Welcome to the heart of European soccer: Varazdin Rush, our newest first-division team.

In Croatia, a country of soccer passion and prowess, Varazdin Rush shines as a dream destination for Rush talent. “Little Vienna” – Varazdin’s historic charm, just an hour from Zagreb, sets the stage for greatness.

NK Varazdin is the perfect match for Rush, because it’s a stronghold of youth development, and propels players to top European leagues.

Through our Select Program and Rush Select Academy, we’re scouting talent for this extraordinary journey. Our Rush scouts will comb our entire Rush network and identify our best players.

The partnership goes beyond borders. Rush players and coaches will flourish through training, trials, and coaching events in Croatia. Varazdin Rush is rewriting the soccer narrative by helping create Europe’s new generation of talents.

This addition to the Rush Pyramid reinforces our player pathway. Stay up to speed with your new professional Rush team by visiting their website: https://nk-varazdin.hr/

Welcome Varazdin Rush!

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For the vast majority of competitive club soccer players, landing a college scholarship is their top goal for their playing career. And for a handful that aspire to more, there’s a potential to play professionally.

And then there are players like Charlotte Burge, a 2006 goalkeeper from the Virginia Rush club who is choosing a different path.

“I’ve always had the mindset that I’m going to bypass the college path, the American dream,” Burge said. “That’s just not what I wanted. So, I just asked for help from the club, my goalkeeper coach at my home club Mike Kappas, and Matt Mittelstaedt, the Rush National Technical Director, to see what they could do for me.”

Those conversations led them to have a discussion with Raoul Voss, Rush’s Global Sporting Director, who opened up a pathway for Burge to connect with German club FFC Kaiserslautern.

And as Burge has broadened her horizons by playing abroad, she’s also broadening her soccer knowledge by training and playing for a European club that already has some glaring differences from what she’s accustomed to.

“Back home in the States, you get comfortable playing in small spaces and it’s important to learn to play that way,” Burge said. “But here in Germany, they use the entire field to train. So, I’m getting used to having a lot of space to play in, even though they might not be as good in small spaces. They’re able to hit a ball from this space here to a space across the field. It’s just opened the game up for me.”

However, Burge has found herself scrambling to figure out an off-the-field issue that has consequences for her on the field—the German language. Burge, who’s enrolled in an online education program that she tackles every morning, is also practicing hard on her German.

“I’m very vocal,” Burge said. “I speak my mind on the field and off it. I definitely take a leadership role when I’m on the field—but it’s kind of harder here.”

Because of the German—and the expectations on the goalkeeper as a vocal team leader, which isn’t quite the same.

“They don’t prioritize communication out of the back as much here,” Burge said. “So I’m speaking more than the goalkeeper that’s here already. And so I’m asking my center back, ‘Hey, how do I tell you to move up the field?’ or ‘How do I tell you to pass me the ball?’ There are simple phrases that I can speak in English, but I don’t know what to say in German. So, it makes my job harder and it just makes me think more, which is awesome honestly.”

But as astute as Burge is about what’s happening on the pitch, the 5-foot-9 goalkeeper has already made some keen observations about German culture as it relates to the country’s collective passion for the sport after attending some Kaiserslautern men’s matches.

“The German atmosphere—it’s something else,” Burge said. “I think Germans don’t have as much pride for their country because of their past, but Germans have so much pride for their clubs. They just love their club teams.

“So, when I went to the games, I was just in shock, seeing everyone being able to love the same thing and support such a phenomenal group of players—you don’t really have that in the United States at a professional level. Yes, you have people who are fans of an NFL team, but nothing compares to the big wall behind the goal of the fans who are crazy.”

Now, it’s Burge who’s dreaming of having that big wall of supporters behind her, cheering her on. And she feels like due to the opportunities she’s had through Rush that she’s prepared to pursue her not-so-American dream.

“I feel like through the club, I definitely matured at a young age,” Burge said. “I was always playing with girls who were older than me. So when I was 12, I went over to France to play with the 18-year-olds. Rush definitely gave me the opportunities to travel and become a young adult at an early age, and now being 16 and moving away from home, I feel like I’m definitely prepared for all of this.”

The post Blazing Her Own Path appeared first on Rush Soccer.

Earn a chance to attend a futsal summer camp in Sao Paolo, Brazil

Rush Futsal will be hosting regional ID Camps to form teams for the 2023-2024 Futsal campaign. Identified players will have the opportunity to attend a futsal immersion camp in Sao Paolo, Brazil this summer and will form the nucleus of the teams for the upcoming season. We plan to have West, East, and Central region teams that will compete in United Futsal’s Champions Cup Series and/or USYF Regional and National events. The targeted age groups will be:

2009/2010 Boys and Girls
2011/2012 Boys and Girls
2013/2014 Boys and Girls
2015/2016 Coed

Rush Futsal encourages all players to embrace futsal as a key development supplement to soccer. Futsal is a fun, fast-paced game that rewards creativity and anticipation; attributes that are essential for success in soccer. Most of the great soccer players point to futsal as the key foundation to their success.

Upcoming camps:

Central Region
San Antonio ID Camp
San Antonio, Texas Feb 10-12
https://rush-futsal.com/san-antonio-rush-id-camp/

More ID camps will continue to come online in January, February, and March of 2023. If you are interested to host an ID Camp, would like to become a Rush Futsal coach, or have any questions regarding the initiative, Please contact: Chris Rue at crue@rushsoccer.com

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The Rush Select program is proud to announce the Canadian Select team rosters for the 2022 International Rush Cup. The event will take place in Tampa, Florida December 1-4. The 2008-10 Select teams will play in regional team battles to determine which region is the strongest. While the 2005-2007 Select team will take on some of the top national and international teams. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting weekend!

Boys 2010

Boys 2009

Boys 2008

Boys 2007/06

Boys & Girls 2006

Boys & Girls 2005

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Juan Castellanos, the technical director with Rush Union in Atlanta, went to Argentina this summer with four other Rush coaches, working on achieving either their B or C licenses as part of the Menotti school. César Luis Menotti, who led Argentina to a World Cup championship in the 1978 tournament, has been globally respected for his style of coaching for more than fifty years.

Castellanos and the other attendees started the process by working on their online portion of the school, lasting several months. Then in June, they traveled to Argentina for a week-long intensive course.

But it wasn’t all spent in the classroom. Coaches had the opportunity to observe as well as run training sessions.

“The experience these coaches have is amazing,” Castellanos said. “We had Fernando Signorini, the fitness coach for Diego Maradona for fourteen years, working with us. Just so much experience and knowledge from all the coaches—and it was very well organized.”

While they also ventured out and had the opportunity to experience plenty of Argentinian culture, the icing on the cake was a visit to two of Argentina’s top clubs, Racing Club and Boca Juniors.

“At Racing, we met with different coaches and directors of coaching,” Castellanos said. “We went there two times to watch different sessions and were on the sidelines with the coaches to see the training sessions.”

The group of Rush coaches also attended Racing’s match against River Plate on the weekend as well as attended a training session at Boca Juniors.

Castellanos said he would encourage other Rush coaches seeking to earn a higher license and get a different coaching perspective to attend the ATFA school.

“The Rush Way is very much aligned with the Menotti philosophy, which is helpful for Rush coaches,” Castellanos said. “But the whole experience was amazing. From the moment you get off the plane, you’re in a country that has so much history and culture around the game that you can just feel it.

“It was eye-opening to us and probably brought us back to reality a little bit as you watch the level that their youth players are training at compared to what we do here. But it was great to have an open conversation with their instructors about the different challenges we’re all facing with the teaching the game. It was nice to have that exchange with them.”

If you’re interested in attending this school, contact Rush’s Sporting Project Director, Pablo Toledo at ptoledo@l67.c54.myftpupload.com.

The post A License To Learn appeared first on Rush Soccer.

As Rush continues to expand its global footprint, one of the most exciting results of such growth is the inaugural International Rush Cup, scheduled for December 1-4, 2022, in the Tampa, Florida area.

 

International Rush Cup (IRC), the club’s most elite event, will pit both domestic and international clubs against each other in a top-tier tournament that will attract college coaches and scouts. Rush Select teams will also be present for the event, showcasing some of the club’s rising young stars.

 

“Long term we want this to be the World Cup of sorts for all Rush teams across the globe,” Rush COO Justin Miller said. “We want to create an unparalleled location for college coaches and professional scouts to see the top talent within the Rush. This is why we have centered the event around our Select teams. We are excited for this inaugural event and to watch it grow from here.”

 

Along with college coaches, scouts from professional and semi-professional teams Flatirons Rush, Vfl Wolfsburg, Minnesota United FC, HB Koge, Aurora FC, Colorado Rush, Bluffton Rush of the WPSL, Cedar Rush Stars, Medricher SV 02 Duisburg, and Virginia Beach United will be in attendance.

 

IRC will also feature a three-day coaching education workshop for all Rush coaches led by Pablo Toledo, Rush Soccer’s Sporting Project Director, and the club’s top technical staff. This hands-on workshop will provide coaches at any level with tools to sharpen their training sessions and help better develop players.

 

Attending players will also have the opportunity to participate in a college recruitment class led by Rush’s College Advisory directors.

To register or learn more about IRC, visit https://rushtournaments.com/international-rush-cup/

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It’s one thing to prepare to become a professional soccer player by pushing yourself on the training pitch and facing challenging competition. Then there’s Colorado Rush Academy 06 forward Hope Thao, who’s taking her preparation to another level.

Hope, whose goal is to play professional soccer in the near future, utilized Rush partner Etapsport to train with a French youth soccer club this past month.

“I really wanted to get a taste of what it was like to play here,” she said. “What is the culture like, what is the soccer like, anything that can help me better prepare to play professionally here one day.”

Etapsport’s Romain Thévenoux, who coordinated Hope’s trip, aims to provide exactly the type of experience Hope and other aspiring professional players want.

“Our role is to bring players here who want to discover what soccer is like here as well as the culture and make new friends, too,” Thévenoux said. “We try to create a real cultural experience here by finding families for the players to stay with whether they are coming for a short trip or want a longer stay.”

Last summer, Hope played and trained in Spain, staying in a dormitory style housing.

“That experience was a little different and more focused on just soccer since we stayed at a boarding school during the week and spent time with our host families on the weekend,” Hope said. “But staying with a host family the whole time here, I’ve been able to experience more of the culture.”

But Hope has also enjoyed her experience on the pitch, training with different players and styles that differ from what she’s used to.

“I think tactically, it’s very different here than in the U.S.,” Hope said. “We play a little more physical than they do here in France, which is a little more technical and the ball movement is different, including the style of play. In the U.S., we play a little more direct, but in France, they seem to use the entire width of the field and maximize the use of their wingers more.”

Hope, who plays forward for her Colorado club, has broadened her understanding of different forward positions while in France.

“I play everywhere,” Hope said. “I play the 9 and the 10 and also the 7 and 11. I think that I’ve gained a lot more knowledge on these positions since I’ve been here, especially the 7 and 11 and how they like to play those players with their left back and right backs.”

Hope admits that training in Europe isn’t for every player, but it can be a great experience depending on a player’s goals and how willing a player is to try something new.

“If players are willing and courageous enough to go overseas, they have to be very open-minded to criticism and growth because that’s what we all need to become better people and better players,” she said.

The post The French Connection appeared first on Rush Soccer.

When Paolo Campagna moved to Ghana to take over the Kotoku Royals FC in October, he found himself thrust into a job teeming with opportunity as well as challenges. However, as one of Rush’s newest clubs in Africa, Campagna sees more hope than ever for the club.

“When Raoul Voss started to talk with me about this program, I liked where Rush wanted to take it and all the opportunities that are here,” Campagna said. “There are some talented players here who could play in many leagues around the world. The soccer culture here is crazy and everyone is invested in the game. But there are some things we’re trying to change to help build a more professional environment.”

Campagna, the Italy native who was coaching in the New England area prior to accepting the assignment with the Kotoku Royals, has worked to mesh together the laidback African culture with the more rigorous standards of professionalism required to establish a winning club.

“At the beginning when I got here, there were players only eating one meal per day,” Campagna said. “There was no attention to proper diet, and the players didn’t have the energy they needed to perform at the highest level. So, we’ve worked to change that.

“There was also an issue with players not being prompt and just showing up whenever they felt like it. It’s hard to run a training session when nobody was acting like professionals.”

But Campagna appreciates the rich talent pool the club already has while also seeking to deepen it within the smaller community of Akim Oda, located 75 miles northwest of Accra.

“The players here know how to play,” Campagna said. “There’s really little doubt about that. We can improve some of our tactical play, but the talent is there for this team and these players to go to a higher level.”

Campagna’s faith in the player’s clubs is one of the reasons he’s a perfect fit for taking the Kotoku Royals from a middle-of-the-road Division 1 team to Ghana’s Premiership.

“One of the things I like about Rush is how they believe in their players,” Campagna said. “Rush truly believes they can develop a successful academy here in Ghana as well as develop future players. What Rush has already done here by giving more accessibility to players for good coaching and training will help develop players in this region like they’ve never had a chance to do before.”

The post Ghana Rush – Kotoku Royals FC Coach Paolo Campagna appeared first on Rush Soccer.

Kaiserslautern, Germany — Nestled in the heart of soccer-rich Germany, FFC Kaiserslautern Rush director Sven Bauer has learned that changing minds takes time—but he’s succeeding.

“In Germany, women’s football is not as good as men’s football,” Bauer said. “Most clubs don’t think girls can play, but with Rush Soccer’s help things are very likely to change.”

In 2017, Bauer partnered with Rush to establish the first girl-only soccer club within 100 kilometers of Kaiserslautern. And while the club is still in its infancy stages, it’s already turning heads.

With a women’s team that is dominating the lower levels of Women’s Bundesliga and a U14 player called up to the women’s national team program, the FFC Kaiserslautern Rush club is solidifying itself as a place for up and coming players in the area to compete.

The club’s top women’s team is in the fifth of six divisions for Women’s Bundesliga but hasn’t lost any of its first 11 matches. However, the team hasn’t been promoted due to some of the restrictions and limitations imposed during the pandemic.

Then there’s Vivian Thomann, an ’08 player who is playing for her club’s U16 team and ready to move up again next season to her U17 club. Thomann was called up to the Women’s National Team pool but has yet to play in a game for them due to Covid limitations.

“Vivi’s mother played in Bundesliga, so Vivi has good genes,” Bauer said. “But she’s really good technically and is continuing to develop other parts of her game.”

Initially located 10 kilometers outside of Kaiserslautern, Bauer moved the club into the city to create better access for players within the city. That decision has resulted in the addition of more than 30 players in the past three months.

But Bauer has an easier time sharing the unique opportunities his Rush club has created for aspiring girls in the area.

“We started a conversation with Raul a few years ago,” Bauer said. “He told me about the Rush Way and the possibilities for us and the pathways for us to be a part of us. That’s been a good way for us to promote our club because it’s unique here. If girls want to play in the U.S. for some time, they can. And girls can come over here and train too. No other club in our area can offer these kinds of opportunities to the girls.”

While Bauer still has his challenges like attracting experienced coaches and developing teams for each birth year, he’s getting there and is excited about the future of the club and its players.

“We want to play at a higher level—and that’s been our focus,” Bauer said. “In order to become better, they need to play under more pressure. And that’s why we want to give our girls more of those opportunities.”

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