Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Last updated

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (2020) logo.svg
FoundedDecember 5, 2013;10 years ago (2013-12-05)
Stadium Weidner Field
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Capacity8,000
OwnerMartin Ragain
PresidentNick Ragain
Head coach James Chambers
League USL Championship
2023 5th, Western Conference
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals
Website Club website
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC is a professional soccer team based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2014, the team is a member of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The franchise is owned by Martin E. Ragain and Dean Weidner. The franchise is operated by the Ragain family. Ziggy the mountain goat is their mascot.

Contents

History

The Ragain Family was awarded a USL Pro franchise on December 5, 2013, with plans to begin play in 2015. [1] The team's name, the "Switchbacks", was announced on January 31, 2014, following a fan contest. [2] The team hired Steve Trittschuh as head coach on March 11, 2014. [3] Luke Vercollone was the first player signed by Colorado Springs in October 2014. The Ragain Family chose Colorado Springs in large part because of the City for Champions vision by city leaders which included a downtown stadium concept that needed a champion of its own.

Steve Trittschuh and Luke Vercollone lead Colorado Springs to two immediate post season appearances in 2015 and 2016. A talented 2017 roster did not qualify for the playoffs followed by increasingly challenging league competitions through 2020 as the USL Championship grew.

In July 2019, the Switchbacks and Trittschuh parted ways naming Assistant Coach Wolde Harris the interim Head Coach. [4] On September 23, Switchbacks announced the selection of Alan Koch as the next Head Coach. [5] Koch's leadership of the team was cut short by Covid 19 and a restructuring of the 2020 season thereafter returning to Canada. A stabilizing limited affiliation between the Switchbacks and Colorado Rapids between 2019 and 2021 provided the club with additional technical resources and staff including Brian Crookham that aided the transitioning club.

The Switchbacks next looked to Brendan Burke from the Philadelphia Union as Head Coach to lead the club in its transition downtown beginning a new phase for the franchise. [6] Switchbacks rebranded by simplifying the original logo and colors. Burke quickly went to work restructuring the team making a 2021 playoff appearance in his first season. Player Hadji Barry tied the Championship league record for total goals scored at 25 goals earning the leagues Golden Boot award. [7] 2022 saw the best start in franchise history both on and off the field tying the league record with 5 wins before defeat.

Stadium

The team opened Weidner Field (Perkins & Will Architects), a new 8,000-seat downtown stadium, for the 2021 season. Plans for the stadium were officially announced by the City of Colorado Springs in July 2018. [8] Construction began on December 7, 2019. The stadium cost was $47 million and funded by team ownership and Regional Tourism Act / City for Champions tax increment financing. [9] On October 15, 2020, the name "Weidner Field" was officially transferred from the team's old stadium in eastern Colorado Springs to the new downtown venue. [10]

In 2014, Sand Creek Stadium (now officially known as Martin E. Ragain Field) received a $3.5 million renovation by Martin E. Ragain (Populous architects) after signing a 10-year lease with the City of Colorado Springs to meet league minimum stadium criteria for franchises. [11] Located at roughly 6,500 feet above sea level, [12] the stadium was at the highest elevation of any primary home stadium for a professional team in the American soccer pyramid. This status will transfer to the new Weidner Field, although it sits at a lower altitude of 6,035 feet. [10]

Year-by-year

Historical chart of Switchbacks FC's regular season performance Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Historic League Performance.png
Historical chart of Switchbacks FC's regular season performance
YearDivisionLeagueRegular seasonPlayoffsU.S. Open CupAvg. attendance
20153 USL 3rd, WesternConference Semifinals Fourth Round 2,723
20163 USL 3rd, WesternConference Quarterfinals Fourth Round 3,152
20172 USL 9th, Westerndid not qualify Third Round 3,389
20182 USL 11th, Westerndid not qualify Third Round 3,804
20192 USLC 18th, Westerndid not qualify Third Round 4,005
20202 USLC 13th, Western
3rd, Group C		did not qualify Cancelled N/A
20212 USLC 5th, Western
3rd, Mountain		Conference Quarterfinals Cancelled 5,432
20222 USLC 3rd, WesternConference Finals Second Round 7,199
20232 USLC 5th, WesternConference Quarterfinals Second Round 7,753

Current roster

As of May 2, 2024 [13]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Mexico.svg  MEX Christian Herrera
2 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Koa Santos
3 DF Flag of Ghana.svg  GHA Wahab Ackwei
4 DF Flag of Haiti.svg  HAI Delentz Pierre (on loan from Real Salt Lake)
5 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Matt Mahoney
6 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Matthew Real (on loan from Philadelphia Union)
7 MF Flag of Jamaica.svg  JAM Tyreek Magee
8 FW Flag of Norway.svg  NOR Jonas Fjeldberg
9 FW Flag of Haiti.svg  HAI Ronaldo Damus (on loan from GIF Sundsvall)
10 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Zach Zandi
11 FW Flag of France.svg  FRA Quenzi Huerman
13 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Steven Echevarria
14 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Duke Lacroix
17 MF Flag of El Salvador.svg  SLV Jairo Henríquez
No.Pos.NationPlayer
18 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Aidan Rocha
19 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Marco Rios
20 FW Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Yosuke Hanya (on loan from Colorado Rapids 2)
21 FW Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE Alex Andersson
22 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Dennis Erdmann
23 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Joe Rice
27 FW Flag of Panama.svg  PAN Juan Tejada
41 DF Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL James Musa
46 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Dillon Clarke( [A] )
77 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Caden Hickox( [A] )
80 MF Flag of Jamaica.svg  JAM Speedy Williams
99 FW Flag of Jamaica.svg  JAM Maalique Foster
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Luis Zamudio (on loan from D.C. United)
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract

Staff

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Vercollone</span> American soccer player (born 1982)

Luke Vercollone is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder for Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the United Soccer League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Trittschuh</span> American soccer coach and former player (born 1965)

Stephen "Steve" Trittschuh is an American soccer coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of USL Championship side Saint Louis FC. As a player, he played as a defender in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and Major League Soccer. He also earned thirty-eight caps with the United States men's national soccer team including one game at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shintaro Harada</span> Japanese footballer (born 1980)

Shintaro Harada is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or defender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tampa Bay Rowdies</span> American professional soccer team

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They formerly played in USSF Division 2 and the North American Soccer League (NASL), which were also second-tier leagues. The Rowdies play their home games at Al Lang Stadium on St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacramento Republic FC</span> American soccer team

Sacramento Republic FC is an American professional soccer team based in Sacramento, California, that plays in the Western Conference of the USL Championship, the second level in US soccer. Co-founded by Warren Smith and Joe Wagoner in 2012, the team started play in 2014 at the 20,231-seat Hughes Stadium, before moving midseason to their current home at Heart Health Park. Republic FC won the 2014 USL championship and have made the playoffs eight times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Tulsa</span> American soccer team

FC Tulsa is an American professional soccer team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma which competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid.

Jordan Burt is an American former soccer player who previously played as a fullback for Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the USL Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Independence</span> American professional soccer team in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina that plays in the USL League One, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid.

"Martin 'Ed' Ragain Field" is a 5,000-seat soccer-specific stadium built in Colorado Springs, Colorado. At an altitude of roughly 6,600 feet above sea-level, the stadium had the highest elevation of any primary home stadium used by a professional team in the American soccer pyramid through the 2020 season. The stadium is immediately adjacent to UCHealth Park.

The 2015 USL season was the fifth season of the United Soccer League (USL) and the first under its new name. This season represented a substantial expansion from 14 teams in 2014 to 24 teams in 2015, and the division of the league into two conferences. It is also the 29th season of third-division soccer in the United States.

The Western Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer.

Hadji Barry is a Guinean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Future FC in the Egyptian Premier League.

Desire Pascal Eboussi Mekongo is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Pierikos.

The 2019 USL Championship season is the ninth season of the USL Championship and third under Division II sanctioning. This is the first season in which the league is operating under the name "USL Championship," having used the name "United Soccer League" through 2018. The season began on March 8, 2019, and concluded on October 20, 2019; with each team playing 34 matches. 36 teams competed in the 2019 USL Championship season, split into 2 conferences of 18 teams each. Louisville City FC are the two-time defending USL Cup champions.

Colorado Pride Switchbacks U23 is an American soccer club competing in USL League Two. It is a U-23 / developmental team operated jointly by Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of the USL Championship and Pride Soccer Club academy, founded in 1994.

The 2020 USL Championship season was the tenth season of the USL Championship and fourth under Division II sanctioning. This was the second season under the name "USL Championship", having used the name "United Soccer League" through 2018. Real Monarchs were the defending USL Cup champions. The 2020 season saw 35 teams participate in two conferences during the regular season.

The 2020 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC season was the club's sixth year of existence, and their sixth season in the Western Conference of the USL Championship, the second tier of the United States soccer league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weidner Field</span>

Weidner Field is a soccer-specific stadium located in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. Having opened on April 24, 2021, it is home to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC who compete in the second level of U.S. men's professional soccer, the USL Championship (USLC). While designed for soccer with a seating capacity of 8,000, the stadium is capable of hosting other types of events reaching a capacity as high as 15,000. Sitting at an altitude of roughly 6,035 feet (1,839 m) above sea level, the facility has the highest elevation of any stadium used by a professional team in the American soccer pyramid. It replaces the former Weidner Field, now known as Martin 'Ed' Ragain Field, a smaller venue in the east of the city.

The 2021 USL Championship season was the eleventh season of the USL Championship and the fifth season under Division II sanctioning. This was the third season under the name "USL Championship", having used the name "United Soccer League" through 2018. The 2021 season saw 31 teams participate in four divisions during the regular season.

References

  1. ↑ Paisley, Joe (December 2, 2013). "USL soccer franchise coming to Colorado Springs". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Colorado Springs Unveils Club Nickname" (Press release). USL Pro. January 31, 2014. Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Switchbacks Name Trittschuh As Coach". United Soccer Leagues (USL). March 11, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Steve Trittschuh Relieved Of Duties, Wolde Harris Named Interim Head Coach". Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  5. ↑ "2018 USL Championship Coach of the Year Named Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Head Coach". Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2020 MLS Supporters' Shield Winner Named Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Head Coach". Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ USLChampionship com Staff (November 1, 2021). "Colorado Springs' Hadji Barry Awarded 2021 USL Championship Golden Boot". USL Championship. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  8. ↑ Laden, Rich. "Apartment developer buys land next to planned downtown Colorado Springs soccer stadium site". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  9. ↑ Hancock, Amanda (December 7, 2019). "Groundbreaking held for $35 million multi-use stadium in downtown Colorado Springs". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Colorado Springs Switchbacks Name Downtown Stadium Weidner Field" (Press release). Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. October 15, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC » Sand Creek Stadium Ground Breaking Ceremony". Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ Fox, Dan (July 11, 2006). "Security Service Field: Context Matters". Baseball Prospectus . Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Club". switchbacksfc.com. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.