UNFINISHED: NEW SEASON. SAME GOAL.

Written By:  Andrew Mosier | WPSL Correspondent

Repeat as Mountain Conference champions.

That was the Colorado Rapids Women primary objective entering the 2022 WPSL Season – the Denver-based club did just that. Going 7-1-2 to win the Rockies Division before advancing to the Mountain Conference Final and meeting Wasatch Division winners, Utah Avalanche.

The Rapids won 5-1.

The win put the Rapids through to the postseason, where it beat Salvo SC (1-0) and Kansas City Current II (3-2) in the Central Region Playoffs to advance to the WPSL national tournament in Stillwater, Okla.

“Our objective is still to win the conference. That hasn’t changed,” Sebastian Giraldo, Rapids Women head coach, said. “But after the success we had last season, you’re always going to be left wanting more.”

The Rapids Women lost to three-time WPSL Champions California Storm 3-1 in the league championship match – Shiloh Miller (Rice University) scored for the Rapids Women.

“We faced an incredibly talented, experienced team in the finals,” Giraldo said. “I know we had enough talent on the field that night. The difference that night was their [Storm’s] experience.”

With around 18 returning players from last season’s squad, Giraldo does not expect experience to be an issue entering the May 19 division opener versus Colorado Pride. Nor does he expect to see some of the early-season missteps that befell his side as it adapted to the tactically demanding style of play Giraldo instituted. The Rapids Women started the season stumbling to a 0-1-1 record.

“It took us a while for things to really start clicking last season,” Giraldo said. “With so many people returning we won’t have quite the learning curve we did last year.”

The returning players are bolstered by several new additions to the roster – the majority of whom came from within the Rapids youth system.

“They [First Years] already have some exposure to our style of play,” Geraldo said. “They understand how we like to play. The big difference for us is that last year we were not two-to-three deep in every position. This year our talent from top to bottom is much deeper. It is going to be a real battle just to get on the field.”

Of the players on this year’s squad, Giraldo believes there are five to seven who could go on to play professionally. The Rapids Women are quickly becoming known as one of the top pre-professional programs in the country. Two players from last year’s roster are now in the professional ranks – Sami Feller (University of Denver) to the Chicago Red Stars (NWSL), and Alesia Garcia (Louisiana State University) to FTC NÖI Labdarúgás (Női Nemzeti Bajnokság) in Hungary. Giraldo also acknowledged two or three players who are currently with professional teams but not yet under contract.

“Creating a platform for players to move to the pro ranks is one of our main objectives,” Giraldo said. “It is one of the reasons we are able to attract the players we do.”

The Rapids Women kick off WPSL Rockies Division play at home, Friday, May 19, versus Colorado Pride. Giraldo expressed the knowledge that the Rapids will play every match with a huge target on its backs.

“It is going to be different from last season. How we play is no big secret anymore. We are not going to surprise anyone this season with the way we play like we did last year.”

The schedule features 2022 foes Colorado Pride, Broomfield Burn, Boulder County, and Indios Denver FC—the only divisional opponent the Rapids Women did not beat in 2022. The Rapids Women and Indios drew 0-0 and 1-1. New to the 2023 Mountain Division is the Arvada-based Flatirons Rush.

1. New to the 2023 Mountain Division is the Arvada-based Flatirons Rush.