At Rapids Youth Soccer Club, we strive to meet young players’ needs at their appropriate stages of social, mental, physical, and technical development. Kids deserve a fun atmosphere, positive socialization, and the opportunity to learn & try new things. We also recognize that some children – even at a young age – have self-identified soccer as their passion beyond a pastime. These players are clearly self-motivated, love the game, and always seem to want more soccer!

Players who fit this profile often outgrow their normal soccer environment quickly and benefit from further challenges. The purpose of the Rising Rapids and Select Program is to provide a growth opportunity for intrinsically motivated players with the aptitude to regularly be around other like-minded peers.

Participation in the Rising Rapids & Select Programs is by invitation only.  Rapids staff will select players based upon staff observations throughout the year during training, games, kick-arounds, Rapids Development Centers, and parent coach evaluations with final approval from the Age-Group Directors of Coaching.

RISE (Rapids Integrated System of Excellence) is a one-of-a-kind youth soccer development platform that houses our club’s curriculum. RISE provides an online space where coaches can explore content, develop an understanding for the clubs coaching ‘language’ and create their own sessions. As the club continues to update and add new drills and practices, RISE will open up new educational opportunities for coaches, offer a more rewarding CRYSC experience for members, and ultimately enhance the level and consistency of soccer being played across the Club.

The Whole-Part-Whole (WPW) philosophy is a learning model used by the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club to train age-appropriate curriculum aimed at the long-term development of a soccer player. The WPW philosophy was first outlined by Malcolm Knowles in 1973 and is used in many learning situations, both practical and theory based. When added to a well-planned and well-thought out pedagogy, the WPW philosophy will put players in realistic situations, that should always includes decision-making elements.

When coaching soccer, this can be used in a variety of ways to break down a technique, skill, or tactic. Most commonly the players are taken from a practice with high game context to a low one, before returning back to the original practice. When possible it is best to practice the game, or elements of the game, in their entirety. An example of this could occur in a topic such as ‘Defending in the Direct Game Channel’. What do you do if the individuals or units in your squad don’t understand how to defend 1v1 or 2v2? You break it down.

‘Whole’ doesn’t necessarily mean a game. Actually in this theory, a ‘whole’ practice could be a series of complex skills that can be broken down into more discrete skills. The ‘whole’ element should be as realistic to the game as possible, then the coach looks to pull actions or components of the game and break them down into chunks so the players can understand and digest the information. The coach will then pull those elements back together into the game situation.

References: Swanson, R.A. & Law, B. (1993). Whole-part-whole learning model. Performance Improvement Quarterly. 6(1), pp 43-53.

@coachdanwright. Coachdanwright.blogspot.co.uk

Scholarship opportunities are available for all qualifying Rapids players in both our Recreational and Competitive league programs. Check out our Scholarships page to learn more about the process and to apply for financial aid. There, you can view specific recreational scholarship information and deadlines under the ‘Recreational Application Process’ tab.

It is critical to apply by the deadlines listed on the scholarship page for players to be fully considered for a financial aid package.