The Rapids Academy is the source of homegrown talent to the Rapids Senior roster. We take a look at how it works, what's at stake, and how the 2016 U18 and U16 boys did this past season compared to other youth Academy teams.
When the US bid and won the 1994 World Cup, FIFA laid down one requirement: the tournament must result in a US domestic league; a league that could would both help develop top-level soccer talent at the youth level, and serve as the destination for the best American soccer players. Major League Soccer was created not just to allow fans of the most popular sport on earth to have a local club: it was created as an incubator for American youth soccer at a higher level.