To Our Rapids Youth Soccer Family,

Happy holidays and I hope that you are having a wonderful end to 2022 with family and friends! As we head into the New Year, I am filled with joy thinking about all that we’ve accomplished together and the potential for where we can go as a Club and as a community in 2023. It’s been the honor of my career serving as the Executive Director of Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club and I thank you for putting your trust in this organization to ensure that your player has the best youth sports experience possible.

The past 12 months have been memorable for both the big and small moments, so I am excited to close out another year by inviting you to relive some of our favorites in the 2022 Year in Review. From success stories, to major announcements, to program expansions; our Club continues to grow the sport of soccer along the Front Range and offer a pathway for young leaders in Colorado. This pathway is always improving and I believe that we have taken major strides forward in 2022 with new partnerships like the establishment of our home for Rapids Elite Soccer at Regis University, reached new heights like when our Rapids Women made the WPSL National Finals this summer, and created more opportunities through coach education, futsal, EDS programs, college placement events, Let Us Play initiatives, and so much more.

This year, we have focused on improving the individual experiences of our programs, tournaments, and camps for players and members across the Club. Providing an incredible soccer experience is at the heart of what we do and, from all of us at Rapids Youth Soccer, we thank you for your vital role in making these experiences impactful to so many kids in Colorado. The Year in Review reflects on and celebrates our time together as #OneClubOneCommunity, and I can’t wait to see how we grow in 2023 and beyond – happy reading!

Aaron Nagel, CRYSC Executive Director

This summer, the Colorado Rapids Women concluded their best post-season in program history! From May to July, the team competed in local, regional, and national competitions, ultimately, becoming Rockies Division and Mountain Conference Champions for the second year in a row, winning the Central Region Championship, and progressing through the WPSL Championships to finish as National Finalists!

“It was a historic season that has set the standard for our WPSL program. The success is a testament to the work being done in our Girls ECNL program, coach education, and every day out on the field. The athletes are amazing people on and off the field and the reason we are bringing home multiple championships.” – Sebastian Giraldo, Colorado Rapids Women Head Coach

From the regular season to the national championship, it has been a year to remember for the team. A special thank you to the fans that have been there every step of the way this season – your support means everything! Click here to read a full recap of the Rapids Womens’ run to the WPSL National Finals.

Colorado Rapids Women is the official WPSL team, owned and operated by Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club. Click here to visit the CRYSC WPSL webpage or on one of the icons below to visit the Rapids Women Twitter or Instagram page.

Congratulations to the CRYSC players that competed in their 2022 High School Soccer State Championship! CRYSC players at Denver East (Boys 5A), Grandview (Girls 5A), Northfield (Boys 4A), Northfield (Girls 4A), Colorado Academy (Boys 3A), and Kent (Girls 3A) lifted the trophy at their schools on the biggest stage this year. 30+ players from these schools were also recognized by the CHSAA with All-State honors, with Ezekiel Lubin (Denver East | Rapids 04/05B ECNL), Ella Moody (Windsor | Rapids 05G ECNL), and Zachary Liptzin (Northfield | Rapids 04/05B EDS) being awarded Player of the Year in their division! (bottom left to right)

A special shout-out to Ben Beckman from our Rapids 04B ECNL team for winning the Gatorade Player of the Year in Colorado! (top) Ben follows in the footsteps of his sister and former Rapids ECNL player Natalie Beckman, who now plays professionally with the Portland Thorns!

Congratulations to the 20+ CRYSC athletes that were called up to represent or take part in training and ID camps for their national youth teams in 2022! This year saw more CRYSC athletes play a part in the USYNT than ever before, culminating in a USYNT ID camp being held at our home for Rapids Elite soccer – Regis University.

This October, Andrea Ilkjić (Rapids ECNL 04/05G) started for the Croatian 19U Youth National Team in international friendlies versus Cyprus and Montenegro, helping her team to victory by getting on the score sheet. Also in October, Brooklyn Smith (Rapids 08G ECNL) was called up to the 15U USYNT training camp where she joined 23 of the nation’s best players to train and show her goalkeeping skills at the highest level of youth soccer!

“On behalf of the entire Rapids community, the Club would like to congratulate our players for officially taking the next step in their academic and athletic careers. The announcement of our Class of 2022 and Class of 2023 (early) college soccer signees is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work of our players and their families through what was an incredibly challenging recruiting process. Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club has made a commitment to providing comprehensive recruiting support for our membership through an integration of resources in SportsRecruits / Veo Cameras / Hudl and the guidance provided by our staff, coaches, and College Placement Program. Our dedication to creating a program that raises the standard for recruiting visibility, recruiting education, and individual recruiting support is the reason CRYSC continues to be a leader in college signings across the country.” – Anthony Presnell, CRYSC College Placement Program Director

Meet the CRYSC Class of 2022 & Class of 2023 (early):

The CRYSC College Placement Program (CPP) is your Rapids resource for navigating the college selection process. If you have questions about the CRYSC college soccer, please contact Anthony Presnell or visit the College Soccer Page on the CRYSC website. For college recruitment tips, guides, and more, check out the 2022 blog articles published by Anthony: Choosing the Right Summer Soccer Camp, The 2022 College Soccer Season is Almost Here, and Fall 2022 Girls High School Drop-In Event Recap!

This spring, Rapids Youth Soccer was excited to relaunch the Next Wave Project, an eight-month coach development program designed for women, by women! Next Wave Project (NWP) coaches have the opportunity to grow the technical, tactical, and psychosocial skills required to be effective, impactful, and inspiring coaches while building quality relationships with other women in the soccer community. During the course, NWP coaches will interact with and hear from high-profile guest speakers, experience on-field mentorship at training and games, and take the fast track to earn a US Soccer Grassroots license.

Look forward to more information on the Next Wave Project and how you can get involved with the release of the 2023 Coach Education Calendar!

This August, Rapids Youth Soccer welcomed back acclaimed author, speaker, and Founder/CEO of the Changing the Game Project, John O’Sullivan to Colorado for a week of educational events for coaches in each CRYSC region. Click here to read the full article recapping his visit!

“Once again, it was great to see John in his element speaking to coaches and mentoring us all on our coaching journeys. Like players, every coach has a diverse set of needs and experiences, and it’s impressive to witness John’s ability to deliver relevant content for everyone. Specifically, John’s ability to highlight the core facets of CRYSC’s player development plan as essential to any young person’s growth within the context of soccer was powerful. John inspires all of us as coaches to know our players, let them lead, and create a game realistic environment where players feel safe to take risks and be brave.” – Let Us Play Director, Brian Sheehan.

The CRYSC Let Us Play (LUP) campaign is an initiative to support all players and give the game back to the kids. Let Us Play promotes positive parenting, improved sideline culture, better coaching from home, connecting with players on the car ride home, structured discipline ladders, and so much more! To learn more about the campaign, visit our website or contact LUP Director, Brian Sheehan.

In 2021, UCHealth and CRYSC teamed up to highlight the amazing individuals at the Club with a new “UCHealth Player of the Month” award! This award was created to put a spotlight on players that have shown athletic excellence, academic achievement, or exemplary character out on the fields or in their community.

Monthly winners have been featured on the CRYSC blog page and in a recurring section of the Club newsletter. Thank you to everyone who nominated a player in 2022 and congratulations to our winners. You can find a recap of our UCHealth Player of the Month awards below, as well as our final winner for December 2022 – Paige Fry. Look forward to more UCHealth Player of the Month content in 2023 and click here to nominate a player for this January!

“UCHealth is proud to partner with Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club and to help care for the club’s athletes. We’ll be available to help care for any injuries that might occur, but our most important mission is to work with the Club’s coaches and administration, providing the most advanced resources to athletes and their families to help prevent injuries from happening in the first place.” – Dr. Scott Laker, UCHealth and CU Sports Medicine Specialist. Since 2018, CRYSC and UCHealth have worked together in an effort to grow the safety and health resources that are available for Rapids Youth players and members.

CRYSC international tours are a great way for players to experience soccer through the lens of a different culture! From playing local competition, experiencing different environments, and seeing new sights, there’s so much to be gained from expanding one’s horizon and taking your game abroad. In 2022, CRYSC took a giant leap forward in providing educational soccer tours for CRYSC members – hiring club coach Jeff Oleck as our dedicated Director of Club & International Partnerships and offering unique overseas trips to Europe and South America!

Ryan and Elaine, Rapids South Parents, on their player’s trip to Ireland: “Our family had an incredible travel experience with CRYSC this summer. In a short time, players grew as a team and expanded their mental soccer capabilities. Players were exposed to a different style of play and bonded quickly with Irish teammates over their mutual love of soccer. Families had the opportunity to attend a professional soccer match, sightsee, and leave the trip with an incredible appreciation of Irish culture. This experience is something we will remember fondly for years to come.”

Catch up on some of the trips and news from #CRYSCInternational by following these links to the NEW #CRYSCInternational webpage, Rapids 08B EDS Team Visits Argentina blog, and Rapids South 10B Select Team Takes in the Soccer and Culture of Ireland blog.

In 2022, CRYSC Director of Mental Performance Katie Pagel continued to provide mental health resources, unique support + guides, and in-house expertise on all things related to sport psychology! Katie is one of the first dedicated Directors of Mental Performance at a youth sports organization in the US and works with leadership, coaches, and admins across the Club to develop a psychologically safe, growth-oriented, high-performing competitive environment for players. Check out the Sport Psych webpage to learn more about the department and view mental health resources!

As a part of projects at every level and region of CRYSC, Katie has devoted a significant amount of her time in 2022 to:

• Enhancing Mental Performance Support: CRYSC Sport Psych provided mental performance support to 500+ CRYSC summer camp athletes of every level throughout the Club, created a revamped mental performance curriculum for all of our EDS, Pre-ECNL, and ECNL athletes, and met every request for non-ECNL team or program specific mental performance support. CRYSC Sport Psych also continued to provide quality club-wide and regional resources on mental performance topics such as how to start the season strong and how to respond to failure.
• Creating Safer Spaces: CRYSC Sport Psych took measurable steps to create safer spaces for our athletes, coaches, and staff in 2022. In addition to bringing greater awareness to Colorado’s I Matter program and drafting blogs on topics like Suicide Prevention and the power of Gratitude, Katie acquired her QPR Gatekeeper Instructor Certification in order to more efficiently bring quality suicide prevention training to all CRYSC staff. By the end of the year, every CRYSC Regional staff member will have received in-person QPR Gatekeeper Training and be far better equipped to keep our athletes, coaches, and staff safe on and off the field.
• Championing Women: Katie was lucky to lead CRYSC’s revamped Next Wave Project aimed specifically at developing women coaches within our club. Alongside Directors Jess Stauffer and Kristina Corona-Grimsley, NWP delivered monthly workshops and on-field development opportunities for a group of aspiring and established women coaches to build their technical, tactical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal coaching skills. Katie was also honored to be invited to present to and learn from a visiting group of coaches from Brazil to discuss gender in youth sports and the development of women leaders.

Find out more about the CRYSC Sports Medicine Program by visiting our website! For questions or concerns related to sports medicine, please reach out to the CRYSC Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves. For sports medicine tips, guides, and more, check out the 2022 blog articles published by Julie: Injury Prevention, Preventative Care & Regeneration On The Road, and Plantar Fasciitis Rehab Program!

Winter Showcase 2022 Photo Album

Big Wave Jamboree 2022 Photo Album

Fall Rec Soccer Kickoff 2022 Photo Album

Rapids Classic Tournament 2022 Photo Album

Summer College ID Event 2022 Photo Album

Rapids Women Home Game 2022 Photo Album

Kelvin Norman Tournament 2022 Photo Album

Rapids Home Opener BBQ 2022 Photo Album

College Soccer Game Day 2022 Photo Album

Follow all of our coverage throughout the year by clicking here to sign up for the CRYSC Newsletter!

Our monthly newsletter is where you can find brand-new blogs, success stories on and off the field, our latest Player of the Month, partnership announcements, education opportunities, and SO MUCH MORE! Catch up on all of our newsletters from last January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November.

2022 was an exciting year of growth and new opportunities for Rapids Youth Soccer. We can’t thank you enough for the role you’ve played in shaping this Club and eagerly await kicking off a new season of tournaments and league play together this spring!

Philosophy: John O’Sullivan built his career creating player-centered environments to better work with players and their families on sport-specific development. He is an expert on the teacher-student, mentor-mentee relationship and has shared his knowledge with professional and youth soccer clubs across the nation. A core question at the center of John’s work with coaches is, “What does it feel like for your players to play for you?” With a focus on reflection and empathy for the players experience, his message benefits anyone in a mentorship role on and off the field. His philosophies parallel and reinforce the CRYSC Let Us Play campaign that seeks to educate parents and coaches on ways to foster an enjoyable, learning environment through positivity and picking the right time for “teaching moments”. We are proud to have John as a national advocate of Let Us Play and look forward to advancing the campaign together this August!

Achievements: John O’Sullivan is the author of two #1 bestselling books on youth athletics; “Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids” and “Every Moment Matters: How the World’s Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams”. John’s work has been featured by CNN, Outside Magazine, ESPN, NBC Sports, and other media entities. He is an internationally known speaker for coaches, parents, and youth sports organizations, and has spoken for TEDx, the US Olympic Committee, US Soccer, USA Wrestling, USA Swimming, Ireland Rugby, Australian Rugby League, and at numerous other events throughout the US, Canada, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

History with CRYSC: John O’Sullivan is an exemplary friend and partner of the Club. Last year, John joined the CRYSC Big Wave Jamboree as the featured speaker and presented to attending coaches on the development and identity of players 9-12 years old. You can check out that presentation in full by clicking here! Prior to that visit, he joined CRYSC in 2019 to lend us his expertise and speak to coaches, parents, and staff at The Eddy. It has been a pleasure working closely with John for the past three years on education events, podcasts, team-building retreats, the Let Us Play campaign, and more!

From declining referee participation to players dropping out of the sport entirely, there are a broad range of issues that can be traced back to poor experiences and a resulting diminished passion for the game. When a participant at any level of soccer feels isolated, vulnerable to verbal or emotional abuse, disconnected from their mentors and peers, or even just stops having fun, there has been a failure in the systems that are supposed to provide support. It is the job of coaches, parents, staff, etc… to make the fields a place for positivity and learning, while fueling a lifelong passion for soccer.

The experiences we have are shared and shape the way that we view the game. John’s question “What does it feel like for your players to play for you?” distills that idea for coaches, but can be put back on all of us – what is your impact on the game?

Below are a few stats and facts that highlight why we need more empathy in the game and the value of John’s philosophy. While reading them, ask yourself how many could be changed by one true connection with a coach, one moment of support over conflict on the sideline, one more friend on the team, etc…?

Hello CRYSC athletes, coaches, families, and fans, and welcome to our Fall 2022 season! CRYSC Sport Psych is looking forward to another season fueled by a love of the game and rife with learning, growth, healthy competition, and – above all – FUN. With that in mind, we’re kicking things off this season by sharing a number of hand-picked resources that will prove especially useful to our athletes at this time of the year. Whether an athlete is feeling a bit of new-season nerves, is looking to set a new round of goals, or wants some additional support managing the stressors of school and sports, you’ll find that – and more – below!

Managing New Season Stressors

The start of a new season is always an exciting time. The chance to be back on the field, working hard, competing, and having fun playing a sport we all love is a highlight for athletes, coaches, and fans alike. As much as the promise of a new season brings anticipation and excitement, for many, it can also create a bit of angst. A new season is just that – it’s new; and new – whether it be a new team, a new coach, a new competitive level, a new position, a new opportunity to show what you can do, or returning to the pitch a new version of ourselves – can be a bit stressful. So what determines if we see each of these “news” as stressful or exciting? Largely, it comes down to our own perception of the demands of the situation we’re in, and how equipped we feel in being able to manage those demands. This is a primary reason why Person A may report feeling incredibly stressed by a certain situation that Person B is unbothered by; Person B believes they have the mental, emotional, and physical resources, tools, and overall support to manage the situation at hand, while Person A does not.

The great news for our athletes is that CRYSC already has a number of resources to help you feel more equipped to manage the potential stressors you may face this Fall. If you (or your athlete) are feeling a bit overwhelmed going into the new season, look through some of the resources below for strategies for managing common start-of-season challenges.

• Anticipated Transitions: The start of a new season is what we call an “anticipated transition”; a change that, though we know it is coming (unlike, say, having to pause play due to an injury), can still cause stress. Read through this blog to learn a handful of best practices for approaching and growing through this, and other, anticipated transitions.

• Coping Strategies: The best way to effectively manage stress is to build our repertoire of coping strategies: Actions we can intentionally take to better manage a situation we perceive as stressful. Give this two-part blog a read to learn more about coping strategies, including how teammates can work as a unit to deal with shared stressors.

• Performance Anxiety: It is very common for athletes to experience an uptick in performance anxiety at the start of a new season. Wherever it stems from – worry about perceptions of a new coach or teammate, competing at a higher level – this blog describes a number of practical tools for identifying and managing performance anxiety.

• Fear of Failure: Alongside performance anxiety, fear of failure is a common struggle athletes encounter at the start of a new season. This two-part blog series addresses the impact that fear of failure has on our body, mind, and performance, and shares skills for managing and overcoming fear of failure.

Helpful Hint: Many athletes cite within-team competition as a primary source of stress for the start of a new season. But let’s take a moment to look at the origin of competition. The word itself is from the Latin competere (com- with or together, petere – to strive/seek/agree to go). In its truest form, the word literally means to strive or seek together. What’s more, early instances of modern “competition” were born from the realization that individuals perform better when performing alongside someone than when they do so alone. It had very little (if anything) to do with one person beating or being better than the other, but rather that both individuals would perform better if they trained and performed amongst others. Keeping this perspective in mind – that playing alongside someone else helps you improve at a faster rate than if you did so alone – can be incredibly helpful for mitigating within-team competitive stress.

Setting the Stage for a Successful Season

While managing stressors is necessary for an optimal start to a new season, it is not sufficient; in order to truly set ourselves up for a season of maximal growth, enjoyment, and quality performance, there are a number of other aspects to bear in mind. If you (or your athlete) are looking to do all that you can do to set the stage for a successful season, check out the resources below for guidance on actions to take and mindsets to cultivate.

• Goal Setting: The start of a season is one of, if not the, most natural times to set goals. Well-built and pursued goals not only enhance performance, but also show positive changes in anxiety, confidence, motivation, and fulfillment. Read through this blog for practical tips on how to best approach goal setting and goal pursuit.
• Growth Mindset: It’s no secret that going into any development opportunity with a growth mindset is beneficial. This two-part blog series shares strategies for cultivating a growth mindset and reminders for how to engage in quality practice, both of which will promote maximal learning and growth throughout the season.
• Diversity & Inclusion: Starting with a new team or coach can often mean meeting new and different kinds of people. This blog reminds us of the benefits of diversity and shares actionable best pratices for creating inclusive environments, two crucial aspects of ensuring everyone has a top-tier experience, on and off the field, this season.

Helpful Hint: Some of the most important contributors to a quality soccer season are also some of the most overlooked. As athletes return to both school and sport, and schedules inherently get more and more full, it is imperative that athletes prioritize the pillars of their physical (and mental) health. Eat three quality meals a day, and be sure to have snacks on-hand as needed. Drink plenty of water. Sleep 8-10 hours each night, and build healthy routines for nighttime and waking. While these actions seem simple (and obvious!), consistency in these areas is often one of the first things to go when schedules get busy. Maintaining these healthy habits throughout the season is essential for optimal learning, development, and performance.

Looking Ahead

No matter how you (or your athlete) are feeling kicking off this Fall season, we hope this blog provided some practical and useful information that will benefit you on and off the field. CRYSC Sport Psych is excited to continue to create and share quality mental performance and general wellness resources with our members throughout the season, in order to build our athlete’s mental strength and stamina alongside that of their bodies. This focus is achieved not only through learning and applying concrete mental skills (such as goal-setting, visualization, self-talk, and emotional management among others), but also through reflection and discourse pertaining to our personal identity within the game, how we relate to soccer, and what stories we believe to be true about ourselves as athletes and people. With that in mind, keep an eye on this space for monthly resources pertaining to mental skills that optimize growth and performance and discussions with staff and coaches on their experiences with and their relationship to the sport we all love.

To see the full slate of CRYSC Sport Psych resources, visit the Sport Psych blog page and webpage. Thanks for reading, and here’s to a great Fall 2022 season! We look forward to seeing you on the field.

CRYSC Sport Psych wants to hear from you! If you have a blog topic you’d like to see addressed, or have any questions about mental performance or general wellness, email CRYSC’s Director of Mental Performance at [email protected]