Rush Soccer

MAKING MOVES–COLORADO RUSH PROMOTING AND ADDING STAFF

Thu, 02 May 2024 21:07:35 GMT

The Colorado Rush are pleased to announce that Diego Cerro has recently accepted the position of Technical Director at B-Elite Rush in Aurora. In addition, Jeff Carroll has been promoted to Girls Technical Director at Colorado Rush North while Una Einarsdottir has been promoted to the Director of Coaching for Competitive Girls & ECNL Associate Director in Lakewood/Littleton.

Cerro most recently worked at the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club where he was the Director of Player Recruitment and Development. He brings a wealth of experience both as a player and coach, and will oversee the day to day operations of B-Elite Rush teams in Aurora. Furthermore, with his coaching background in both boys ECNL and DA programs, Diego will have a significant impact in the development and growth of all Rush teams in every location.

Carroll spearheaded the implementation of the DPL into Colorado Rush and his expertise will be extremely valuable for the families in the north Denver area. In addition, Jeff will oversee all North girls programming and staff as well as work closely with the Lakewood/Littleton branch with player identification for national platforms. With Carroll’s advancement as the Technical Director at Colorado Rush North, Una Einarsdottir has been promoted to Director of Coaching for Competitive Girls and ECNL Associate Director in Lakewood/Littleton. Una will oversee the day to day operations of all competitive girls teams and assist Russell Finch, the ECNL Director, with all ECNL programming.

“With the addition of Diego, we’re extremely excited because we have brought someone with fantastic experience and an exceptional pedigree to our club. Diego is a very good teacher who can help players and coaches alike. He’s helped players progress to both the collegiate and professional levels, and those qualities will be extremely valuable to Colorado Rush.” —Mark Hiemenz, Executive Director, Colorado Rush Soccer Club

“Jeff has so much experience growing and developing programs and players. His promotion to the North will be invaluable to both the competitive girls teams and DPL programs in that area. With that being said, Una is a tireless worker who brings the needed energy and leadership to continue the growth of our competitive and ECNL programs.” --John Carroll, President/CEO, Colorado Rush Soccer Club

"Jeff has been in this game for years at all levels. His experience, knowledge and love for the game is second to none. He is an amazing person who looks to build not just the player but the person. He will be welcomed with open arms in the North as he will bring so much value to our program. We can't wait to get him started with all of our staff and players!"

--Alfonso Romero, Boys Technical Director, Colorado Rush North

B-Elite Soccer

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:56:11 GMT

B-Elite Soccer

B-Elite Soccer is the best environment to live and learn true soccer thanks to the best training methodology used by the top teams in the city of Barcelona.

Our first academy was founded in Denver, Colorado in 2015 by one experienced FC Barcelona Academy Director with the goal of delivering the best soccer training experience in the USA. In 2016, B-Elite Soccer opened a new academy in Colorado Springs, with more locations across the US to come.

Colorado Rush and B-Elite Soccer Merger

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 22:10:48 GMT

B-Elite Soccer Academy and the Colorado Rush Soccer Club are thrilled to announce they’ll be joining forces to offer an unparalleled soccer experience for their respective members beginning this spring 2024. The merger will enhance and expand playing opportunities for both boys and girls throughout the Colorado community. Colorado Rush brings over 25 years of experience and maintains a significant presence in the Girl’s Academy (GA) League, Development Player League (DPL), Elite Academy (EA) League and ECNL RL for boys while B-Elite boasts membership in the boy’s ECNL and ECNL RL and girl’s DPL. This variety of competitive playing platforms are just a few of the positive benefits that will be realized by the merger of these two outstanding clubs.

When evaluating the possibility of merging clubs, B-Elite and Colorado Rush share values critical to the long-term success of their athletes and clubs. First and foremost, both clubs are committed to fostering mental, emotional and physical development of young soccer players. By combining “The Rush Way” and B-Elite coaching methodologies, the merger will result in an expansive and elite player pool that will maximize each athlete's opportunity and potential. Players will excel technically and tactically in an athlete-centered environment for long-term development while playing games in local and nationally recognized leagues throughout the U.S., including the GA, DPL, ECNL, ECNL RL, EA, and CSA.

A License To Learn

duda@360player.com — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 17:43:00 GMT

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Inaugural International Rush Cup Set for December 2022

duda@360player.com — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 18:00:00 GMT

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Opportunities Abound Overseas

duda@360player.com — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 16:20:00 GMT

Rush Travel is creating new experiences for clubs and players abroad

Rush clubs and individual players interested in venturing into new frontiers on the soccer pitch have plenty of opportunities awaiting. All it takes is contacting Rush Travel, led by Sheryl Hopeau.

“If you want to travel to play or train in the Alps, Italy, Costa Rica, or Spain, we can create a number of packages designed to the needs of club teams or individual players,” Hopeau said.

Hopeau oversees a team that handles all the logistics so clubs and players only have to worry about the thing they love the most—playing soccer.

“We take care of all the details,” Hopeau said. “We make sure that everyone is properly registered for going in and out of the countries, make sure that their roster is filled, planning weekly meetings to make sure everyone has their itineraries and travel checklists. We cover Covid protocols for returning to the states, handle accounting, and set up a What’s App communication thread so we can communicate throughout the trip, taking care of any problems that might come up.”

Hopeau and her team can customize any of the pre-arranged packages they have, ranging anything from one week to nine weeks.

“We have different packages that we can adjust to any time frame,” Hopeau said. “Most of our travel happens during the summer, but if a club comes to us and wants to travel at a different time, we can create any package the club wants.”

For more information on Rush Travel and to check out some of the available packages and pricing, visit https://rushsoccer.com/rush-travel .

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New Opportunities Abound for Rush Select Players

duda@360player.com — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 17:01:00 GMT

Entry into USYS’s E64 League will provide more exposure for players in a high-stakes environment

Even as spring seasons are wrapping up across the country, Rush Soccer’s Select program is poised to make its fall program even more competitive after getting accepted into USYS’s new E64 league.

Michael Ritch, one of Rush Soccer’s National Technical Directors, explained how Rush’s entrance into the E64 will present more opportunities for higher levels of competition for Rush Select players across the country.

“This opportunity provides us the ability to kind of group together and really show what we can do and get our top players out there to be seen,” Ritch said. “We get them what they need from an exposure standpoint. But also you really see what that next level is like for them so they can develop and really press towards what they’re going to be.”

E64’s season will consist of a 14-game regular season and will include two showcase events as well as an end-of-the-season playoff, providing Rush Select players with more exposure and opportunities for development.

This unique structure also enables Rush Select some flexibility for the staff as well as for the players and their families.

“What USYS has allowed us to do is kind of create bigger pools than your normal team would be,” Ritch said. “So what it allows for is a club—say Mississippi Rush—that may have a tournament on the singular weekend when there’s an Elite 64 competition and their players may not be widely available, while maybe Coastal or Cajun Rush would be free and allows us to pull those players from those clubs to really fill out that roster.

“Obviously, you want as much continuity as you can, but it will also give us the flexibility to manage the travel aspect for parents and players as well as the financial piece there for them as well so everyone doesn’t have to commit to every single thing that’s happening.

“We can really see how our teams do when they’re in that merged environment, competing for a trophy over the course of the year versus showing up for regional events where they play the other regions.”

The Rush Select events will remain in place as the E64 will simply provide an additional playing experience. Heading into the inaugural 2022 fall season, two Rush clubs—Lobos Rush in west Tennessee and Idaho Rush in Boise—will compete in the league along with two Rush Select teams, Select Desert and Select South.

“The beautiful thing here is, if you’re in a Rush Club, you have access to this,” Ritch said. “We can pull players in from all over the country within that network and utilize that big player pool. So, keep an eye out, keep an ear out for what we’re doing and how it’s kind of evolving and over the next couple months we’ll be able to share a bit more.”

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Former Rush Player Wins Epsana Cup in Greece

duda@360player.com — Mon, 23 May 2022 17:11:00 GMT

Rush Soccer is pleased to announce that 2005 born Costa Iliadis, former Rush Canada Academy player, has won the EPSANA Cup with Aris Voulas in Greece.

Costa is a strikingly skillful winger who spent several seasons with Rush Canada’s 2005 team before signing for the prestigious Panathinaikos Academy in Greece. After several successful seasons with Panathinaikos, last fall, Costa decided to move to Aris Voulas in search of a valuable first-team experience.

The move proved to be worthwhile, since Costa made numerous first-team appearances and helped his team win the EPSANA Cup and finish third in the league.

Rush Technical Director Slobodan Pavlovic added, “Although Costa is only 16 years old, he was promoted to play with the senior team and was instrumental in the club’s recent success. Costa has ambitions to play professionally in Europe and works hard on his abilities to satisfy the highest standards set for players in the top European leagues.”

Congratulations Costa!

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Morgan Huff Finding Stride in Germany

duda@360player.com — Mon, 09 May 2022 20:22:00 GMT

Colorado Rush 05 striker playing this spring with FFC Kaiserslautern

With aspirations of playing professionally, Morgan Huff was eager to get a taste of playing in Europe. And when the opportunity recently arose, she jumped at it.

Huff, an 05 player with the Colorado Rush club, is spending her spring season with the FFC Kaiserslautern U17 team. The club’s women’s team has signed Rush alum in the past, but this was the first time it invited a youth player to join one of their teams.

“The club reached out to Rush and was looking for some help to get promoted into the highest level of German youth soccer, so when they asked me if I was interested, I was ready to go,” Huff said.

It took her a couple of weeks to find a rhythm with her teammates, but she quickly found some chemistry.

“At first I was just training with the youth team and then I had a chance to do some extra training with the older girls, which really helped me,” the striker said.

“It was kind of a hard transition at first, but I got used to it and feel like I’m doing a lot better with it now. This experience is definitely something that’s going to develop my soccer IQ and help take me to another level by being able to understand teams and other players much better and adapt easier.”

She’s also had to adjust to a different style of play.

“They play a lot more risky soccer than we play in the U.S.,” Huff said. “They push more players up top and depend on just one or two players at the back to defend against any counters. But they want you to try and shoot more and drive at players. They really want more individual effort on the ball but still play a lot of ball into the middle from crosses, which is similar to what we do at home.”

Huff, who is staying with her mother in an apartment provided by the club, has taken a little longer to adjust to the language. And her first name—which is also the German word for “morning”—has created some amusing situations.

“I’m just now learning the basics of German,” she said. “And I’m trying to connect with the girls, so I’ve sometimes heard them saying what I thought was my name and wondered what they were saying about me. But then I’d ask what was going on and I’d find out they were just talking about what they were doing that morning.”

Aside from the language barrier, she’s finding the experience to be a valuable one.

“It’s a little different visiting a country as compared to living in a completely different culture,” she said. “We’ve had to learn how to navigate the public transportation system here, which is different. And grocery shopping can be a challenge too. But this is going to help me in the future being able to adapt wherever I end up playing if I play outside the U.S.”

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New REACH Coordinator – Welcome John Collins

duda@360player.com — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:35:00 GMT

Rush’s new REACH director Johnny Collins bringing fresh ideas to vital club program

It’s hard to imagine anyone understanding the importance of soccer outreach more than Coach Johnny Collins. He’s traveled the world for over two decades coaching soccer in various cultures sharing his passion for the game and love for people.

It’s also hard to imagine anyone getting a more difficult start on life than Coach Johnny either.

Coach Johnny, who was recently named Rush’s new Outreach Coordinator and will be overseeing the R.E.A.C.H. program, was born in South Korea and moments later left to die in a trash can before he was rescued and eventually adopted by an American family.

While growing up in the United States, he developed into a good soccer player, playing at a Division 1 school before losing his scholarship his junior year after a compound fracture to his ankle. Realizing that his playing days were over, he embarked on a journey to do what he considered the next best thing to playing—coaching.

Coach Johnny moved overseas and spent the next 24 years coaching in almost every imaginable climate among almost every imaginable group of players. He coached in Korea, Papua New Guinea, Japan, Kenya, China, Malaysia, Kuwait, Singapore, Australia and Indonesia, to name a few. He’s coached players on U.S. military bases, Somalian refugees, homeless kids in the Philippines, and orphans in Vietnam. He even once organized a girls soccer tournament in Kuwait during Ramadan.

Over the past six years, he’s worked with the U.S. State Department as part of its Sports Envoy team. And this summer he’s going to Kyrgyzstan to help coach there as well.

Last month Coach Johnny started working with the Altitude Rush soccer program in Florida, living in the U.S. for the first time since he left college to pursue his coaching dream overseas. And while his journey has been anything but conventional, he’s embraced the twists and turns of his journey that often has him wondering where he’ll end up next.

“Life is an adventure, right?” Coach Johnny said with a wry grin.

But if there’s one thing that Coach Johnny has seen during his travels, it’s how soccer is a universal language that connects people of all ages from vastly different cultures. He’s also seen the need for good uniforms and equipment.

“The Rush R.E.A.C.H. program as it is has been important so players who don’t have access to nice uniforms and equipment can get what they need,” Coach Johnny said. “But there’s also so much more we can tap into as an organization by helping with all kinds of needs, not only abroad but also in our own communities.

“We’re not going to lose the focus of getting equipment and uniforms to players who need it, but I’m excited about some of the changes that will make REACH a much more robust program and spur players on to become even better citizens in their own communities.

“For example, it’d be great if a bunch of Rush players went out and picked up trash along the highway or cleaned up around their rivers. We have a great opportunity here to be known for more than just soccer.”

To learn more about Rush’s R.E.A.C.H. program, visit the website here .

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Select 08 Boys Blue – Dallas Cup Recap

duda@360player.com — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:21:00 GMT

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The French Connection

duda@360player.com — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 15:51:00 GMT

Hope Thao is sharpening her skills with Rush French partner in Europe

It’s one thing to prepare to become a professional soccer player by pushing yourself on the training pitch and facing challenging competition. Then there’s Colorado Rush Academy 06 forward Hope Thao, who’s taking her preparation to another level.

Hope, whose goal is to play professional soccer in the near future, utilized Rush partner Etapsport to train with a French youth soccer club this past month.

“I really wanted to get a taste of what it was like to play here,” she said. “What is the culture like, what is the soccer like, anything that can help me better prepare to play professionally here one day.”

Etapsport’s Romain Thévenoux, who coordinated Hope’s trip, aims to provide exactly the type of experience Hope and other aspiring professional players want.

“Our role is to bring players here who want to discover what soccer is like here as well as the culture and make new friends, too,” Thévenoux said. “We try to create a real cultural experience here by finding families for the players to stay with whether they are coming for a short trip or want a longer stay.”

Last summer, Hope played and trained in Spain, staying in a dormitory style housing.

“That experience was a little different and more focused on just soccer since we stayed at a boarding school during the week and spent time with our host families on the weekend,” Hope said. “But staying with a host family the whole time here, I’ve been able to experience more of the culture.”

But Hope has also enjoyed her experience on the pitch, training with different players and styles that differ from what she’s used to.

“I think tactically, it’s very different here than in the U.S.,” Hope said. “We play a little more physical than they do here in France, which is a little more technical and the ball movement is different, including the style of play. In the U.S., we play a little more direct, but in France, they seem to use the entire width of the field and maximize the use of their wingers more.”

Hope, who plays forward for her Colorado club, has broadened her understanding of different forward positions while in France.

“I play everywhere,” Hope said. “I play the 9 and the 10 and also the 7 and 11. I think that I’ve gained a lot more knowledge on these positions since I’ve been here, especially the 7 and 11 and how they like to play those players with their left back and right backs.”

Hope admits that training in Europe isn’t for every player, but it can be a great experience depending on a player’s goals and how willing a player is to try something new.

“If players are willing and courageous enough to go overseas, they have to be very open-minded to criticism and growth because that’s what we all need to become better people and better players,” she said.

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2008 Select Boys Blue to Dallas Cup

duda@360player.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 20:07:00 GMT

The Rush Select program has decided to send the 2008 Boys blue team to the Dallas Cup April 9-16th. The Dallas Cup is one of the top showcase tournaments in the United States. Attracting the top youth teams from across the world. The team attending is made up of the top 2008 boys players from across the country. These players were scouted through their attendance at this cycle’s Centers or the regional Rush showcase tournament (The Hub). They have been drawn into Bracket D of the age group and will play DKSC ECNL, Houston Dynamo, and Concorde Fire ECNL. The team will be coached by Arian Hoxha and Justin Miller. Stay tuned for more as the team begins group play on April 11th.

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Rush Fest 2022 – A Party Like No Other!

duda@360player.com — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 22:39:00 GMT

A Party Like No Other

Rush Fest 2022 returns to Colorado, to be more game-centric

After holding Rush Fest in St. Louis last year, the signature event that introduces players to the 11-a-side level of the game returns to Colorado with some exciting new changes.

Foremost among the new wrinkles for Rush Fest 2022 will be the addition of new games, according to Rush Fest director Nik Penn.

“We’re going to make Rush Fest more game centric,” Penn said. “In the past, we’ve played one game each day along with one training session and a classroom session. But this year, we’re going to have more soccer.”

The new format will forego the training session and replace it with two 40-minute games.

“It’s about the same amount of soccer but now you can have more games, and as a coach and technical director you get more halftimes, more pre-games and more after-game talks with the kids,” Penn said. “It’s the first time they play 11v11, so this is a very valuable opportunity for clubs.”

After Sunday night’s opening ceremonies packed with music, quizzes, giveaways, and a Rush orientation, teams will play two games each day on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday is an off day with fun activities, while Friday wraps up the week-long event with games in the morning.

“This is where players get the chance to really see what we mean when we talk about the Rush way,” Penn said. “They’ll get a great environment to play plenty of soccer but also learn what it means to be a Rush player.”

The event held July 10-15 will also include coach education, a parent’s night, and closing ceremonies along with some social gatherings.

Rush Fest is open to 2010 boys and girls teams. However, partial teams and individuals can also participate as well.

To learn more about Rush Fest 2022, visit the website here .

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From Ghana to Croatia

duda@360player.com — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 17:25:00 GMT

New HNK Vukovar transfer from Ghana won’t stop smiling.

Clement Awounyo can’t stop smiling. Not even after trading the warm Ghanian winter for the frigid temperatures in Croatia. After all, everything is sunny in Awounyo’s world right now.

The 23-year-old striker playing for the Ghana Rush club Kotoku Royals FC transferred earlier this month to Rush partner club HNK Vukovar in Croatia and is hoping to help his new club earn a promotion to the second division.

“It’s been a long journey,” Awounyo said. “Being from Ghana, it’s not easy to get noticed. We have talent, but not much opportunity to travel and show other coaches what we can do. But now I have my chance.”

A group of Rush scouts saw Awounyo play on a recent visit to the Ghana Rush club and recommended him to the HNK Vukovar club. And the match seemed to be a beneficial one for both Awounyo and the team.

“When some of the Rush coaches came here to see me play, I was excited,” Awounyo said. “And now I’m here because of them. I have the people from Rush to thank for giving me this opportunity.”

Just the opportunity to get on the pitch at a professional club in Europe is a big step for Awounyo to reach his ultimate goal—playing professionally for a big club in Europe.

And for Awounyo, it’s a big step in his ultimate goal of playing for a top-tier team in Europe.

“My dream is to become a big professional player,” Awounyo said. “I want to become the best African football player.”

Awounyo, who also plays on Ghana’s U-23 national team, sees the chance to improve his skills and his visibility.

“I started playing soccer when I was about five years old,” Awounyo said. “My father bought me a ball and threw it on the ground and told me to play. I didn’t go to school much in my village, so it was always ball. Ever since then, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional player. And now that dream is starting to come true.”

When Awounyo arrived in Vukovar in early March, he traded average temperatures that hovered around 90 degrees Fahrenheit for a place where the average high was 47 degrees. But the cooler temperatures have no chance to dampen his spirit.

“In Croatia, the weather is too cold for me, but I’m getting used to it,” Awounyo said. “I’m still learning too, but I’m feeling everything is good and everything is better. And I’m still happy.”

Awounyo hopes to crack the starting lineup soon and help his new club earn a promotion.

“I’m looking forward for the chance to help my team,” Awounyo said.

When he gets on the pitch, there’s little doubt that he’ll do just that.

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Coaching Education – Oportunidad en Buenos Aires

duda@360player.com — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 15:08:00 GMT

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Rush Soccer Historic Partnership

duda@360player.com — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 22:55:00 GMT

Rush Soccer and Altitude Soccer Academies Announce New Partnership

New York — Rush Soccer announced March 7th, 2022 that it will be partnering with the Altitude Soccer Academies program in Port St. Lucie, Florida, creating more pathways for players to succeed in the sport.

With the new partnership, Rush Soccer is excited to bring its top-level male athletes to the facility and begin to create a girls academy that will be added to the existing programming.

“We’re excited about creating a year-round residential academy for all of our Rush players. The Rush is all about creating more opportunities and helping them get to the next level,” Rush CEO and founder Tim Schulz said. “This type of intense training coupled with rigorous academics will give aspiring pro soccer players a chance to take their game to a much higher level.”

The program will remain under the direction of Soccer Hall of Fame coach Ferdinando De Matthaeis, who has led the boys academy at Club Med.

“We believe this collaboration will further enhance what we offer at Altitude Soccer. Combining world-class facilities and coaching with the expertise from Rush Soccer as the world’s premier youth soccer program is a great fit,” Altitude Soccer Academies owner Greg Breunich said.

Breunich, who served as the Senior Vice President and director at IMG Academy, has successfully started five academies with over forty years of experience leading every element in the club, resort, camp, academy, and education business.

Rush plans to manage competitive teams out of the academy for both boys and girls starting in Fall 2022.

For more information, contact contactus@rushsoccer.com

About Altitude International Holding, Inc.

Altitude International Holding, Inc. (“ALTD”) is a multi-discipline holding company that blends performance-based education, sports, arts, science, and technology. ALTD’s multi-discipline approach consists of wholly-owned stand-alone academies, wellness centers, and manufacturing/assembly facilities. These operations represent best-in-class high-performance methodology/protocols for training, education, and therapy environments; hypoxic training chambers, air-to-water machines, sports training, educational institutions, and wellness initiatives.

About Rush Soccer

Rush Soccer, a Colorado not-for-profit corporation is an international sports institution focused on the development of young soccer players. RUSH Soccer partners with over 100 clubs across the globe and provides a comprehensive club development curriculum that benefits over 45,000 players within the network. RUSH Soccer is the largest network of youth soccer clubs in the world and has helped produce more than 90 top-tier professional players, 25 national championships as well as countless players on National Teams, 1st Divisions, and numerous professional soccer clubs. Over the past 20 years, RUSH Soccer participants have received more than $100 million in college scholarships.

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Rush Select Performance at PDT 2022

duda@360player.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 18:42:00 GMT

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Determined Dream Pursuit

duda@360player.com — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 08:10:00 GMT

Hawaii Rush standout Aislynn Crowder continues chasing Pro dream in Europe

Growing up in Hawaii, Aislynn Crowder had aspirations of playing professional soccer—she just wasn’t sure how far she could go. Now, she’s on the verge of reaching one of her biggest goals.

“When you live in Hawaii, you don’t get as many opportunities as other players,” she said. “I was hesitant to think I could continue playing at a higher level.”

Until she started getting recruited to play for major colleges.

“When coaches started talking to me, I started to think that maybe I could play in college and play professionally,” said Aislynn, who played club soccer for Hawaii Rush.

However, after playing her freshman season at UCLA, a delayed one due to the pandemic, in the spring of 2021, she was certain of what she wanted to do, just not the way she wanted to do it.

“I decided to just take a step back after my freshman year because I came to the realization that college—not just UCLA where I had good coaches and teammates, but college in general—just wasn’t for me,” she said. “So I decided to start pursuing professional soccer because it was something that I wanted to pursue for myself right now.”

In mid-January, Aislynn’s journey toward signing a professional contract just two years removed from high school took a big step forward when she had the opportunity to try out with several European clubs.

“When I was thinking about leaving school, I called my club coaches back in Hawaii,” Aislynn said. “I told them I wasn’t sure if I could do this any more, and they were like, ‘It’s okay. You’re fine.’ So just to hear that was encouraging for me. And then they all started working to help me take the next step.”

Working in conjunction with her former coaches and Rush CEO Tim Schultz, who she trained with when she was younger, Aislynn landed a few opportunities to show off her skills in hopes of landing a contract.

She spent a week training with Sweden’s IFK Kalmar club before training with GPSO 92 Issy in France. After that, she retreated further south to Valencia, Spain to train with Valencia FC in a climate that she’s found much more agreeable to her Hawaii roots.

“Every time we trained in Sweden, I had to be bundled up,” she said. “They don’t care how cold it is there, they just go out and play. But Valencia feels a little more like the weather I’m used to back home.”

But Aislynn isn’t picky as she sets her sights on achieving a long-time dream, grateful for the way Rush has not only helped her get this opportunity but prepared her for it as well.

“There’s so much that Rush has done for me,” Aislynn said. “I think the coaches and the teams where we had such good chemistry, that was all helpful in my development. But they prepared me a lot for not just soccer itself, but for life too. I think the best thing about them is how my Rush coaches are like second parents to me. They helped me get through some hard times in my life. And I think they prepared me super well mentally and physically for life.”

While getting a professional contract is a big goal for her, there’s still a bigger one looming out there—representing her country on the women’s national team.

Aislynn, who has been consistently called up to USWNT camps since 2017, hasn’t let go of that dream either. And with a crop of fresh faces replacing long-time fixtures on the roster for the USWNT’s upcoming SheBelieves tournament, she found renewed hope in that dream.

“I was kind of shocked when I first found out about the roster changes,” she said. “But it was also really inspiring for me. It made me want to work harder. If the national team is giving younger players a chance to make it on the big stage, that pushes me and motivates me to work even harder.”

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Opportunity of a Lifetime

duda@360player.com — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 17:35:00 GMT

Twin Cities Rush brothers look to make most of the audition in Germany

When Semir Secic fled to the United States in 2001 as a refugee from Bosnia on the heels of the Bosnian War, he knew exciting opportunities awaited him. And now his two sons are taking full advantage of burgeoning opportunities as well.

Secic’s two sons, Semir (’07) and Damir (’08), will travel to Germany in March for 10 days of training and games at Milbertshofen Academy with an opportunity to earn a spot with prestigious European youth academies. The two Twin Cities Rush players played at a camp in Turkey in January where they caught the eye of youth academy scouts and earned an expenses-paid invitation for another look in Germany.

Scouts from Milbertshofen will evaluate the players, as well as coaches from Munchen 1860, Augsburg, Malmö FF, and Turkish club Antalyaspor.

“These coaches came back to watch us after our first game at this camp,” Damir said. “Then they contacted our parents and told us what could happen on this trip.”

“We are very blessed,” Semir said. “Without our dad, we wouldn’t even be playing soccer. Our parents brought us here and helped us get these opportunities. And we’re very thankful for them.”

Semir and Damir started playing for Twin Cities Rush last fall and have noticed a difference in how the club approaches player development.

“At Rush, the competitiveness is on a different level,” said Damir, who also made the Rush Select team. “It’s super challenging and the training is intense.”

“Rush gave us a chance to go to the next level and get more trainings,” Semir said.

Having a brother who is equally determined also helps as the two boys push each other while training on their own.

“We get into fights, a hundred percent,” Damir said as he chuckled. “When we train together, we’ll get mad at each other for something—maybe he thought the tackle was clean and I thought it was a foul.”

With a bright future ahead, both boys are working hard in pursuit of their dream.

“We would both love to play professionally,” Semir said. “That’s our main goal right now. We’d love to play for our national team. If we can make that happen, obviously that’d mean a lot to us and our family.”

Both players understand what it takes to excel to the highest level.

“When you watch pro players, you see how hard they work,” Damir said. “So, I know I have to work harder than everyone else. For example, if I see someone doing ten push-ups, I don’t just think I have to do ten push-ups too. I think I need to do ten push-ups before they do.”

The post Opportunity of a Lifetime appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Rush to Host National Futsal Tournament in Summer 2022

duda@360player.com — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 21:06:00 GMT

While futsal had been growing slowly in popularity among U.S. youth soccer players, the foot-skill heavy game seemed to take off exponentially when Rush alum and U.S. Men’s National Team star Christian Pulisic and other rising U.S. stars mentioned how the sport helped them.

Now Rush is meeting the growing demand in a new way for a sport that has helped numerous clubs find a way to keep developing technical skills when practicing outside isn’t an option.

“For a long time, U.S. soccer has emulated the European model,” said newly-appointed Rush Futsal Manager Chris Rue. “Now we’re starting to get a lot of pockets of the Latin American and South American influence in our game, a lot of that is predicated on small-sided pickup games in the street. So, hence futsal was born here in the United States.”

Rue, who’s run futsal programs and tournaments for the past 13 years, is elevating futsal opportunities for Rush clubs, starting with a National Futsal Tournament in July at the sparkling new Legacy Sports facility in Arizona.

“A lot of Rush clubs are trying to find futsal opportunities wherever they can,” Rue said. “So, we’re trying to help fill that void and meet those futsal needs.”

In 2022, the national tournament will be a scaled down event of what Rue will implement in 2023, which will have four regional tournaments with top teams advancing to a national championship. The event will be open to rising U12 teams and under to start, with older ages being added in the future.

While Rue has enjoyed watching the game grow, he’s also witnessed first-hand how it has improved the technical skills of players he coached in his program.

“I think ultimately futsal helps develop important skills like anticipation and decision-making, those important boxes that you need to tick as you get older in the game,” Rue said. “It’s also about the amount of reps that you get. I think with the ball mostly staying on the floor, the amount of reps are exponentially more than in a soccer match. And you can’t really hide on the floor either in futsal. You have to develop your skills to keep up.”

Visit rush-futsal.com to get your team signed up today and participate in the Rush Futsal Cup!

The post Rush to Host National Futsal Tournament in Summer 2022 appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Rush Select PDT 2022 Rosters Announcement

duda@360player.com — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 21:42:00 GMT

The post Rush Select PDT 2022 Rosters Announcement appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Sharing the Love

duda@360player.com — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 19:32:00 GMT

The post Sharing the Love appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Ghana Rush – Kotoku Royals FC Coach Paolo Campagna

duda@360player.com — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:14:00 GMT

When Paolo Campagna moved to Ghana to take over the Kotoku Royals FC in October, he found himself thrust into a job teeming with opportunity as well as challenges. However, as one of Rush’s newest clubs in Africa, Campagna sees more hope than ever for the club.

“When Raoul Voss started to talk with me about this program, I liked where Rush wanted to take it and all the opportunities that are here,” Campagna said. “There are some talented players here who could play in many leagues around the world. The soccer culture here is crazy and everyone is invested in the game. But there are some things we’re trying to change to help build a more professional environment.”

Campagna, the Italy native who was coaching in the New England area prior to accepting the assignment with the Kotoku Royals, has worked to mesh together the laidback African culture with the more rigorous standards of professionalism required to establish a winning club.

“At the beginning when I got here, there were players only eating one meal per day,” Campagna said. “There was no attention to proper diet, and the players didn’t have the energy they needed to perform at the highest level. So, we’ve worked to change that.

“There was also an issue with players not being prompt and just showing up whenever they felt like it. It’s hard to run a training session when nobody was acting like professionals.”

But Campagna appreciates the rich talent pool the club already has while also seeking to deepen it within the smaller community of Akim Oda, located 75 miles northwest of Accra.

“The players here know how to play,” Campagna said. “There’s really little doubt about that. We can improve some of our tactical play, but the talent is there for this team and these players to go to a higher level.”

Campagna’s faith in the player’s clubs is one of the reasons he’s a perfect fit for taking the Kotoku Royals from a middle-of-the-road Division 1 team to Ghana’s Premiership.

“One of the things I like about Rush is how they believe in their players,” Campagna said. “Rush truly believes they can develop a successful academy here in Ghana as well as develop future players. What Rush has already done here by giving more accessibility to players for good coaching and training will help develop players in this region like they’ve never had a chance to do before.”

The post Ghana Rush – Kotoku Royals FC Coach Paolo Campagna appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Rush Canada Alumnus training with top European Teams Including Liverpool & Arsenal

duda@360player.com — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 16:45:00 GMT

Rush Canada Soccer Academy is pleased to announce that Rush Alumnus Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is currently on trial with several top European academies including Liverpool and Arsenal in the UK.

Just last year Jahkeele became the youngest Toronto FC player of all time to make an MLS appearance . Shortly after, he became the youngest player to get called up to the Men’s Canadian National Team. Earlier this year, he was named to The Guardian’s Next Generation List which honors 60 of the world’s best young players born in 2004 and he has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Jahkeele has spent his off-season training with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and a few other top academies in Europe. The 17-year-old doesn’t hold an EU passport, so any potential deals wouldn’t be made until next summer.

Good luck Jahkeele! Rush Soccer is very proud of your achievements!

The post Rush Canada Alumnus training with top European Teams Including Liverpool & Arsenal appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Colorado Rush Player Trains in Hawaii, on Vacation!

duda@360player.com — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The post Colorado Rush Player Trains in Hawaii, on Vacation! appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Key win to take the lead

duda@360player.com — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 13:45:17 GMT

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Rush Alum Meg Brandt, Pursuing Greater Heights

duda@360player.com — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 17:06:00 GMT

When Meg Brandt was in the fifth grade, her teacher asked students to write down what they wanted to be when they grew up. Meg scrawled down that she wanted to be a professional soccer player.

And years of hard work later, the Rush Soccer alum proved that goal was far more than a pipe dream.

“I had really big dreams for soccer,” Meg said. “So when I was with Iowa Rush, I wanted to play at the highest competitive level, and I told them that I wanted to play college soccer at the Division 1 level. And they were excited about helping me achieve that.”

Meg wound up at Nebraska, where she earned Big Ten All-Freshman team honors before eventually being selected to the Big Ten All-Tournament team her junior season.

“I committed at a young age,” she said, “and that kind of changes things. Some players get too satisfied. But I was like, ‘Okay, I’m committed. That was my goal.’ But Rush pushed me more after I committed, which I’m really thankful for because I knew I had a lot more work to do.”

By the time she finished her career there, Meg had received an invite to play for the U.S. Women’s U-23 team and had turned the heads of professional scouts.

Then Meg was drafted by the Seattle Reign in the fourth round of the 2020 NWSL draft but never played a game after the league decided to shut down in the early stages of the pandemic. Her rights were traded to Kansas City, but she realized that she still had a lot more work to do.

“I want to play in the U.S., but it wasn’t the right time for me,” Meg said. “I needed to get more experience professionally. So I decided that going overseas was the best option.”

Meg first went to Norway, playing there for three months before seeking out other opportunities in Europe that would better suit her. And she found that at MSV Duisburg in Germany, a second league women’s Bundesliga team.

“It’s a totally rebuilding process for us in the second Bundesliga,” Meg said. “We’re hoping to get promoted, which is the goal.”

Meg is also aiming to elevate her personal game in the process as she continues to develop even after reaching her goal of playing soccer professionally.

“I’ve always felt like I had a lot of room to improve,” Meg said. “And I still do. That’s why I’m doing this. I can’t see myself stopping to play soccer anytime soon. So, I’m really hoping within the next two to three years, I can be back in the U.S. playing and successful at the highest level.”

No matter what ultimately happens with Meg’s career, she credits Rush for helping prepare her for each step in the journey.

“I think that I was well prepared because of Rush,” Meg said. “They held us to a high standard, showing us how to be as professional as possible, for example on away trips. With Rush when we go to tournaments, like whether it was all the girls wearing the same clothes to travel in or stopping and stretching on the way to tournaments. We were also taught that if you’re on time, you’re late basically, so to be early to everything that carried over for me, and it’s taught me to be a lot more per professional.”

The post Rush Alum Meg Brandt, Pursuing Greater Heights appeared first on Rush Soccer .

New Tournament Partners

duda@360player.com — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 20:56:00 GMT

The post New Tournament Partners appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Meet our new sports director

duda@360player.com — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 10:43:35 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

2021 Rush Select Hub Was A Success

duda@360player.com — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 16:07:00 GMT

With more regional and national soccer events returning in 2021, the Rush Select program hosted its Hub event on Nov. 18-21 in St. Louis, thrilling players and coaches alike at the stunning new Missouri Rush Park facility.

The Hub is a Rush Select regional event for U13-U15 players. The invite-only affair pits Rush Selection regional teams from the South, Northeast, Midwest, and West against one another over a four-day period with a chance to be crowned the Rush Select Hub Champion. Top-level players had the opportunity to showcase their talent for Rush’s national coaches and earn opportunities to play on the national team.

And this year’s event was a big success, according to Rush Select program director Justin Miller.

“The Hub this year was incredible,” Miller said. “From start to finish, I significantly enjoyed this year’s event. The quality of play was high, the facility was incredible, and the coaches over the weekend were very impressive.”

And it wasn’t just the opportunity to go head to head with top talent on the field that had the players buzzing.

Former U.S. Men’s National Team star Clint Dempsey stopped by to address the players on the first day of the event.

“I think the cherry on top was having Clint Dempsey come speak to the players at opening ceremonies,” Miller said. “I think hearing his perspective on what it meant to be an elite athlete really resonated with the players. The whole event was extraordinary and truthfully emblematic of what it means to be a part of Rush.”

Rush Nation would like to congratulate all of the winners from the event, and a special congratulations to the West region for being the overall champions of the event!

CHAMPIONS

09 Boys : Midwest

09 Girls: CO Rush Girls Academy

08 Boys: West

08Girls: Midwest

07 Boys: West

07 Girls: West

The post 2021 Rush Select Hub Was A Success appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Our initiative for inclusive development continues

duda@360player.com — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 05:56:08 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

One point off the lead after late equalizer

duda@360player.com — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 05:56:08 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.

Breaking News: Mike Haas Joins Rush Soccer

duda@360player.com — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 17:52:00 GMT

The post Breaking News: Mike Haas Joins Rush Soccer appeared first on Rush Soccer .

A Rush of Passion

duda@360player.com — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 22:05:00 GMT

Rush India SC is leading a soccer renaissance at the grassroots level in India.

Studying to become an engineer and without any organized soccer experience, Dennis Fenandes never imagined himself leading a soccer club let alone jumpstarting a soccer movement across India. All it took was one moment after watching India lose yet another football match to ignite his passion that’s changing the landscape of soccer in one of the world’s most populous countries.

Dennis’s first brush with soccer development came at the age of 18 as a member of the
local parish church youth group under the mentorship of Fr. Lawrence. During that time, Dennis learned the nuance of life skill enrichment and core value development through sports. This gave Dennis the idea of what a soccer club could and should look like.

Eventually, Dennis and a group of his friends formed an NGO soccer club to help kids learn the game in a more organized fashion. The founding of the club in Mumbai was the first step in a long journey that eventually led him to Rush, a partnership that has flourished in a challenging environment since 2012.

“Big European clubs would start programs all the time in India and then leave after a couple of years,” Dennis said. “We tried to partner with some of these European clubs, but it never worked out, we lost money and had a bad experience. But we kept looking for the right partner because more than anything we wanted knowledge about how to develop players and grow football. And we needed to make that happen from the grassroots level.”

Developing the sport in India was challenging enough due to the non-existent training and playing infrastructure. Coaching certifications would happen only once every few years, while leagues lacked structure much less player development pathways.

“We realized we didn’t have the knowledge,” Dennis said. “And it was obviously hurting the kids. They were not motivated to play without a tournament or a season. The schools preferred to focus on cricket rather than football.”

In 2012 Dennis learned about Rush. “It was a godsend to meet Tim Schulz the founder and CEO of Rush USA,” Dennis said. “Tim’s visit to India opened up the possibilities for truly developing football. As promised in the next few months, we had the Rush globally proven curriculum and a USSF A License coach in India developing the grassroots at a time when there were very few A License coaches in India, all plying their trade with the National team. The long-term player development program in the U.S. for our players was an unheard-of initiative in India.”

Partnering with Rush to become the 21st international partner was a perfect match in many ways. “The 11 Rush core values were in sync with our objective to have a value-based club,” Dennis said. “Tim Schulz and Justin have just been awesome, their support, trust, and compassion have enforced our belief that Rush truly believes in its core values.

While parents brought their kids to the club hoping that it could transform them into the next big soccer star, Dennis decided to highlight what else Rush could offer. “We told the parents that their kids aren’t all going to become the next Ronaldo or Messi,” Dennis said. “But we showed them how good values in life can be inculcated through sports while helping them develop at their best. And the value system comes first for us and then the success on the grounds follows.”

There’s no denying that success has followed for the players who’ve bought into the Rush way. The list of India Rush SC players who’ve found success at higher competitive levels is both impressive—and growing.

Rush India SC alumni Ridge DeMello represented U16-U17 India national team and at 18 signed a pro contract with Mohammedan Sporting Club, a professional Indian league team. Hamza Shaikh recently signed a pro contract with Vasco SC, while Suhayl Dholkawala has signed with Southern Samity FC a pro club playing in the 2nd division Indian league.

On the women’s front, India Rush SC became the first team in 2017 to win the state championship and qualify for the Indian Women’s League National final round. Former India Rush SC girls players Aditi Chouhan, Dalima Chibber, Ritu Rani, and Soumya Nayak are all playing for the Indian women’s national team now.

India Rush SC players have consistently featured in the U15 to U18 age group for the state team, national team camp, and Indian Super League Club.

India Rush SC is also looking beyond the youth level, as the men’s team has partnered with a second-division Indian league team and also has a team in the highest division in the Mumbai district. On the women’s side, they have teams competing in district and state qualifiers in the Indian women’s league.

The mark India Rush SC has left on Indian soccer isn’t limited to the club itself. After seeing the need for suitable playing grounds, Dennis started working with a company to get turf fields put in all over Mumbai, which had only two just five years ago. They started looking for land to build small-size soccer fields for 5v5 and 7v7 competition. Today, there are more than 300 of these fields throughout Mumbai.

“We were the first club to organize a 5v5 league,” Dennis said. “We had never played 5v5 soccer in India. Every Sunday for three months we had more than 400 kids come out and compete in a 5v5 league. Since then we’ve added 7v7 small-sided tournaments and are competing with other clubs. In ten years, it’s completely changed the way we play football at the grassroots level in India.”

With all the success the club has had in Mumbai, Dennis and the India Rush SC took advantage of the hard lockdowns in Mumbai (they’ve only been able to play three months since the pandemic began in March 2020) to expand. They traveled the country to meet with other interested parties and have added five more Rush affiliates.

“We wanted to visit with coaches and communities and find out if they had the kind of passion needed to establish a successful club,” Dennis said. “And we found it in most places. In Sarhali village in Punjab state, we were asked by the Sahibjada Ajit Singh Ji School principal about the size of the football field we needed, and the next morning the school principal mowed down a huge area and said, ‘Now we have a field.’ You can see the desire for the development of the community and sports even in small villages of India. Head coach Onkar Singh has done a stupendous job for developing football in the last five years.”

Dennis’s passion and enthusiasm for soccer in India is contagious. And it’s not surprising for a man who’s gone a long way from doing soccer at St. Anthony’s Church in Vakla, Mumbai to having a hand in developing some of the players now blossoming for his country’s national team and realizing their goal.

Dennis hasn’t done it alone, developing a committed team that includes George Lawrence, who has developed into a fine technical direction, as well as Vinod Nalawde, Hussain Dholkawala, Naaznin Hussein, and Elvis Goes.

Where many big brands failed, Rush found unprecedented success. What Rush can offer in terms of player development and teaching a value system that goes beyond the pitch is unparalleled in India.

“The Rush Nation growth story in India is a story of success of the value system and of the many friendships that were made in India and Internationally,” Dennis said.

The post A Rush of Passion appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Rush Select HUB 2021 Rosters Announcement

duda@360player.com — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 18:34:00 GMT

The post Rush Select HUB 2021 Rosters Announcement appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Clint Dempsey, VIP Speaker at the Rush Select HUB

duda@360player.com — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:28:00 GMT

The Rush Select Hub will take place in St. Louis, Missouri November 18-21, 2021. The Hub is a Select Regional Team event where the best male and female U13-U15 players from across the country will come to compete to see which region will be crowned the Hub Champion. The players attending are from the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West regions. The Regional Teams will also be competing against Canada.

As part of a new special program added this year, the Colorado Rush 2009 Girls will also be attending and competing as they were identified as the best Rush team at this year’s Rush Fest. Rush Fest is a fun and exciting event for all U13 Rush teams.

Leading these teams are top coaches from more than 25 different clubs across Rush Nation. Besides multiple days of gameplay, the HUB will be hosting coaching education events for all interested Rush coaches. These events are a great way for coaches to learn the Rush Way, network, and observe high-level players and coaches. Also in attendance will be Rush Soccer’s top scouts; our scouts will be evaluating the players and coaches for future high-level opportunities.

The weekend opening ceremony will kick off in style with special guest speaker and former US Men’s National Team Captain, Clint Dempsey . As you may have heard, Clint had a tremendous professional career playing for the New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and Seattle Sounders. During his career, h e made 141 appearances for the United States Men’s National Team and is tied for the USMNT record for all-time leading goal scorer, with a total of 57 goals.

The Rush Select Staff is extremely excited for the Hub. We are looking forward to having the best of the best in St. Louis in November. Please make sure to check the Rush Select section of our website for more updates leading up to and during the Hub. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

The post Clint Dempsey, VIP Speaker at the Rush Select HUB appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Levert Achu, from Cameroon Rush to the USA

duda@360player.com — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 17:15:00 GMT

The post Levert Achu, from Cameroon Rush to the USA appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Meet Steven Lovgren, Rush’s New Director of Tournaments

duda@360player.com — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 21:54:00 GMT

Rush recently named Steven Lovgren its Director of Tournaments. Lovgren is bringing over a decade of experience to help Rush and its clubs run efficient and profitable tournaments. This year, he’s running 54 tournaments in 15 states, including tourneys for Iowa Rush and Wisconsin Rush.

So, what exactly is his role and how will he help Rush clubs? We caught up with Steve to talk about what he intends to bring to Rush and what he envisions in this role.

Q: How did this role come about for you?

I own a company called Soccer Management Company, so I know cities and tournaments like the back of my hand. One of the components that Rush hasn’t really embarked on is providing services for tournaments. I started talking with Tim [Schultz] and Justin [Miller] and told them this is my passion, this is what I do. So, they brought me on as a tournament director for Rush.

Q: How exactly are you going to be helping existing clubs who want to put on a tournament?

I’m going to try to create an environment for tournament directors and in that environment, I want to be able to help them with their events. I want to create a Rush directory of tournaments so that when executive directors and technical directors begin their tournament selection process, they can look at a list of all the upcoming Rush tournament events. My goal is to help out technically and make existing events better. Tournament directors are sometimes on an island by themselves because nobody else understands the details that go into these types of events. I want to make their life easier.

Q: How is what you’re doing a little bit unique to the soccer tournament world?

Tournament directing is a challenge. There are a lot of roads to navigate, the market is very saturated. A trend we’re seeing is “sports tourism” where clubs build these big complexes and have to get events at them. Everybody is being pressured to do these things. From the club’s perspective, these tournaments are big money makers that can help fund their staffing. But all that’s a very tough road to navigate for a volunteer or someone who’s in a part-time position. I’m not part-time, so I’m immersed in this and that’s all. So I want to bring in my experience to help Rush sidestep potential pitfalls of different things. My goal is to streamline this whole process for everyone.

Q: What’s your vision for Rush with these tournaments?

The Select events are very important, these events help identify talented players so we can get them playing at a higher level. Making these events the best I can is one way I intend to service the Rush program. The other thing that I’m looking to accomplish is general improvements across the board, I want to provide a support system, be a director, as well as negotiate lower costs. All of that is again to streamline the development process for the clubs. That takes work off of the executive director’s hands so there’s less for them to do. This is all the type of training and work that I want to do to help directors and give them success. Sometimes some of these tournaments need to get into the Rush Machine. That’s what I like calling it. The Rush Machine is phenomenal. I mean, look at the number of people we have good people that can help get in behind something and really push and press what we’re doing. I’m very new, but my eyes are kind of glazed over and I’m excited about the possibilities of everybody working together on these items.

The post Meet Steven Lovgren, Rush’s New Director of Tournaments appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Civana Kuhlmann Overcoming Adversity

duda@360player.com — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 06:00:00 GMT

If Civana Kuhlmann had decided to quit pursuing her dream of becoming a professional soccer player, nobody would question her. The hundreds of hours she’s spent in rehab to return from devastating injuries would make most people look for a new direction.

But Civana isn’t like most people.

“I like to think I’m a driven individual,” she said.

That’s as much of an understatement as saying Messi is just a “pretty good soccer player.”

Civana’s determination while staring at a mountain of work still casting a long shadow over her path to professional soccer is inspiring, especially given what she’s had to endure.

Path to Success

To suggest that Civana’s soccer future was anything other than bright eight years ago would’ve sounded insane. After accepting an invitation to play with the U.S. Women’s U-17 team at the age of 14, she became the youngest U.S. player to ever score in a U-17 match and later became the only U.S. player to record a hat trick in the U-17 World Cup.

While starring on her Rush club team in Colorado during the next four years, she attracted attention from all the top college programs before settling on Stanford. Meanwhile, she solidified her position within the USWNT development program and was invited to play on the Women’s U-20 World Cup team.

Her trajectory seemed almost certain, given her talent and work ethic. But then the smooth ride to stardom vanished.

“After my freshman year [at Stanford], I picked up a shin injury that took me out of the U-20 World Cup.

“My freshman year I picked up a shin injury,” Civana said. “So I had a little bump in the road there which took me out of the U-20 World Cup.”

Mounting Injuries

After recovering to play her sophomore year, the bump in the road turned into a pothole when she tore her ACL four days into preseason of her junior season in 2019. When her meniscus didn’t heal properly, she had to have another surgery six months later.

And just as she was ready to return to the field, Covid hit, pushing the women’s soccer season into the spring of 2021. She was healthy enough to play the shortened season and scored four goals, all game winners for the Cardinal.

But then another devastating pothole, this time a torn labrum and microfracture in her hip. And she made the difficult decision to end her college career with two years of eligibility remaining.

“When I tore my ACL going into my junior year, I was planning on making a full comeback for Stanford and I was extremely focused on being the best teammate I could be, making sure I was lifting up the team in any way I could,” Civana said. “And it was great. We ended that season with a national championship. So that was awesome. But this time around I’d say it’s a little different.”

The toll of her rehab while juggling schoolwork and the pain of only being able to watch but not play for another year started to weigh on Civana.

“I had to make my first mindset shift,” Civana said. “During this injury, that mindset shift was just like, ‘Okay, I’m preparing and rehabbing to be a professional.’ There’s a lot of disappointment and I felt as if being in that environment still with my Stanford teammates would’ve just highlighted, a lot of disappointment. So I had to take early steps to eradicate as much of that as possible. The journey to go pro is always going to be tough whether you’re healthy or not. And now it’s going to be a little tougher.”

A Fresh Outlook

But Civana remains undaunted by the challenge, harkening back to her days with Rush and the core values instilled in her during that time.

“I miss my days at Rush,” Civana said. “I love Rush. It definitely made me the player that I was and still am, the player that was able to go to Stanford. I think of waking up early to go to the center before school and getting in extra technical training. And I think of the core values and how Eric Bushey never letting me be complacent with where I was at. No matter how good of a spot I might have thought it was in, I’d have Eric to bring me right back down in a great way.”

And despite the derailment of what could’ve been an even more highly-decorated collegiate career at Stanford, Civana seems focused, not bitter.

“I know I’m not done with soccer,” she said. “Three major surgeries is difficult and it may make you feel like you’re done with it, but I know personally that I’m not. And as long as I feel that way and as long as I believe that, then there’s more to come.”

Civana now spends her days finishing up school work at Stanford and rehabbing, preparing for what’s next. And regardless of where her path eventually takes her, she hopes her story can inspire other players facing adversity.

“My college career was completely upended and took a course that I would have never imagined,” said Civana, who still managed to play in three College Cups and win two national titles during her time there. “As a youth player, I was never ever injured. You never imagine your college career and work injuries into your vision.

“I feel like a lot of times we want to figure out the why , and we want to have answers for hardship and adversity. And I would say to not try and figure out the why. I think the journey tells you the why but the journey is taking one day at a time. An injury or any hardship doesn’t end your journey. It just makes it look a little different than you probably anticipated. But that’s okay.”

No matter what happens for Civana’s future on the soccer pitch, there’s little doubt that she’s going to be okay one way or another.

The post Civana Kuhlmann Overcoming Adversity appeared first on Rush Soccer .

Robert Damron Living The Dream

duda@360player.com — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 18:55:00 GMT

Former Rush Select standout Robert Damron to represent U.S. in Futsal World Cup.

Robert Damron always dreamed of representing the United States—he just didn’t realize it would happen so soon.

The 19-year-old goalkeeper and Rush alum will be wearing his U.S. jersey with pride when the FIFA Futsal World Cup gets underway this month in Lithuania.

“I remember back when I was six or seven years old in my grandparents’ backyard kicking the ball against the fence and pretending to play for the United States,” Damron said from Slovakia, where the U.S. team is currently training. “And now to be able to do it 12 or 13 years later and actually get to wear the badge—it’s unreal.”

Damron’s path from Michigan Rush Northville standout to the U.S. Men’s futsal team wasn’t conventional, though he credits Rush with making it happen. His club started a futsal program, which allowed Damron to work on his goal-keeping skills during Michigan’s long winter months.

As Damron continued to develop, he earned a slot playing in the Rush Select program, which he credits with giving him the skills—both for the game and life—to handle this moment.

“If it wasn’t for a program like Rush Select, I probably wouldn’t be able to do something like this,” Damron said. “I was able to travel on my own and learn the Rush core values, which helped me so much in my professionalism.”

Damron eventually found his way onto the Madonna University roster playing for Michigan Rush Northville technical director Mark Zathey, who serves as the head coach for the men’s team. However, Damron, who chose the remote learning option entering his sophomore year of college this fall, couldn’t anticipate the opportunity to play for the U.S. futsal team, especially since he wasn’t initially invited to the team’s pre-tournament camp.

But just before camp started, one keeper invitee tested positive for Covid and opened the door for Damron’s invitation. He took full advantage of the opportunity, impressing the coaches enough to earn a roster spot.

While Damron has found success in the game of soccer, he’s excelled in futsal, a game which requires a different skill set to be successful for keepers and field players alike.

“In futsal, it’s a lot more about staying big,” Damron said. “Don’t be afraid to get hit. Use everything that you have—your head, your feet, your chest, everything. Just throw yourself at it. In soccer, you have to dive and be a lot more mobile than you are in futsal.”

And that’s fine by Damron, who has grown to prefer futsal over the outdoor game.

“I always wanted to play in goal,” Damron said. “That was my thing. I hated running. My coaches would always say, ‘You gotta play in the field, too. You gotta do both.’ So until I was 13 or 14, I played half and half. But when I started playing futsal, I was strictly a keeper.”

It’s a skill that has afforded him this opportunity at such a young age, a fact that wasn’t lost on U.S. head coach Dusan Jakica.

“We were having an emotional moment because we were getting ready for the World Cup and tearing up and our coach looks at the oldest player on our team, who’s 43, and then says, ‘Hey, you could be his dad’, and then he points to me. So, there’s a pretty big age gap on our team. It’s kind of crazy.”

The U.S. team will need all the experience it has—plus Damron’s mad skills in goal—if the U.S. is going to win its first game in the Futsal World Cup since 2004. The U.S. has only won two games in the World Cup since finishing as the tournament’s runner-up to Brazil in 1992.

And the task won’t be easy either since the U.S. finds itself in the group of death with 2016 World Cup champion Argentina and third-place finisher Iran along with a tough Serbia squad.

“These teams [in our group] are phenomenal,” Damron said. “But we really think that we have a chance to come in and surprise them if we play our game.”

The U.S. will take on the defending champs in Argentina to open group play on Sept. 14th. FoxSports will televise the games in the U.S.

For more information to follow the tournament, visit the Futsal World Cup 2021 website .

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Ava Arnold Outstanding Efforts Being Rewarded

duda@360player.com — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Ava Arnold is a 2007 female soccer player. Born in 2007 from Colorado, Ava earned her way on the 2006 Girls Academy Team (playing up a year) within the Lakewood/Littleton Branch. Coached by Rush Soccer President Tim Schulz & a stand-out WPSL Player from Colorado Rush, Courtney Moore, Ava has been pushed to be the best she can be at all levels.

Ava displays her magician-like approach on the offensive side of the game playing in the center midfield, while also having no fear in tackling and attempting to win the ball defensively.

Ava is a hard worker who consistently works on her craft and leaves everything on the field to help gain a result for her team.

“She is a gamer.” was the overall consensus on how to describe Ava Arnold from the Colorado Rush staff. It is apparent that Ava treats training days just like matches and does not skip a beat.

Ava has been invited and will be joining RUSH Select at the HUB in November in St. Louis later this year for her outstanding play.

For more information about the HUB, please contact Rush Soccer’s Select Administrator Jacob Lissek via email at jlissek@rushsoccer.com

You can also visit our dedicated website to the HUB by visiting The Hub (rushselect.com)

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REACH Out: Rush players have a unique opportunity to help others around the globe

duda@360player.com — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:31:00 GMT

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Rush Regional Centers 2021

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:30:00 GMT

While the pandemic jettisoned the launch of Rush’s Regional Centers in 2020, it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm for the new program this summer as more than 30 clubs and hundreds of players participated at the four centers last month.

Rush Select program director Justin Miller unveiled the idea for the Regional Centers last year, creating a way for standout players to get identified and get placed on regional and national teams within the Select program. And he wasn’t disappointed with the results.

“It was nice to see that players already in the Select program came out and showed they are still progressing as players,” Miller said. “Also, it was incredible to see new faces that were at the level and could make the program.”

Getting the Regional Centers off the ground was a relief for Miller, who sees this as a key component to helping identify players who may not have as much opportunity or get the visibility players in certain clubs get.

“We want to democratize this program by giving players access to being seen,” Miller said. “Holding it regionally and providing affordable registration are things that can help with our goal, which was important after missing out last year.”

When it comes to identifying rising talent for the Select program, Miller views the Centers as a key component in player development.

“The Centers are essentially the first stage of the Select process and arguably the most important part,” he said. “Identifying players is key in development because you want to put players with like abilities together.”

Miller was pleased with how the Centers turned out and what it means for Rush and being part of the youth club.

“The highlight of any Rush event is bringing players from around the country together,” Miller said. “Rush is so special in that way. You won’t find many soccer organizations in the country that do what we do. We are lucky to be a part of it.”

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Colorado Rush WPSL Team

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:29:00 GMT

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Stefan Oertel Playing with Rush Partner SC Victoria Hamburg

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:25:00 GMT

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Rush Players Signed With AS Monaco Feminine

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:22:00 GMT

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Rush Soccer Well-Represented at Girls Academy Playoffs

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:19:00 GMT

When the Girls Academy league started this season as a way to fill the void of U.S. Soccer closing down its Development Academy, Colorado Rush girls director Russell Finch was searching for the kind of competitive environment required to develop top talent.

Nearly a year later, it’s safe to say that he found it and then some.

“The Development Academy division we played in was really competitive,” Finch said. “It had the kind of teams in it that even if they beat you, it made you better. So, we feel very fortunate to have found something like that with the GA league.”

Finch is hoping it serves his teams well as they enter the inaugural Girls Academy league playoffs.

Over the past week, Colorado Rush had five teams (02/03, 04, 05, 06, 08) participating in the elite league’s national playoffs in Oceanside, California. New Jersey’s SJEB Rush club had two teams competing in the 08 and 06 divisions as well.

“I think one of the most exciting things is that we were well-represented by the number of teams that we had there,” Finch said. “We were able to cause a raucous when any of our teams were playing, since we try to go support one another with chants and cheers.”

“In terms of quality of the leagues, there were some really good teams competing in this event,” Finch said. “Whatever happened, it’s only going to help the girls improve.”

While Finch has leveraged every opportunity to help the girls in his program grow on the field, he’s not missing any chances either to help develop camaraderie between the younger girls and the older ones.

“We’ve got the older girls mentoring the younger ones,” Finch said. “There’s more to this than just playing the games. It’s nice to have someone who’s been there before you talk about what it takes to be successful.”

“We feel like with everything that’s happening here, we’re building the momentum we need to win championships,” Finch said. “It’s an exciting time for sure, so we’re really excited to participate in these playoffs and the exposure it brings our girls.”

And while Finch is serious about player development and winning, he’s not one to miss out on an opportunity to have some fun, particularly when it comes to prank wars.

At one event, one age group slipped into the hotel rooms of one of the club’s younger teams and cleaned their rooms and then hid their suitcases, leading to a baffled and bewildered group of girls upon returning to their rooms.

Another year, one Rush team ambushed another one with super soakers filled with water and honey before getting coated with feathers.

“The girls looked like chickens by the time it was all over with,” Finch said. “It was great fun.”

No matter the final results, Finch is excited for the girls, especially the ones aspiring to play in college who’ve been affected the most by the NCAA’s dead period.

“With all that we’ve been through with COVID over the last year, it’s great for these older girls to finally get a chance to show their stuff in front of the 300-plus college coaches that are attending this event,” Finch said.

Rush Nation wishes the Colorado Rush Girls Academy program the best of luck in their pursuit of league domination.

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From Colorado to Valencia, Spain

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:14:00 GMT

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Rush Lobos Thriving With Four Teams in USYS Nationals

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 19:55:00 GMT

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Fremont Rush & Rush Core Values

duda@360player.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 19:50:00 GMT

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Rush Select Weston Cup Wrap-Up

duda@360player.com — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 21:44:00 GMT

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Rush Select Centers

duda@360player.com — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 21:40:00 GMT

The Midwest Center will be July 23 – 25 in Elgin, IL, just outside of Chicago. This is for all Rush Teams and Individuals in the Midwest Region.

The West Center will take place July 27 – 29 in Denver, CO. This is for all Rush Teams and Individuals in the West Region.

The Northeast Center will be held August 6 – 8 in Conshohocken, PA, just outside of Philadelphia. This is for all Rush Teams and Individuals in the Northeast Region.

The South Center will be held August 6 – 8 in Alpharetta, GA, just outside of Atlanta. This is for all Rush Teams and Individuals in the South Region.

More information can be found here on all the Centers as well registration links, hotel links and more.

Be on the look out for more information about each Center as we get closer to the summer!

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(Spanish) Webinar With Fernando Signorini, On How To Organize Your Team’s Pre Season

duda@360player.com — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:20:00 GMT

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Coaching Education At Summit

duda@360player.com — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 23:07:00 GMT

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Rush Coaches Debate: Going Through Tryouts

duda@360player.com — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 23:42:00 GMT

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Going Through Tryouts – The Parents Perspective

duda@360player.com — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 21:13:00 GMT

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Clueless about Goalkeeping? Help your team, NOW!

duda@360player.com — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:06:00 GMT

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Rush USL 2 Team Creates More Pathways

duda@360player.com — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 20:17:00 GMT

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Parenting Tips For Before, During, And After Tryouts

duda@360player.com — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 21:28:00 GMT

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Rush Soccer’s REACH Program Continues Its Support

duda@360player.com — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 20:24:00 GMT

As Rush Soccer continues to support soccer communities around the world, we are proud to share the story of one of our R.E.A.C.H. or U.N. clubs, which is our clubs that don’t pay for any Rush services and receive help from uniforms to equipment. Little Haiti Rush is our only domestic U.N. club based in Florida. Pablo Gentile is one of the directors. He was born in Argentina and moved to the Dallas area when he was 9. The Little Haiti soccer program allowed him to be involved in a program with the right values and give back. We asked Pablo a few questions regarding his program and background. He felt that it is important for him to be involved with such an organization. Here is what he has to say about his experience in the U.S.A., ” I am a product of the American soccer system. When we came to this country, my parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet and support my brothers and me. In those early years, I received lots of help from my teammates, their parents, and coaches with rides to practices, games, tournaments, and financial support. They changed the trajectory of my life. I am grateful and indebted to them to give back.

What are the benefits of joining Rush Soccer?

Initially, we created Little Haiti to give our most talented kids a pathway to chase their soccer dreams, whether at the college or pro level. Rush is known worldwide and respected as one of the best clubs in the United States. We are quickly learning that the benefits extend much, much further. There is a clear pathway for the players to earn opportunities to play in higher leagues with Miami Rush Kendall but the organizational support in marketing, branding, coaching education, imaging, a website will be invaluable.

Why, and when did you join Rush Soccer?

We joined Rush last year before the pandemic. We have to thank Kristian Gonzalez (Capelli), Raoul Voss (Global Sporting Director), and Renatto Soriano (DOC at Miami Rush Kendall) for their part in making this come together as well. It has been a group project from the onset. Once we met as a group with the Little Haiti F.C. Board of Directors and Tim Schultz on Facetime, we knew it was a perfect fit for our program. Tim and his team have welcomed us from the start. And once Nik started the onboarding process by connecting me with the endless web of Rush resources, we knew we were now a part of something very, very special. We believe that our talent pool will benefit tremendously from this partnership, but we are very aware of the responsibility for everyone to represent Rush positively. We pass on that message often to the players “we are a part of something bigger now. We need to carry ourselves like it. Many people around the world wear the Rush logo.”

Your Club is the only U.N club among the Rush Soccer clubs in the United States. Can you tell us a little bit about your program and what sets your organization apart from all other domestic Rush Clubs?

Little Haiti is an inner-city neighborhood, 60 blocks north of downtown Miami. Laleau Gomez and Pat Santangelo started the Club, and Mallory Kauderer, Samuel Prunier, Jean Armand, and Father Reginald joined them as the dedicated team of directors. They work in local public schools, churches, and local businesses. Their aim has always been the same, to get the kids off the streets and educate them through team sports. We also have a dedicated team of coaches who don’t make very much money but serve as coaches, mentors, role models, and drivers. The numbers are growing, but we have around 120 players, ages 5-19, in our program. Most of our players were either born in Haiti or are of Haitian descent. They are passionate about the game. With few exceptions, the players either walk to the park, get rides with coaches or take city buses to practice. Although we do not practice every day, it is common to hear them say that they play Soccer 6 days a week, every day except for Sundays, when they attend church and spend time with their families. Those of us who grew up loving the ball and joining games can relate to the kids in our program.

Since you decided to join Rush, is there a particular moment or memory that stands out for you about Rush that you would like to share with us?

From the initial conversation with Mr. Schulz to all of the communication we have had since then, we have felt supported and welcomed. This program is just getting started, and we have potential and talent but not much history of official success on the field yet (We will start playing in F.Y.S.A. leagues next year). The trust and love from those associated with Rush have been humbling.

Is there an achievement or contribution that you are most proud of?

The people who have been with Little Haiti F.C. Since day 1 are proud to say that 100% of the kids in the soccer program went on to graduate high school. For most, if not all of them, they are the first in their families to earn a diploma.

What is Little Haiti Rush’s mission?

To give kids a safe environment to play Soccer. Positive coaches and role models to guide them in school, in Soccer, and life. To educate them on character development, being responsible, coachable, good teammates. Soccer gives us the platform to teach these things. A very small percentage will play pro soccer, but they will all have to grow up to be good citizens.

What was the biggest challenge your Club is facing Right now?

Transportation is a hurdle. Two years ago, we had a tragedy with three players losing their lives walking to a bus stop to attend a game. It was tragic. That cannot happen ever again. Each of their home lives is different. Some of them live with extended family members. Are they eating properly? Are they getting enough rest? And of course, the financial component of hiring coaches, paying for player cards, registration fees, leagues, tournaments, referees, etc. We are grateful for the support from Capelli in providing much-needed equipment.

What can Rush Soccer do to help, if anything?

You have opened the doors to your Club and your staff. Thank you. It is up to us to represent you all in the best way possible. We want to make you proud.

What do you want the Rush nation to know about your Club here in Florida?

That we are proud to be a part of Rush, we have some talented young players hungry for an opportunity to help their families. I spoke to one player last week who lives with his grandparents. He said he wants to go to college to make his grandparents proud of him for all they have sacrificed for him. Many players like him love the game, and they see it as a vehicle to improve their lives and the lives of their families.

If anybody in Rush Nation wants to help Little Haiti F.C. in any way, Pablo can be reached at pablo@littlehaitirushsoccer.com

The post Rush Soccer’s REACH Program Continues Its Support appeared first on Rush Soccer .