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Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

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Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
FoundedDecember 5, 2013; 10 years ago (2013-12-05)
StadiumWeidner Field
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Capacity8,000
OwnerMartin Ragain
PresidentNick Ragain
Head coachJames Chambers
LeagueUSL Championship
20235th, Western Conference
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals
Websitehttps://switchbacksfc.com/
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.

History

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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.[4]

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.[5] On September 23, Switchbacks announced the selection of Alan Koch as the next head coach.[6] Koch's leadership of the team was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic 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.[citation needed]

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.[7] 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.[8] 2022 saw the best start in franchise history both on and off the field tying the league record with 5 wins before defeat.[citation needed]

Stadium

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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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] Located at roughly 6,500 feet above sea level,[13] 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.[11]

Year-by-year

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Historical chart of Switchbacks FC's regular season performance
Year Division League Regular season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Avg. attendance
2015 3 USL 3rd, Western Conference Semifinals Fourth Round 2,723
2016 3 USL 3rd, Western Conference Quarterfinals Fourth Round 3,152
2017 2 USL 9th, Western did not qualify Third Round 3,389
2018 2 USL 11th, Western did not qualify Third Round 3,804
2019 2 USLC 18th, Western did not qualify Third Round 4,005
2020 2 USLC 13th, Western
3rd, Group C 		did not qualify Cancelled N/A
2021 2 USLC 5th, Western
3rd, Mountain 		Conference Quarterfinals Cancelled 5,432
2022 2 USLC 3rd, Western Conference Finals Second Round 7,199
2023 2 USLC 5th, Western Conference Quarterfinals Second Round 7,753

Current roster

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As of November 4, 2024[14]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Mexico MEX Christian Herrera
2 DF United States USA Koa Santos
4 DF Haiti HAI Delentz Pierre (on loan from Real Salt Lake)
5 DF United States USA Matt Mahoney
6 DF United States USA Matthew Real (on loan from Philadelphia Union)
7 MF Jamaica JAM Tyreek Magee
8 FW Norway NOR Jonas Fjeldberg
9 FW Haiti HAI Ronaldo Damus (on loan from GIF Sundsvall)
10 MF United States USA Zach Zandi
11 FW France FRA Quenzi Huerman
13 MF Puerto Rico PUR Steven Echevarria
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF Haiti HAI Duke Lacroix
17 MF El Salvador SLV Jairo Henríquez
18 MF United States USA Aidan Rocha
19 MF United States USA Marco Rios
20 FW Japan JPN Yosuke Hanya (on loan from Colorado Rapids 2)
21 FW Sweden SWE Alex Andersson
23 GK United States USA Joe Rice
27 FW Panama PAN Juan Tejada
29 MF United States USA Cole Mrowka (on loan from Columbus Crew)
77 FW United States USA Justin Dhillon
80 MF Jamaica JAM Speedy Williams
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract

Staff

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  • United States Martin Ragain – owner
  • United States Nick Ragain – president
  • Republic of Ireland Stephen Hogan – sporting director & general manager
  • Republic of Ireland James Chambers – head coach
  • United States Alan McCann – technical director & assistant coach

References

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  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. ^ https://www.visitcos.com/blog/city-for-champions/ [bare URL]
  5. ^ "Steve Trittschuh Relieved Of Duties, Wolde Harris Named Interim Head Coach". Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  6. ^ "2018 USL Championship Coach of the Year Named Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Head Coach". Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  7. ^ "2020 MLS Supporters' Shield Winner Named Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Head Coach". Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  8. ^ USLChampionship com Staff (November 1, 2021). "Colorado Springs' Hadji Barry Awarded 2021 USL Championship Golden Boot". USL Championship. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  9. ^ Laden, Rich. "Apartment developer buys land next to planned downtown Colorado Springs soccer stadium site". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  10. ^ Hancock, Amanda (December 7, 2019). "Groundbreaking held for $35 million multi-use stadium in downtown Colorado Springs". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Colorado Springs Switchbacks Name Downtown Stadium Weidner Field" (Press release). Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. October 15, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  12. ^ "Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC » Sand Creek Stadium Ground Breaking Ceremony". Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  13. ^ Fox, Dan (July 11, 2006). "Security Service Field: Context Matters". Baseball Prospectus. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  14. ^ "Club". switchbacksfc.com. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
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