African Expansion Continues: Welcome Senegal Rush!
(05.07.10)

(Hundreds of players attended tryouts for the new Senegal Rush)

The Rush is now in Senegal!  At a press conference held on April 30, attended by the mayor and the minister of sport, the Senegal Rush was announced.
 
The Senegal Rush is operating at present with 160 players, 5 staff members, an office and huge complimentary volunteer staff.  The city supported a luncheon with a turnout of over a hundred supporters and many media personal held at the city civic center.  The program started with the Mayor showing his support of the newly founded club.
“I am very pleased with the turn out and support.  This partnership is special and these guys get it.  The Senegal Rush is making great strides,” said Rush President and C.E.O Tim Schulz who was present in Dakar, Senegal during the launching. 

The signing of Senegal Rush creates the fifth African Partner and the 27th over all when including the partner clubs in the United States.  Senegal has players spread out all over the world playing in just about every professional league.  The continued expansion intent has many purposes, youth exchange; youth, college and professional opportunities; coaching exchange; cultural development; equipment assistance; to name a few.

Welcome Senegal Rush!

Ghana Rush Off to Great Start
(04.20.10)

Barely four months into our partnership with Rush Soccer, Ghana Rush continues to see the impact of our partnership. Interest and enquiries about Ghana Rush continue to grow. The sense of being part of a bigger Rush family has motivated our members to work hard and take advantage of all the benefits given them as Rush players. Through the Rush Soccer web page, our players have seen and read about the success of Rush players at club, college, league, and national level.

After a successful ‘justify your inclusion’ (tryout), with over 400 attending, we selected and registered 90 competitive members (U12, U14, and U17) with the Ghana Football Association youth colts league and many, many U5-U18 ‘pick up game style’ daily recreational players. Ghana Rush members don't pay a fee to join the club. Many of our members are academically strong, have a God given soccer talent, and enjoy playing the sport. However, our members come from low socioeconomic homes and are often the first in their family to attempt high school completion, so the opportunity to train with professional coaches, be outfitted with soccer gear, play organized soccer, and get the support to complete high school is tough to pass up.

We can't wait to welcome Rush President Tim Schulz to Ghana and invite any Rush members, families, coaches to come and play/visit with us if you find yourself in Ghana. Currently, we have a club at Akim-Oda, which is about an hours drive NE of the capital of Ghana, Accra.


Ghana has a rich soccer history and has had recent successes at the international level: reached 2nd round of 2006 World Cup, 2009 U-20 World Cup Champions, 2010 African Nations Cup finalist, 2010 World Cup qualifier. With the history and success of Ghanaian players in major soccer leagues (Abedi 'Pele' Ayew, Michael Essien, Sulley Ali Muntari, Freddy Adu, etc), many of our youth, who have the talent but would have given up on the sport, have become more focused on developing their talent and succeeding. Because of the history and role models, we are also able to use soccer as a platform to address some of the social issues affecting the youth.

Gambia Rush Stars Shining Bright in Colorado
(04.12.10)

(From left: Baboucarr Jammeh, Seedy Bah, Aimar Jatta, Famara Bojang their first week in Colorado)
The Gambia Rush are not even into their third official month as a Rush partner but the effect Gambian players have already had in America is staggering. Four Gambian boys are currently playing in Colorado with the Rush US Developmental Academy teams. As of today, the Gambian boys have accounted for 21 goals and a handful of shutouts as the 91's are sitting atop the Frontier Division in the Central Conference. Baboucarr (Mal) Jammeh recently sat down to talk about his experience so far in the States.

What would you say about your experience here in Colorado with the Rush this far?
"Playing with the Rush has been a great thing.  I feel it is very important to my career.  A player's motivation is very important.  I am very motivated to be here."
 
What is your objective? What would you like to achieve from being here in the U.S.?
"After I play with the Rush,  I would like to play professional football in the U.S. or outside of the U.S.."
 
Would you be interested in first playing with a college team?
"Coming from where I did in Gambia, I am interested in playing professional football.  This has become a possibility recently for young Gambian palyers.  Several of us are playing in the MLS, and a few are signing with the junior teams in Europe."
 
How does training with the Rush compare to your training with your Gambain club and National team experience?
"It is good for a player to be exposed to many coaches.  Different coaches can help you to develop different strengths.  We train 2 times each day here, which is what we do at home. We train in the mornings with Rush coaches in small sided situations.  Many of these coaches, such as Wes Hart and Seth Trembly and Mike Pserchio, have had experience playing in the MLS.  They help us to get better.  In the afternoons we train with our DA teams."

04.05.10
Nkomazi Rush Receive Rush Uniforms

On a recent shipment to South Africa and more specifically to our partners the Nkomazi Rush, we were met with overwhelming response.  Although only one set was delivered, the club embraced the new equipment with excitement and gratitude.  “We knew this day would come,” Zola, Technical Director of the Nkomazi Rush states.  “The Rush told us ‘we will outfit the entire Rush community of 3,000 plus players.’  The initiative is driven by the REACH project where we will collect used uniforms this Spring and Summer and ship to our partners in need by late August.”

Being this was their first uniform for most of them, they put the uniform on backwards proudly displaying the number on the front.  We did not have the heart to tell them until some of the elders made it clear.  The uniform belonged to the club and on game day the U12’s played first.  After the game, the boys stripped down to there underwear and handed the uniform to the 14’s boys team to the play in the next match of the day.  After the U14’s played, the same display took place, this time the uniform was handed to the U16’s and for the final game of the day the U18’s dressed them selves in the third time used Rush Jersey.  What a sight.

This August we will have collected what is to be estimated at 20,000 plus pieces of equipment.  The Rush is very proud of its members participating in this enormous undertaking.