Real Colorado and Colorado Rapids Youth join ECNL Boys Texas Conference

Unique problems require unique solutions.

Two clubs with similar ambitions. Two clubs geographically connected. Two clubs working together to better themselves, better their opponents, and better their league.

Multiple months of discussions led to this moment: two powerhouse clubs committed to joining an already difficult conference within the ECNL, and with ECNL support, merging league goals and club goals to create a solution that benefits everyone.

Real Colorado is fully aligning with the ECNL, transitioning its Real Colorado Academy teams into a ten-month ECNL Boys schedule beginning in the 2025-26 season. Simultaneously, Colorado Rapids Youth, who has been instrumental in working with ECNL leadership during the last year on this concept, will do the same for its teams.

The two Denver-based clubs will become natural travel partners as both will head into the ECNL Boys Texas Conference to face off with some of the nation’s most dominant youth soccer clubs. Their addition to the Texas Conference allows for programming across both the fall and spring seasons while providing a set of high-level games for all clubs traveling to Colorado from Texas and Oklahoma.

Due to depth and quality, both clubs will continue to field teams in the ECNL Boys Mountain Conference that will compete in a traditional ECNL structure that provides opportunities for high school soccer, with games played across seven months, while also supporting teams in the ECNL Regional League Boys – Mountain.

The move comes as both clubs were searching for 10-month seasons for their players, with Real Colorado Academy operating such a platform for several years and Rapids Youth planning to launch the expanded season platform ahead of the 2025-26 season. By moving to a 10-month season, both clubs get to fully invest in players who desire to play a club soccer model, exclusively.

“We saw we needed a 10-month program for our club,” said Danny Bills, Chief Sporting Director for Colorado Rapids Youth. “Right now, we lose our players during the best training period of the year, July to November. That’s when there’s the fewest weather issues and the most field space available. The Fall is also the best time for players to showcase themselves. So moving to a 10-month calendar and having those opportunities was really important. It allows us to give our players the best developmental path possible.”

“A 10-month season, we’ve found, gives us the ability to develop players over a timeframe that allows them to play at a high level in college or go straight to the pros,” added Real Colorado CEO Jared Spires. “That development timeline, along with the quality of ECNL, was important for us. Just this year we had four kids sign pro contracts in MLS. We wanted to ensure we could keep that same programming for our club while also joining the Texas Conference, which is one of the best in the country.”

But along with their respective 10-month seasons, each club is also maintaining a full slate of teams within the ECNL Boys Mountain Conference and placing teams within the ECNL Regional League, ensuring there is a spot for every top player within their organizations.

“We’re really proud of our ECNL Regional League programming,” Bills said. “They’ve performed at an extremely high level over the past few years, even earning promotion into ECNL. It’s a testament to our coaching, development, and culture. Our RL programs also allow us to service players where they are. Some may not want to play a 10-month season, and we can give those players a platform to still compete at a really high level. We’re one of the few clubs that have a person solely dedicated to helping our players be placed into college programs. We’re fortunate to have all these different avenues within our player pathway and for them to still be competing within the ECNL standards.”

“Having these additional teams allows us to make sure there aren’t any gaps in the ladder,” Spires added. “We can have consistency and make sure the needs of every player are met.”

Orchestrating this move is detailed work for ECNL Boys Commissioner Jason Kutney and the rest of the ECNL leadership team. Both Real Colorado and Colorado Rapids Youth were searching for a way to integrate their top teams into a 10-month season. With multiple options on the table, Kutney worked with both clubs to find the solution that worked best for everyone, ultimately deciding on the two clubs joining the Texas Conference.

“It was a long process, but everyone saw the bigger picture and we all worked together to get this over the finish line,” Kutney said. “It is very important to us that we work with club leaders to design programming and competition that makes the developmental experience better. In this case, we have identified opportunities to strengthen at both the club and league levels.”

With these moves, excitement within the club and conference has never been higher. Real Colorado saw firsthand what joining the ECNL and the Texas Conference will do for the club; they made the championship match of the Dallas Cup before ultimately falling to Solar SC. Two top clubs, now conference foes, meeting in one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.

“One of the biggest reasons we’re joining the ECNL is because the Texas Conference, top to bottom, is one of the strongest conferences in all of youth soccer,” said Real Colorado Academy Director Mike Garnhart. “This wasn’t a decision we made overnight, but the conference is so strong, which means we’re going to have to be stronger. You have to develop your kids better, you have to provide more and better opportunities. We love competition and being able to play the best every single game, how can you not get excited about that?”

Likewise, Colorado Rapids Youth has complete buy-in for the move. They recognize the opportunity with this move and are fully embracing a new challenge in competing in the Texas Conference.

“We’re lucky to be in the same situation on the girls’ side, playing in the Texas Conference, one of the best conferences in the country,” Bills said. “So now, we can replicate that on the boys’ side. And there’s a real opportunity to collaborate and see both sides play at the same time on the same weekend. Everyone’s dug in and extremely excited about this, we’re going in the right direction and ready to compete every day.”

Real Colorado Academy and Colorado Rapids Youth joining the Texas Conference is a first-of-its-kind move for the ECNL; bringing together two clubs with a healthy rivalry but mutual respect together to meet collective needs and solve similar problems while also raising the level of play across the board.

“We’ve got a respectful relationship with Colorado Rapids Youth,” Spires said. “We’re grateful to have them as a travel partner and to be interested in the same opportunities. We’re extremely excited about the future.”

“We look across the city and ask, how do we keep pushing each other to be better,” Bills added. “Whenver you have that competition, you create better players, you create better coaching staffs and you have a higher standard of soccer in Colorado. It’s a healthy relationship where everyone has respect for each other, but you also want to go out on game day and win. We’re excited to be matched with Real Colorado and excited for this opportunity.”