Passion beats within the heart of every athlete. It is a never failing value that drives purpose, growth, and victory. That is why it is included in the 11 Core Values here at Rush Soccer. This month, Passion is the highlighted Rush Way Value. It is a characteristic that is embodied in every Rush athlete and is evident in the players of the Colorado Rush U15 Development Academy (DA) team coached by Russell Finch. Players of this team are in contention for a national championship and Coach Finch shares some quotes from his players on what passion means to them:
Merrin Lien: “For me passion is what stems success. When you love what you do you, you strive for greatness. Before entering Rush, my passion for soccer had been truly lost, but when I came over to Rush I began to realize my love for the game. Practice used to be something I had to go to, but now I see every practice as a blessing. This blessing gives me the opportunity to push myself to the max and become the player I want to be. Rush has truly helped me find a passion for the game.“
Addie Whitehouse: “When I came to Rush, I didn’t want to do anything else but be with my team and have a soccer ball at my feet. Coming to this club taught me so much, but especially passion. Passion to me means to never give up and stay loyal to your peers and yourself on and off of the pitch.”
Kylie Smith: “Soccer has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. While being on the sidelines for the past two months, my passion and love for the game has grown even more. Even though I have not been able to be on the field physically, I have been able to learn, love, and appreciate the game in a whole new way because I’ve continued to go to every practice and surround myself with and interact with my teammates and coaches who are an important part of my life. My passion has grown and only made me more eager to get back to doing what I love.”
Heather Gilchrist: “Passion to me is one of the most important core values. To me, it means giving your all in everything you do on and off the field, and doing things because you love to. Passion means caring for your teammates, fighting until the last minute of the game, and always working to improve yourself. At Rush, you play the game because you are passionate about it, because it’s what you enjoy doing most.
Macee McKenna: “Passion is when you have a tingling feeling when the ball is at your feet and you have college coaches watching you. It’s when you look up and see your 11 best friends beside you fighting until that last whistle. Passion to me is that one feeling that never seems to go away, and gets stronger when I look down at my chest to see that Rush crest & to be apart of the #ruid family. When I’m on the field and our team is doing so good passion rushes through my veins to show how exciting it is to be a member of our team and the Rush family. To see little Rush kids running around at Addenbrooke or anywhere, I get that feeling of trust and friendship. Currently being hurt, the passion is more than ever firing inside me to do everything in my power to get back out on the field with my bffs. Rush built a huge space in my life that holds passion and passion only.”
Each player on the Colorado Rush U15 DA team has a different story behind what drives their passion; however, their love for the game is a significant driving factor within, from the players recovering from injuries on the sideline to those performing on the field. The passion beating in the hearts of the athletes of the Colorado Rush U15 DA team is a driving force in their current season. Follow their journey to a national championship by checking out episodes 1 and 2 of the Rush Soccer Vlog series.
