Congrats to Nico Walthall on winning our May 2025 UCHealth Player of the Month award!
Nico is an attacking midfielder for our 14B Pre-Elite team, known for his athleticism, work ethic, and leadership. He was named Player of the Week at the 2024 Rapids Elite Residential Camp, not just for his soccer ability, but for the way he carried himself on and off the field. Out of 68 Pre-Elite boys, his coaches were all on board with his nomination, recognizing how consistently he sets the tone for others. In the classroom, Nico scored in the 90th+ percentile on tests like the NNAT, CMAS, and ISSE while thriving in a Spanish immersion program at Denver Language School. Nico also speaks four languages.
Off the field, Nico is a First-Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. He also helped his school win a state championship in chess, has placed in multiple chess tournaments, and has earned podiums in Colorado ski competitions across events like moguls and slalom. He loves being active and spends his free time skiing, biking, climbing, swimming, and playing pickleball.
What influence has soccer had in your life?
I have played and loved soccer since I was 3, and it is my favorite sport / activity among many that I do. Most of my best friendships have come from soccer. Soccer has helped me understand that in order to succeed you must put the team’s interests first. Doing many other activities in addition to soccer has helped me learn how to prioritize things and balance my time, and has also helped me to develop healthy living habits like making good eating and sleeping choices to help me perform at my best across all activities.
Why do you believe that you were nominated for this award?
I think I was nominated because of my actions on and off the field:
- On the field my willingness to work and always give my hardest effort no matter the conditions. I always try to be a good teammate and stay positive with everybody. I try to be a very unselfish player, find the right pass and do the right thing for the team rather than look for my personal glory.
- Off the field I think my hard work to accomplish unique things like recently earning my 1st degree black belt in taekwondo, and learning to speak 4 different languages, has helped show my discipline and perseverance.
- I think my coaches can see that I always try to have fun with my friends and just be a good person.
What do you enjoy most about playing for Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club?
I love playing with my teammates and spending time with them and my coaches. I really enjoy the ambience between us and I love our style of play. In trainings I like that we have a mix between high expectations and supportiveness amongst teammates and coaches. When it comes to games I really appreciate how our coaches let us play and learn from our mistakes.
What soccer accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am pretty proud of winning the Coach’s Award at a soccer camp I attended in France a couple of years ago. Nobody spoke English so I had to rely on my then-very-limited French to get by, and I was the youngest player (9 at the time) in a group where everyone else was 11 – 14. It was a lot of fun even though it was very challenging.
But receiving this UC Health Player of the Month award now tops my list!
What academic achievement are you most proud of?
I’m very proud that I’m pursuing fluency in my 4th language. I speak Italian at home with my mom and sister, English with my dad and friends, Spanish in my language immersion school, and I am advancing my French in my free time. Achieving this means a lot to me because I know when I’m older my language skills will open possibilities to me and who knows maybe one day I can play for a European team.
How do you think your teammates would describe you?
I think my teammates would describe me as a funny yet focused and kind-hearted person. I think they see me as a person who is composed in challenging situations and one who works very hard and puts the team’s interests first.
What is something that shows your exemplary character, commitment to sportsmanship, community involvement, etc..?
I try to always be kind around others. I don’t like when kids are mean to other kids and, when this happens, I stand up for others. An example of this happened a few weeks ago, at school. A kid wanted to play foursquare with us and a classmate came up to him, grabbed the ball he was holding and kicked it away. I felt super bad for the kid being bullied and told the bully that what he did was not very nice. After that I ran and got the kids’ ball and let him play with us.
What’s your favorite soccer player and team?
My favorite soccer team is Liverpool, and my favorite current player is Luis Diaz because he combines his skills with his work rate to make good things happen. The player I most want to play like, however, is Xavi (Hernandez), because I love how he always maintained possession and found the right pass.
What do you hope to pursue in the near future?
My dream is to one day play pro, but I also hope to get a scholarship to play in college and create my backup plan in case I don’t make it as a professional player. A very important steppingstone will be making MLS Next, so that’s what I’m working towards now.
Who inspires you and why? This can be someone famous or someone you know personally!
My mom and dad are an inspiration to me. They work really hard to give me everything that I have but they still always make time in their busy schedule to be with me and help me in my life. My dad has a lot of experience in soccer and is always helping me and giving me tips to achieve my goals. My mom is always there for me comforting me when I need it. Both of them have always guided me and encouraged me to be kind, respectful and just to be a good person around everybody.
What else do you enjoy outside of playing for CRYSC?
Apart from soccer I love big mountain, mogul, and park skiing; and I’m currently pursuing my 2nd degree black belt in taekwondo. Also I really enjoy doing activities outdoors like biking, rollerblading, scootering, camping, and playing pickleball.
Since 2018, CRYSC and UCHealth + CU Orthopedics and Sports Medicine have worked together in an effort to grow the safety and health resources that are available for Rapids Youth players and members.
As our partnership strengthens with UCHealth, we want to work together to highlight the amazing players within the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club with a monthly ‘Player of the Month’. Check out the criteria and nominate any players that deserve to be highlighted by UCHealth and CRYSC on the UCHealth Player of the Month page.
