As the spring season comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the progress made, the successes achieved, and the challenges faced throughout the past months. The transition from one season to the next offers a unique opportunity for self-reflection and planning, setting the stage for continued growth and improvement as a coach.
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As the spring season winds down and we shift toward summer, now is the perfect time to reflect on what makes development at Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club special. While our coaches plan sessions and our players give their all on the field, the truth is: real development doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when we all lean in—coaches, players, parents, and directors—working together to support each child’s journey.
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At Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club, our commitment to holistic player development is at the core of everything we do. It’s in our purpose to be “The Heart Behind the Crest,” and it comes to life through our club-wide focus on developing self-regulating players who can think, adapt, and thrive in game environments. One of the most important—and often most overlooked—skills we seek to develop is a player’s ability to read and understand the game. It’s not just a buzzword. It’s a fundamental component of the player’s development journey and the number one Key Quality in our coaching framework.
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In youth soccer, development is not about being perfect—it’s about being persistent. It’s about showing up, failing forward, and learning every step of the way. At CRYSC, we’re committed to developing players who embrace the journey, not just chase the result. And at the heart of that journey? A growth mindset.
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This month, we’re highlighting a deceptively simple yet powerful activity—The Gates Game—and how it supports our games-based approach to player development. Whether you’re working with 5U players just learning to dribble or 13U players developing scanning and passing under pressure, this flexible activity creates a fun, engaging, and developmentally appropriate environment for learning.
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At Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club, we’re committed to providing an exceptional soccer experience that fosters not only skill development but also a lifelong love for the game. Our approach to training is rooted in the belief that children learn best through engaging, game-like activities that emphasize enjoyment, participation, and personal growth. This philosophy is a cornerstone of our Technical Plan, “One Club, One Community,” which guides our coaches in creating player-centered environments across all regions and ability levels.
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Just like our players come to training to learn, we encourage our coaches to seek out learning opportunities that can improve the daily environments we create for the players we serve. As our fall seasons wind down, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on the past season. Most importantly, we can use this time for self-development to update our self-regulated learning plans.
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The summer months can typically be an off-season for players, but for coaches, we use this time to continue to learn and grow in our own craft. CRYSC used the summer months of June and July to connect with full-time staff and part-time/volunteer coaches through both formal educational licensing through U.S. Soccer and in-house coach development.
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This summer, Rapids Youth Soccer is excited to host coach development opportunities, including workshops with the Colorado Rapids first-team coaching staff and U.S. Soccer licensing! Follow the link below to find out more about courses, workshops, and events available to CRYSC coaching staff in this brand-new guide/blog from Chief Technical Director, Zac Crawford!
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“Teams don’t learn. Individuals within the team learn. Development is a personal process, even when conducted in a team environment.” – Johan Cruyff This September, Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Technical…
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