Facilities Q&A
Why are we moving from Dicks Sporting Goods Park (DSGP) to Aurora Sports Park (ASP) for certain teams?
We are forced to move away from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park because the grass fields close October 16 and the two synthetic turf fields are reserved for the Rapids professional organization. Moving to ASP allows our teams to train more consistently throughout the season vs having to shuffle teams around for 3-4 weeks at the end of the season. In addition, we feel the field layout for our younger teams provides a better and more consistent training experience for what we want them to learn.
Why are we moving out to Parkfield or Lowry in November?
In November, Denver Parks and Rec opens their winter permits. We use Parkfield and Lowry turf to move teams off Aurora Spots Park after the season has ended and during the winter training periods (Jan-Feb). We move teams to these different parks, so teams can have more space to train and have longer training sessions.
Why do the practice times change or vary?
Due to the limited field space on synthetic turf fields in the winter time, we must adjust practice times to allow all teams to have access to train. Around daylight savings time in the Fall, we must adjust to make sure there is enough sunlight for the grass fields because the grass fields at most of our locations do not have lights on them. These changes may shorten your practice from 90 minutes to either 60 minutes or 75 minutes, depending on location and number of teams training. So, instead of scheduling two time slots per night at certain times of the year, we will have three time slots per night.
Why don’t we train closer to DSGP?
We are committed to finding and training on the best fields for our players. One of the most important factors is a facility with lights on the fields for training after the sun sets. Parkfield and Aurora Sports Park are the closest facilities to Dicks Sporting Goods Park with lights on the fields.
Why can’t we practice at any park in the Denver area?
Denver Parks and Rec provides the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club with specific dates, times, and locations in which we can use the fields. There are other organizations that use different parks in the city of Denver which limits our access to specific parks. In order to make sure all organizations get to use their fields, we are only allowed to use the fields given to us by the City.
Why aren’t our soccer games always at the same location?
Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club is provided field permits from Denver Parks and Rec, Aurora Parks and Rec, and Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Sometimes different parks have other events going on through the city and they choose to close the fields for all other users. We schedule around these events, sometimes playing at different parks that are open on these weekends.
Who makes the decisions on practice cancellations and field closures due to weather?
Denver Parks and Rec, Aurora Parks and Rec, and Dicks Sporting Goods Park make the call on if the fields are open or not. If we feel it is necessary for player safety, Rapids Youth Soccer Club staff will cancel training. However, if the fields are closed, we must follow the rules provided by the parks.
Why are we not training inside during winter training?
The answer to this question varies by player age, ability, and program. We build our calendars to match up with league and tournament or event schedules for all programming, Recreational and Competitive. For most programs there is a period in which we have our players take time away from the game to give them a rest physically and mentally. As a club, we also believe this is a perfect time of year for players to explore and participate in other activities and sports that enrich the players. Additionally, access to indoor facilities in the winter is very limited at the time. It can be difficult to get a facility that meets our development and scheduling needs. As we look at our calendars in the season it is often more beneficial for our programs to stay a few weeks longer outside at our turfed facilities than provide very limited indoor access for training and games.
How do we know if the fields are closed?
There are three main places to check to see if the fields are closed. These all will be updated by 3:00PM Monday – Friday and by 7:00AM on Saturday and Sunday. First check the website, www.rapidsyouthsoccer.org, then call the weather hotline, 303.399.5858 ext. 5, and lastly check our Facebook and Twitter.
Why do we practice at Del Mar instead of Lowry for the first few weeks of the Fall and Spring season?
Aurora Parks and Recreation opens their fields before Denver Parks and Recreation do. To make sure or players are getting enough training sessions in, we hold our first few practices at Del Mar Park because it is open earlier in the season. Normally you can expect the first two weeks in August to be at Del Mar Park and the first 3-4 weeks of March to be at Del Mar Park?
Can I bring my pet to practices and games?
Unfortunately, we do not allow pets at our soccer fields. As much as we love our furry friends, it is best to leave them at home.
How do I find directions to my practice and game fields?
You can find addresses to your home game fields and practice fields on our website.
Why does my team train on a turf field and not a grass field?
In Denver and Aurora, there is a limited number of fields with turf and lights. In order to make sure teams have enough space and training time, we schedule teams on both grass and turf.
Where do I drop off and pick up my player?
That will depend on the facility your player is practicing at. For the fields at DSGP, pickup is usually at the North entrance to the training POD. For Aurora Sports Park Turf, pickup will be the south entrance to the turf field (by the bathrooms). All other fields should allow parents to pick players up as close to fields possible. Please obey all traffic rules and do not interrupt practices that are in progress.
Where can I go to watch my competitive players training session?
Parent’s role during training sessions is to observe from a distance. Parents and other family members should not enter the training or match surface before, during, or after training or matches. Players will be released to spectators at the conclusion of team activities. Spectators should stay on the berms or paved areas at training facilities during training and in designated spectator areas during matches.
