Durango Rapids Soccer Club Newsletter

brings you up-to-date information on the club!

DRSC Newsletter

Issue 35

Fall 2025

Durango Rapids Soccer Club wishes you a safe and fun 2025 Fall Soccer Season!

Mark Your Calendars!

Durango Rapids Soccer Club Day at the Fort Lewis College Alumni Games

Saturday, August 30th at FLC Dirks Field

Women @ 3pm, Men @ 5pm

Parent Information Session with Ray Nause (NM Rapids SC Director of Coach Education & Player Development)

Thursday, September 4, Parent Information Session, 6-7:30pm,

at Fort Lewis College Common Spirit Sports Performance Center Conference Room (located upstairs)

Coach Education

On August 5th and 7th, 2025 we held two coach education nights led by Fort Lewis College Head Coaches David Oberholtzer and Damian Clarke. The focus was our new Player Development Model. Working with Coach Oberhotlzer and Clarke a new approach to developing players was created. This model works with our current curriculum and player exit standards. The objective is to simplify the process for both the players and coaches, breaking it down and focusing on technical development, creating 2v1 scenarios, game model principles, vocabulary, consistency and repetition of movements and concepts in activities.

Along with this we discussed working in age groups and our new position of an Age Group Coordinator. The goal is to get teams within an age group working together focusing on the same ideas and doing the same activities. The same goal is to have this happening across all age groups so that as players transition through the club they have the same foundation of technical skills, tactical understanding, and club culture . The end goal is developing well rounded players and having a very recognizable Durango Rapids SC style of play! We had two great nights of learning and sharing and are really excited for the upcoming season!

Durango Rapids – Development Model

Technique to Tactic

Technique

Dribbling

o Surfaces

o Move

o Explode

Passing

o Back foot (hips towards field/teammates)

o 1st touch forward

o Inside of foot (receive and pass)

o Communication

Tactic

Game Model Principles

1. Big Shape/Small Shape

2. Draw Pressure (build out line)

3. Create numerical Advantage (overload)

4. Support Play (left, right, central options)

5. Find Free Player (it’s OK to go backwards)

Small Side Game

o Game Model Principles

Full Side Game

o Game Model Principles

Formations

7v7: GK-2-3-1

9v9: GK-2-4-2

11v11: GK-4-3-3

Volunteer at Durango Rapids SC Day!

THIS APPLIES TOWARDS YOUR VOLUNTEER HOURS 🙌

Fall 2025 Goalkeeper Training

U9-U12 Boys & Girls

Mondays - 8/18, 8/25, 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29

3:30-4:30pm

Riverview Elementary School

Coach Zak Keeler

U13 - U18 Boys & Girls

Mondays - 9/8, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 1027

4:45-5:45pm

Dirks Field (behind the bleachers)

Lucas Martin or Hayley Hollenga

Questions? Contact Hayley Hollenga, Director of Goalkeeping, ‭hnhollenga22@gmail.com, ‭(719) 237-3097‬

Addressing Further the Upcoming Age Group Changes in Youth Soccer

New age groups for Fall 2026 will be based on a Sept 1 cutoff date, better aligning soccer age groups with a player’s grade in school.

This decision marks a reversal of the 2016 policy that changed US Youth Soccer to a Jan 1 cutoff, grouping players by birth year. While the birth year system has offered administrative convenience, leaders have long advocated for a change back to school year to reflect the social fabric of American youth. Children naturally identify with their grade level, and their social circles often revolve around their classmates.

“We understand that changes like this can be confusing and adapting will have some challenges,” says Russell Lewis, Director of Soccer Operations at Cincy SC. “However, we believe this transition will ultimately create a more positive and inclusive environment for players by aligning club with the way kids experience their social lives.”

LEAGUE SCHEDULES

Four Corners Youth Soccer League Schedules

Duke City Soccer League Schedules

DRSC Player Exit Standards

In the Fall of 2014 DRSC began using age specific Player Standards to better break down the process of player development. Player Standards are a great way to encourage players to work on their game and letting the player know what they need to learn to go to the next level. It is also meant to get the kids to understand what they have to do when they come to practice AND what they need to keep doing away from practice on their own. Youth soccer is entirely about the development of the whole player, therefore, it is the aim of DRSC to foster player growth through age appropriate standards while gaining comprehensive tactical and technical skills required to play in all positions and facets of the game.

Please take moment to review the Player Exit Standards

COLORADO SELECT OVERVIEW

An expanded version of the Olympic Development Program, Colorado Select offers development and next-level identification opportunities to elite players and those who want to become elite. Colorado Select is available to all players and will offer a year-round supplemental training and development program to selected pool players in addition to international and domestic showcase opportunities for identification at the college, professional and youth national team level.

Learn More

New Mexico ODP

Objectives of the New Mexico ODP/YOP ProgramTo provide additional opportunities for top players in the state to train at an elite level, with other elite players and elite level coaches.
To provide elite players in New Mexico the opportunity to represent New Mexico in Regional Competition (ODP).
To provide the opportunity for players to be scouted by Regional staff and be selected to Regional Camp/Teams (ODP).
To provide additional opportunities to be seen by college coaches.

Click HERE for more info!

APPLY FOR COACHING POSITIONS AT DRSC

DRSC is expanding coaching opportunities, hiring across all levels of the Club!

Contact Kate Kelly at katedurangosoccer@gmail.com or 970-946-7719 for more information.

NM Rapids Alliance Q&A

DRSC CLEAT EXCHANGE

*Leave a pair or take a pair*

Our cleat exchange was a big hit last season! However, our inventory is now depleted! If you have a pair of cleats your player no longer fits in please drop them off at the DRSC office (862 Main Ave #203).

* American Electric Company * Bank of Colorado * Budget Blinds of the Southwest * Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad * FCI Constructors, Inc. * Grassburger * Max Hutcheson, The Durango Team, Wells Group of Durango * Kiwanis Club of Durango * Leavitt Insurance Group of Durango * Longshot Concrete Pumping LLC * MBE, CPA * Morehart Murphy Regional Auto Center * Pediatric Partners of the Southwest * Riverview Animal Hospital * Scapegoat Landscaping * The Payroll Department * The Durango Team at Wells Group * The Wells Group *

Thank you DRSC parents & volunteers!

We appreciate you!

Donate to DRSC Scholarship Fund

NM Rapids Durango SC | Phone (970) 247-1177 | Fax (970) 247-1177| durangosoccer@gmail.com| www.durangosoccer.com

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