of combined age groups will require clubs to form teams with a balanced roster of players from two distinct birth years. The games will be scouted by U.S. Soccer and the program will serve as the primary pathway to the Youth National Teams.

In addition to combining the most elite players from each birth year to form the mixed age group player pool, coaches will be encouraged to play their players “up” on an older age team within the club to help accelerate development.

The competitive framework will focus on the core values of the program, which emphasizes quality coaching and teaching in a positive learning environment for players with zero tolerance for poor behavior from coaches.

Michael Gabb, Colorado Rush DOC of Goalkeeping has accepted an assistant coaching position at his alma mater, Creighton University. Technical Director, Erik Bushey, has this to say about Gabb and his involvement with CO Rush: "I am sorry to lose Coach Gabb as he is a passionate and talented coach; however, I am happy for him to be able to move on to the college level at a major NCAA Division I institution (and his alma mater no less). I am also pleased that our club continues to help produce high level coaches. This coaching development is a priority at our club so I treat this as a feather in our cap."

Gabb expressed his appreciation to Colorado Rush staff, players, and families below:

To my Rush Family and Goalkeepers,

It is bittersweet that I announce that I have accepted a position at my alma mater Creighton University to be an Assistant Coach for the coming year. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to you all for everything you have done as players and parents for me during this time. To my goalkeepers, know how proud I am of each of you and how grateful I am to have worked with such a talented, hardworking, dedicated group. 

I hope you carry with you the knowledge of what you are capable of and exceed what you think you can. I know the club, the Technical Director, Erik Bushey, and the entire staff will continue the amazing work they do for you as players and for this club.

Know that I am leaving with Rush Soccer as my 2nd family and heading back to another family and my hometown. Rush Soccer has been and will be one of the best clubs in the country and I feel very fortunate to be part of the history of this great club. 

I leave with an appreciation to the parents and players of this club as you all, along with the staff are what make Rush great.  I wish everyone the best in the future and should I be able to support you, please don't hesitate to ask. (BUT also know I will be under NCAA Rules beginning August 1.)

Thank you Rush family,

Michael Gabb 

As for the goalkeeping program at Colorado Rush, Bushey emphasizes, "We consider our goalkeeping program one of the most important programs in the club. We will be working diligently to bring in another quality individual to lead this program and our keepers with the goal of reaching new and even greater heights!"

Colorado Rush wishes Gabb the best in his new position, and the club is thankful for his passion for soccer, enjoyment, and encouragement he shared with players and staff in the club over the past several years.

Our Rush soccer team has been blessed with the incredible opportunity to travel together to Europe this summer and compete in two international tournaments! We will be traveling from July 23 to August 7, and will be in three European countries: Germany, Denmark, and Norway. We land in Munich, Germany on July 24 and begin our transfer to our first tournament, Dana Cup in Hjørring Stadium, Denmark, from July 25 to July 30. There will be an opening ceremony for all teams on July 25 and the first round of games starts the next day! Every night at Dana Cup there are discos for the athletes and on Friday night (July 29) there will be a fireworks display. After finals that Friday, we will travel to Oslo, Norway and compete in the Norway Cup from July 31 to August 6. Games begin August 1, there will be a festival for the teams on August 3, and finals and a farewell show will take place on August 5 and 6. August 7 we fly home! Our team is special because we have a group of girls from an assortment of clubs, states, and even countries! We come from Colorado, Idaho, California, and Ghana, and we are all so excited and grateful to have this chance to compete at the international level. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and support as we embark on this journey of a lifetime, and look forward to representing Rush as we compete.

In June Colorado Rush Alum James Riley called it quits in Major League Soccer after an illustrious eleven-year career and 6 championship trophies. After more than 300 appearances in MLS across all competitions and 80 more on the collegiate level at Wake Forest University, it seems as though James is living by many of the Rush Core Values as evidenced in his retirement video.

 

 

Now that Riley has traded in soccer shorts for business slacks, he has been appointed as Major League Soccer's Director, Player Relations & Competition in New York.  James also started a business in his home town of Colorado Springs with the cole purpose to promote the game of soccer and help shape the player development of aspiring players.  TOCA is a new training technology that is cutting-edge and innovative.  

"Colorado Rush is special to me because the club helped shape the foundation of my career by offering me scholarships to play at the highest level and chances to volunteer through the grass roots level of the club.  I am very grateful and want to extend the same opportunities to the dedicated and aspiring Rush membership.  I am even more amazed by the well wishes and continued support of the club in my new ventures." - James Riley

Congratulations to all Rush teams competing at Denver Cup over the weekend. Below are results and some pictures of medal winners.

Champions: U12G Rush, U13G Rush, U13G Nero, U17G ECNL, U17G Rush, U18G ECNL, 

Runners Up:
U11B Rush Blue, U11G Rush Blue, U15G ECNL, U16G Rush, U16G Nero, U17G Nero, U18G Rush, U19G Rush ECNL

U11G Rush Blue

U12 Girls Rush

U13 Rush

U13 Nero

U17 ECNL

U17 Rush

U17 Nero

U19 ECNL

In June Colorado Rush Alum James Riley called it quits in Major League Soccer after an illustrious eleven-year career and 6 championship trophies. After more than 300 appearances in MLS across all competitions and 80 more on the collegiate level at Wake Forest University, it seems as though James is living by many of the Rush Core Values as evidenced in his retirement video.

 

 

 

 

 

Now that Riley has traded in soccer shorts for business slacks, he has been appointed as Major League Soccer's Director, Player Relations & Competition in New York.  James also started a business in his home town of Colorado Springs with the cole purpose to promote the game of soccer and help shape the player development of aspiring players.  TOCA is a new training technology that is cutting-edge and innovative.  

"Colorado Rush is special to me because the club helped shape the foundation of my career by offering me scholarships to play at the highest level and chances to volunteer through the grass roots level of the club.  I am very grateful and want to extend the same opportunities to the dedicated and aspiring Rush membership.  I am even more amazed by the well wishes and continued support of the club in my new ventures." - James Riley

Lightning and severe weather can occur at any time of year, however the months of April through October produce the highest number of lightning strikes along the Front Range.

It is extremely important to clear the playing fields if lightning is within 8 miles.  ALL players and coaches should remain in a safe location (i.e. car) until 30 minutes has passed since the last lightning strike within 8 miles. Rush recommend that all coaches download the 'WeatherBug' App and use the Lightning 'Spark' feature to gauge distance of lightning strikes. 

Safety: Our environment is safe.  This includes the office, our travels, the fields and our bodies.  Safety is not only physical safety from harm, but safety from ridicule and attack.   We are comforted and encouraged in the club.  We portray self-control and kindness to our staff, our colleagues and players.

Three Colorado Rush players have just recently returned from a week of play in Europe with Generation adidas and some of the world's top clubs.

Isabella Scaturro (2000 ECNL - Pictured at right with Sarah Piper of Texas Rush) traveled to Germany for the F.F.C. Frankfurt Select Program (7 Bundesliga titles, 9 German Cups, 4 Women's Champions League titles).

Cole Bassett (15/16 DA) was selected for travel to Holland to attend the A.F.C. Ajax Select Program (32 Eredivisie League titles, 4 Champions League Championships, and 1 UEFA Cup) and Bailey Rouse (17/18 DA) found himself at the home of Europe's Champions as he attended the Real Madrid Foundation Select Program (32 La Liga Titles, 11 Copa Del Rays, and 11 EUFA Champions League Championships).

Each year, the top adidas clubs nationwide have the exclusive opportunity to nominate players to participate in the program. This summer, 94 talented players from some of the nation’s best clubs will take the field in Europe, training with top quality European academy coaches and playing against academy teams.

Generation adidas international prides itself on opening doors to players who wish to develop themselves at the elite level. Billy Hartman, CEO, says that the experience “opens their eyes and ignites their ambition to get to the next level – players return to the U.S. going into their development academy, ECNL, or regional season with a better understanding of what it takes to become professional players.”

Congrats Bella, Bailey and Cole!

It’s hard to believe, but a new school year is already upon us – meaning opportunities for new friends, new lessons, new obstacles to overcome…and new stresses.

Demanding classes, rigorous sport practices and uncharted social situations present everyday stress and anxiety for children and parents alike. But, by establishing healthy habits and routines, moms, dads and other caregivers can help kids manage back-to-school stress and thrive throughout the year.

If you’re a parent, caregiver, coach or educator to children of any age, please consider joining us for Children’s Hospital Colorado’s #StressAskUs Social Summit and live panel discussion on Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. MST in the hospital’s atrium on the Anschutz Medical Campus (13123 E. 16th Ave. in Aurora).

This combination in-person and online event is designed specifically to convene parents and caregivers of children to hear from an expert panel who will provide tips for identifying the signs of stress and anxiety, offer tips for talking with your children about stressful situations and feelings, as well as answer your questions. The panel includes:

• ·Kyle Dyer, 9News, who will moderate the panel
• ·Christine McDunn, Ph.D. psychologist, Children's Hospital Colorado
• ·Cody Hudson, MS, CCLS, program assistant child life specialist, Seacrest Studios at Children’s Hospital Colorado
• ·Emily Vanek, ColoradoMoms.com founder, blogger and mother of three

Helpful handouts will be offered to those who can join us in-person for the Social Summit. To secure your spot, please register online here. 

We hope you are able to join us for timely conversation as we all gear up for a new school year. We also encourage you to share this invitation with anyone who might also benefit by joining in-person or virtually using the hashtag #StressAskUs on Aug. 31.

College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegegiate ranks. Women's teams kicked off this past weekend. 

Russell scores first collegiate goal in Portland win over Washington
DiBiasi tallies goal in dominant Stanford win
O'Keefe earns two starts & an assist for Tennessee on opening weekend
Williams provides game-winning assist for TCU over Maryland
Flom starts sophomore campaign with an assist in Utah win
Brandon scores first goal of sophomore Virginia campaign in win over Liberty
Bezdek Grabs first collegiate goal in Air Force Tie with UNC
CU Tops CSU Behind Evans Game winner
Zinis Scores First College Goal in Win
Williams scores in JBU win
Redman & Robinson dominate in JBU win

Rush Soccer invites all member clubs to take part in a campaign to raise money for pediatric cancer this fall season. Rush Soccer is partnering with Go4theGoal (Go4theGoal.org) to help raise awareness for this cause. Each team manager (or a team parent) can purchase yellow laces ($5/pair) for their whole team to wear for a game in September. Visit go4thegoal.org, then click on SHOP in the menu panel to purchase your team's laces today!

In combination with this marketing effort, "Rush for the Cure" is a campaign that encourages parents, fans, and players to donate at least $1 for every goal their team scores during the fundraising campaign!

DONATIONS can be made, quickly and easily, through RallyMe: Rush Soccer's crowdfunding partner. The donation pages for every Rush club across the U.S. are located at this link: https://rushsoccer.rallyme.com/partners/47/rushforthecure. Please visit the page, find your local club, and donate money there to support kids fighting cancer in your local communities. At the end of the fundraiser (the platform will be open all of September and closes October 15th!), Go4theGoal will distribute funds to each clubs' communities!

Your efforts on the field this fall season will help local kids fight against pediatric cancer! Please pass the information along to your team managers/treasurers and invite teams to take part in supporting other kids in their communities. The RallyMe platform page will keep track of each club's fundraising efforts, so rally all your teams and get everyone on board for a great cause as your kids enjoy the game of soccer this fall!

Some resources are attached if you would like to use them in marketing the campaign. If you have any questions about Go4theGoal or are interested in receiving some additional marketing resources, please contact Nick Kelleher at nickkelleher@go4thegoal.org. Go Rush! 

On Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14, Colorado Rush hosted the Fall Preseason Friendlies at Clement Park in Littleton, CO. The friendlies were a great way to kick off the fall season, which begins the last weekend of August. Over 60 teams from Colorado Rush, Rush Pikes Peak, and North Denver Rush came together to play matches against other Rush teams. This event was for the U11-U19 competitive teams, including the ECNL and Development Academy teams. Coaches were able to get on the field to provide instruction during the games and work on important topics for player development. Coaches, staff, players, and families enjoyed 2 sunny days of soccer, cooking out, and gearing up for the fall season.

The Rush Fan Gear store was on site to provide apparel for players and fans to purchase before the fall season begins. Stay tuned for more opportunities to snag some Rush gear in the upcoming weeks, as items will soon be available for purchase at the Colorado Rush office.

The REACH program collected gently used soccer gear and old Rush uniforms to help outfit Rush players across the globe. If you missed the opportunity to donate items at the friendlies, please still consider donating these items to benefit kids around the world!

Coloroado Rush will host the Spring Preseason Friendlies a few weeks before the Spring season begins in 2017! Final dates will be set before the new year. Don't miss the opportunity to be involved in the Preseason Friendlies as it is a great way for all the Rush Soccer clubs in Colorado to come together, enjoy a weekend of soccer, and prepare for the season ahead!

Contact Dana Streufert, PR & Marketing Director at Colorado Rush, if you have any questions.

Go Rush! 

The Rush Soccer fundraising opportunity kicks off today, Monday August 29!

We have partnered with Fundraiser Values (FRV), a mobile app savings program. We believe the FRV app will be a great option for our families because the app can be sold through emails, texts, and social media avenues. Anyone can purchase the Colorado Rush Soccer Super Savings Mobile App right now from their smart phone with a credit or debit card.

Our Super Savings Mobile App sells for $40 and our team players get $15 of the sales proceeds for every App they sell. In addition, $4 from each sale goes to our Scholarship Fund, and $1 goes to our Prize program.

The Colorado Rush Soccer Club Super Savings App contains over 300 local and statewide businesses offering $25 worth of savings each – with over 2000 coupons! In many cases, you can recoup your $40 purchase price in just a couple of uses!

We would like to see each Colorado Rush Soccer Family purchase a Premium Membership for $40 each. If that happens, we will raise over $20,000! This fundraiser is strongly endorsed by our coaches and team managers.

For more information on the program, please see the video below:

Here is the link to purchase the Colorado Rush Soccer Super Savings Mobile App: http://tiny.cc/SupportCORush

Thank you for your continued support of Colorado Rush Soccer! Please contact Dana Streufert, PR & Marketing Director, if you have any questions.

Colorado Rush are excited to announce the hiring of Rush Alum Garrison Goodner as the new Director of Coaching - Goalkeeping. Garrison is from the Littleton area and grew up playing for the Colorado Rush. Upon graduating, he attended Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona where we won two district, and two regional championships along with two national championship appearances. Goodner was named an All American his Sophomore year. After two years at Yavapai he went on to have a short stint with the Rapids reserves, followed by 4 years playing professionally indoor. He finished his career in the USL with a stint with the Austin Aztexs.

(Goodner in his playing days, and with the Rush Men's Team (in Gray) last year)

"Garrison and I grew up battling some of the best players in Colorado together. I personally know how competitive and hard working he is, both on and off the field!" exclaimed Nick Blanco, DOC Juniors. "He consistently pushed all of the players on our team to get better, which is why I know he is a great addition to the Rush!

Goodner holds his NSCAA National Diploma and has been coaching in Colorado for 5 plus years. Welcome Coach Goodner!