More Than Just Soccer: How Colorado Rush (South) Builds Leaders Through Core Values
- Feb 6
- 4 min read
Finding the right competitive youth soccer club is about more than just locating a field near your house; it’s about finding an environment where elite athletic development meets character building. For parents evaluating Colorado Rush (South), the decision often comes down to three critical pillars: professional coaching pathways (ECNL/DPL), state-of-the-art logistics, and a tangible "family" culture.
We analyzed a detailed testimonial from a current Rush parent to understand exactly what sets this club apart in a crowded landscape. From the exposure provided by national platforms like the DPL (Development Player League) to the life skills taught through the club's strict adherence to core values, the feedback is clear: Rush isn't just teaching kids to play; they are teaching them to lead.
Colorado Rush Testimonial: Parent Leah Wiley on Colorado Rush (South)
Below, we break down a parent’s firsthand experience on how the club’s commitment to excellence impacts players both on and off the pitch.
How long have you been a part of Colorado Rush (South)? What attracted you to the club?
My daughter has played for Rush Soccer for about the last year and a half. What initially attracted me to the program was their commitment to excellence and their core values. Being a part of Colorado Rush genuinely feels like you're in a big family. They teach the kids their core values. They quiz them on them all the time, and they expect the kids not only know the core values, but live them. And you can truly feel that in this organization.
The thing that's most appealed to me in keeping my daughter with this club is their commitment to teaching excellent soccer. They hire very qualified, certified coaches, and they want the kids to be able to learn in a fashion that they can go play at the next level. They promote growth within the club to playing on teams that are, you know, ECNL, ECNLRL, DPL, NPL, and if your kid has the passion and the desire to play, Rush will help you get them there.
We really appreciate the coaching staff and the leadership at Rush. The coach my daughter has now. Understands the game at a level that we've never had before. We've played for other clubs, and when she goes and plays on a different rush team, which she frequently does, she guest plays, all the teams across the country are trained in a similar fashion. So she can just step on the field, play with another club and understand formations, understand the game, and she's able to, she's been able to be successful. Traveling all over the country and playing with different teams because of the way that the coach has trained them.
What has been your favorite experience at Colorado Rush (South) Club?
So our favorite part of playing with Colorado Rush is playing in the DPL League. This is a national platform league that allows the kids to travel to different states to play. It's a huge bonding experience for the girls. They're able to meet other teams and other players on other teams from other regions. They get to stay together in a hotel, and they get to play other teams from across the country at a very high level. We really appreciate this experience. It's the only club in our town that provides this opportunity. And it just, like I said, it exposes the girls to soccer in other states. It exposes them to other Rush teams and other Rush players. It's allowed them to make a lot of new friends and just play some really great soccer.
How has Colorado Rush (South) impacted your son/daughter? Share an example.
Colorado Rush has impacted my daughter in many ways. Mostly, she has really learned how to become a leader and how to be accountable to her teammates. There is definitely a culture that promotes the core values of the club. She has learned that her performance on the field and off the field has a huge impact on her teammates. She has learned how to be a captain and how to lead her team, and I think a lot of this is because the core values that Rush promotes are taught every day on the field and off the field, and the organization really lives by them.
The kids on the team have a lot of pride in saying that they play for Colorado Rush, and that hasn't always been the case. So I really appreciate their commitment to core values, their commitment to providing a high-level soccer team and soccer coaches, and their overall commitment to the kids.
What stands out about the club's facilities, scheduling, and communication?
I think one of the things that stands out the most to me about Colorado Rush is the professionalism and quality of everything they do. They have resources that allow easy communication, easy scheduling, easy access to facilities that perhaps other clubs don't have.
In addition to being a parent, I'm a team manager, and Colorado Rush makes my job very easy. The facilities they utilize are all state-of-the-art. The software platforms that they utilize are easy [to use] and they provide an ability to communicate that is easy, gets to all stakeholders, and allows everyone to be on the same page.
Would you recommend Colorado Rush (South) to a friend or colleague? Why?
I would absolutely recommend Colorado Rush to friends, family, and colleagues. They operate at, quite frankly, a higher level than most clubs in the area where we live. They've been around for a long time. They're extremely professional. No organization is ever perfect, but when something goes wrong, they fix it. They have a commitment to hiring people at the highest level, and they value the kids, the parents, and the relationships they've built. So they always try to do things right, even when something goes wrong. So I would 100% recommend them to any young athlete who wants to play soccer.
