Derby Info: Colorado Rapids vs Real Colorado

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024

Location: Regis University | Denver, Colorado

Age Groups: U15-U18/19

This weekend's Continental Tire ECNL Derby Day features Colorado Rapids and Real Colorado squaring off in a huge weekend of games in the Texas Conference. Two clubs who were heavily involved in last year's postseason will be looking to pick up key wins in Conference play.


Club: Colorado Rapids
Year Founded: 1995
Club Location: Aurora, Colorado
Things You Should Know: 06 - 2023 ECNL National Semifinalists

Quotables: Colorado Rapids enters the weekend with a 9-2-2 record in the G06/05 Texas Conference and Saturday's Derby provides an opportunity for them to end their season, and for many of them their careers with Rapids, on a high note.

"This is our last ECNL game ever for some of us. A couple of my teammates and I have been together for the past eight years," said midfielder Adi Walick. "It's kind of a last hurrah and it's going to be a very special moment. We feel that it's fitting we get to play Real as our last game."

Throughout her time with Colorado Rapids, Walick emphasized how special the games with Real Colorado have been, since a lot of the players on both sides know each other very well from playing high school soccer together.

"It's always been really fun to get to grow up with the girls on both sides and be able to compete against them, while also getting to play with some of them as well when we go to high school or have other training," Walick said. "It just makes it a really competitive rivalry. Individually you want to be as ready as you can be and as a team you know you have to work together and execute."

As the oldest age group, Walick said the onus is on her team to work hard in preparation for these rivalry games, in order to pass down the importance of the game to the younger age groups.

"Being the oldest age group, we just try to inspire and motivate every team below us to work hard, especially in training, so that when they have big games like this they are prepared," said Walick.

In the final game of her career at Rapids, Walick hopes Saturday is a chance for her team to wrap up their careers with a huge victory.

"We want to go out and give it one last shot. We know how good of a feeling it would be to come out on top against Real and how it would feel like a really good conclusion to everything we've done."


Club: Real Colorado
Year Founded: 1986
Club Location: Centennial, Colorado
Things You Should Know: 04/05 and 08 - 2023 ECNL National Semifinalists

Quotables: Much like Colorado Rapids, this final game is also a chance for the G06/05 Real Colorado team to end their time with Real Colorado on a high note.

"It would mean a lot. We've been with each other for so long and obviously don't want to end on a loss," said midfielder Gabriell Beaudry. "Winning would just make everyone so happy and satisfied to go out with a bang."

Beaudry noted that the matchups with Colorado Rapids are always a major challenge due to the intensity and how well both sides know each other.

"They're always the games we look forward to. They're high intensity and always competitive," Beaudry said. "We know everyone since we've been around them for so long and it's always fun to play against people you know."

"They're your friends, but it's great competition because you want to play them and beat them. That adds another layer of competition and makes it fun," Beaudry said.

While many of the games over the years have been highly competitive battles, Beaudry said that last year's game between the two clubs really stands out to her as one of her favorite memories in the rivalry.

"Last year was one of my favorite games we've played against them. It was super close and ended in a tie, but it was back and forth all game. We scored back to back to tie it up, so that was a really good one."

With Saturday's game being her final one with Real Colorado, Beaudry reflected on what playing for the club over the years has meant to her, and what the emotions of playing her final game will be like.

"They're all my best friends. I love them all and it's going to be really hard stepping away. Playing with them has been one of the best things in my life. They're amazing people, it's always so much fun, and just a great environment to play in."