College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes Aug 23-28.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Help us out by filling in the form below:
Take your Rush Core Values everywhere on exclusive customized Pop Sockets for your phone. When in use the RUSH button POPS out to help you grip your phone, organize your headphone cord and act as a stand for your phone, all the while allowing you to proudly display your RUSH spirit! All proceeds from the sale of RUSH pop sockets will go directly to the Colorado Rush Girls 04’ team who plan to proudly represent the Colorado RUSH in Costa Rica in February 2017.
So what exactly is a Pop Socket? Let the girls explain:
Order from our limited quantity now by emailing rush04pops@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name, email and quantity desired.
Colorado Rush is proud to have two player representatives attending the upcoming U.S. U18 National Team Camp in Chula Vista, California September 3 - 10. Both of these girls have been working very hard for this rewarding moment and share some of their thoughts and perspective about what it took to get to here, read their stories below:
Sofia Weiner:
When I first found out about the invite I had just ended a Rush training at Addenbrooke. Getting invited to my first camp is a very rewarding feeling and something I've been working towards for a very long time. I think camp will be an amazing learning experience where I will get to train with the best of the best for my birth year. I'm very happy that I get to experience my first time at camp with a long time teammate, Brynn Martin. Seeing a familiar Rush face will make the transition easier.
I've been training with my Rush ECNL team four days a week and reaching out to other Rush players who have attended national camps before to get their advice about going into my first camp and what I should expect. For those players trying to make their first camp, it's never too late to get called in so never stop working or get discouraged! Things happen to players at different times throughout their career but the key is to be ready for the invite whenever it may come.
My parents have been the key piece in getting me to this place in my soccer career, always supporting me through the years. The Rush has also played a vital role in getting me prepared for this experience. The tough and demanding trainings we do everyday at the Rush fields help prepare a player for the national camps, college and beyond. Thank you Colorado Rush!
Brynn Martin:
I am very excited to get the chance to go back to camp and have another opportunity. I have been working on my fitness and trying to improve that before camp starts and also working on the techniques that Coach April told me to improve on such as my instep. The actual camp is hard work and takes pure determination and you have to be willing to put in the extra effort. For those striving for this opportunity, you have to be determined and keep working hard to get into the camp.
When I got the email invite, I was ecstatic to get the news about being invited again and, I was even more excited to learn that my teammate, Sofia Weiner, also got called up for her first camp! It was scary going into my first camp, but it was definitely a good growing and learning experience for me. I'm glad I can be there for Sofia for her first camp and it will be cool going with someone from Colorado Rush! I hope we both move forward together through this journey.
College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes Aug 30 - Sept 4.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Help us out by filling in the form below:
On Sunday, September 18 at 3PM the Colorado Rush Men’s team will be hosting FC BOULDER in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at Addenbrooke Park. The Rush enter the game undefeated in their new season and with a win on Sunday have the opportunity to advance to the second round of the tournament in Portland, Oregon. Similar to the FA Cup in England, the US Open Cup provides amateur teams the opportunity to compete in a nationwide tournament with the likes of the Colorado Switchbacks of the USL Pro-League and the Colorado Rapids of the MLS. It is the longest running annual soccer tournament in the United States and the third oldest in the world.
Rush sports a roster with 9 Rush Alums, including coach Joe Webb, 3 current Rush coaches, 3 current U18 Developmental Academy players and 1 club administrator. One of the alums and Rush coaches, Colin Clark (pictured at righ with Houston Dynamo), had this to say about playing for the men’s team in this competition:
“This is a very unique team and experience, because we are represented by so many people who love and know the Rush inside and out.”
During the game, the Rush will be awarding the division with the best attendance at the game the inaugural "Rush Open Cup Spirit Award”.
“We are hoping to create an awesome environment for our team to play in, while also establishing club unity and support for individuals who have given a lot to the club,” commented DOC Juniors Nick Blanco. A check in tent with concessions and music will be at the front of the park for all Rush members to sign in to track which division wins the first Rush Open Cup Spirit Award. We hope to see a great turnout at the game, which will undoubtedly be a huge help for the team.
College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes Sept 5 - Sept 11.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Let us know!
Being 14 is not easy. Leaving your club and starting with a brand new team where you know no one is twice as hard. When the birth year changes came into effect this year, many athletes had some tough choices to make. Our U14 team was no exception. Our team was split in half. Some girls moved up, some moved down, some moved on. 6 of the girls from the original team stayed on and were combined with other athletes from varied sources. But one of the girls made perhaps a bigger leap than her other teammates. Her name is Jessica and she chose to leave her club after 4 years and drive well outside her immediate community to join Rush U14 Azul of Littleton, CO. Fitting in and being accepted is the elusive holy grail during the teenage years. With wisdom and courage youth realize that taking risks and carving your own path is the fast track to self-actualization. Jessica seems to already know this truth. She is fast and agile on the field. As a forward, she shines with her aggressive smart decision making and her frequent shots on goal. She scored twice this past weekend which naturally contributed to our win. But mostly we want to highlight her character off the field, because being a person that can see past the comfort of today and have the guts to reach for new opportunities will serve her well in life. Go get ‘em Jessica!
Rush Got Out Early and Never Looked Back
9/18/2016 - The weather at Addenbrooke Park on Sunday afternoon was amazing which created the perfect setting for a soccer match plus with all this sunshine there was a great showing from the Rush supporters who came out in numbers wearing Rush blue and ready to have a good time. The supporters came out to see the Colorado Rush Men take on local rival FC Boulder in their first match of the Lamar Hunt 2017 US Open Cup Qualifiers. The home team did not disappoint the fans either as things got off to a quick start...
It took the Rush men only nine minutes to get up on the board as Nick Blanco, Colorado Rush Alum and DOC Juniors, would be the one to draw first blood on FC Boulder and put one in the net for the good guys. The action didn't stop here though, the Rush Men would follow this up with goals at the 25th minute and the 36th minute from Rush Development Academy teammates Griffin Dorsey and Jack O'Brien respectively.
Up 3-0 at the half the Rush Men turned the 2nd half of action into a technical display, Colin Clark, Morgan Sacco and the rest of the team kept the fans in blue cheering by showing some of the quite impressive skills they have on the ball, and easily cruising to a 3-0 victory.
The Rush Men want to say a huge THANK YOU!!!! to all of the fans who came out and supported us, It was really great to see all the youth players and Rush community out having fun and cheering us on at such a fun event.
With this win the Rush Men move on in the tournament but must go 1200 miles on the road to Delta Park in Portland, OR to face off against IPS Marathona Taverna on Oct 22nd at 7pm (PT). The Rush Men are hoping that everyone in the club gets excited to follow us on our journey through this single elimination tournament and will continue to show us the amazing support we had this past weekend.
College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes Sept 13 - Sept 18.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Let us know!
Soccer is only what they do, it isn't who they are. - U13 Colorado Rush Girls
The life lessons soccer gives young players can help them become the person they want to be! The 11 Rush Core Values are often a tool to teach and develop these life skills to our young Rush players. Rush believes in developing good people to become good soccer players.
"I’m so very grateful to be a part of a club and a team, with a coach that stands behind their mission of developing character, competition, and enjoyment. I was able to witness and be a part of all 3 aspects of that mission statement this past weekend in Utah. It is clear that Coach Russell embodies the Rush Way" - Alana Smith, Rush 04 Parent
The Alarm went off at 3:30am on Friday, September 16th and 16 twelve year olds from Denver awoke early to be at the airport by 4:45 to catch their early flight into Salt Lake City. They greeted their teammates with smiles, because when you are with your friends, it really doesn't matter what time it is! Not to mention when you are traveling to play a sport that you love, that in and of itself is reason to smile. What these 16 girls didn't know was that the weekend would be about far more than soccer, and they would be learning things about themselves and others that they will carry for the rest of their lives...
Upon arriving in Salt Lake, their leader decides to surprise them with a "Mystery Room" team building exercise. Being locked in a room, and having to work together as a team to solve 8 cryptic clues is one way to build Team Unity outside of the soccer field. Rush Core Value "UNITY" : Problem Solving is much easier when you collaborate and work together as a team.
Despite a very early morning, and a Mystery Room for breakfast, the girls were ready to take on LVPSA for their first game of the weekend. The team in Blue went down early, giving up 2 quick goals in the course of 10 minutes. Not to be discouraged, the girls rallied and got on the board with a great set piece to end the first half, and in true Rush '04 fashion, they like to make it exciting and scored the equalizer with a penalty kick with 5 minutes left in the game.
Final Score Rush 2 LPSA 2
Rush Core Value "TENACITY": Don't ever Give Up!
Game #2 had The Colorado Rush team facing another Rush team from New Mexico. It was a physical battle, with both teams earning 3 yellow cards, but ended with Colorado Rush scoring 3 goals to New Mexico's 1.
After an afternoon of pool recovery and ice baths (another great team building exercise), the leaders wanted to challenge the girls in a different way. It’s custom to order takeout, catering or head to a restaurant for dinner, however....why be ordinary when you can challenge the team and prepare them with life skills that they will utilize in the future.
Each room was given a task of preparing one aspect of the team dinner for the evening. The room leaders had to designate roles to each girl in the room and work together to prepare their part of the team meal....and what came about was the BEST meal of the weekend and another team building experience and memories that these girls won't forget.
Rush Core Value "LEADERSHIP" : Learning Life Skills
Game #3 called for another early morning, and the team arrived at the fields at 7:15 with horns from the team vans blaring. This is a "passionate" bunch! After 70 minutes of true Rush Way style soccer the game ended with the Rush girls scoring 3, and earning a shutout against the opposing Storm team from Colorado.
Rather than head to the airport or hang out at the hotel, the team brought together all of the leftover food from the weekend, including 2 huge party trays of Pasta and delivered it to the large population of homeless that exists in Downtown Salt Lake. Truly and amazing thing to witness.
Rush Core Value "EMPATHY": Being empathetic to others and realizing that worlds exist outside our own bubbles.
And in true Russell Finch, and Rush 04 girls fashion, they proceeded to head to Park City to end the trip at the Olympic Adventure Park to take part in Extreme Tubing.
Rush Core Value "ENJOYMENT": Stepping outside of our comfort zones and taking risks sometimes leads to enjoyment
The weekend in Salt Lake wasn't just about soccer: although the team was undefeated in their 3 games, it was also about this team working together to solve clues to get out of a mystery room, it was about cooking and preparing their own dinner and learning life skills, it was about stepping outside of our comfort zones and taking risks while extreme tubing at Olympic Park and it was about empathy and learning that other worlds exist outside our own little bubbles.
And when the team gets in the van and says "We need to deliver food once a month in Denver to the homeless," well, we can't help but think the weekend was a total success.
“I couldn’t imagine going on a trip with any of my teams and not thinking of ways to allow growth, unity, enjoyment and personal development in ways other than with the ball. To be a successful team you need to enjoy what you do, trust one another and be able to look at your teammates and fully confide in them. This group has bought into our club’s philosophy and bonded quickly since the birth year mandate. This will allow us to become successful in a short period of time.” Russell Finch, Youth Girls DOC, 2004 Rush Head Coach.
College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes Sept 20 - Sept 15.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Let us know!
 U18's vs Storm |
 U16's vs Storm |
 U14's vs Storm |
 U17's vs Storm |
College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes Sept 27 - Oct 2. This week finds a record setting school performance, a Conference Honor, a number of goals an a nationally ranked player in assists.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Let us know!
IFA Winter Camp details have been set. Details are listed below:
College soccer season is back! Tune in to coloradorush.com every Tuesday for updates on CO Rush alumni making headlines in the collegiate ranks. Here are headlines for games playes October 4 - Oct 9.
Do you have news on a former Colorado Rush player we missed? Let us know!
Colorado U13 Azul Boys and several high school players met up with one of our REACH Partner Clubs, Niyakko Rush for a scrimmage. Niyakko, which means brotherhood in Burmese, is comprised of refugees from all over the world that now call Denver home. Coached by Jason Hicks, this group of 22 boys range from middle to high school and have partnered with Rush Soccer and the REACH Program for gear and equipment for the past several years. Because of the wide age spread and the high cost of league play, Niyakko Rush doesn't have the opportunity to play against other teams often, something our players are happy to help change. As Coach Jason says, "They may all speak different languages, but we all speak the language of soccer."
If you are available on Friday October 14th Colordo Buffaloes Womens Soccer is playing against Washington Huskies. Two CU Alum are on the Colorado Buffaloes Team, Morgan Stanton and Danica Evans will be going up against an old Rush Teammate Havana McElvaine with the Huskies. Currently CU is on a 9 game winning streak and leading the Pac 12 with an impressive 5-0 standing. Come out and support your Colorado Rush Alum! Tickets are $5.00 for people 12 and older and can be purchased on line or at the gate. First 150 people in the gate will receive a 20th Anniversary T Shirt. Kickoff is at 3:00PM at Prentup Field in Boulder.
Alisa (AJ) Crooks has been called into the next U15 National Team camp! AJ enters her third season with the Rush as a Discovery Player for our U17 ECNL team. AJ hails from Spokane, WA and was "discovered" by Coach Sean...well, not really a discovery as he knew her when she was just a U12 player and he was coaching/directing in Spokane alongside her current coaches and directors, Kevin Moon and Abbas Faridinia.
Dear Rush Competitive Players & Parents:
