Does Colorado Rapids hold academy tryouts?
DICK'S Sporting Goods Park · Commerce City, Colorado · Checked October 16, 2026
No open tryouts for the Colorado Rapids Academy. Top players are found by scouts and invited to trial periods, or can send an interest form. The Academy is free: the club pays for coaching, facilities, registration, travel, meals and equipment. Families cover their own transport to practice.
Got a tryout? How to prepare your child, including MLS NEXT → How MLS NEXT tryouts work, in one guide →How recruitment works
Scout invitation to a trial period, then a roster decision. Evaluation is a year-long process.
- 01Scouted and invited to a trial period
Players are found in their local setting at key events and invited to trial. Scouts attend games through the season.
Official page ↗ - 02Academy interest form
Share date of birth, position, current club, height and weight, and city. The club only contacts families it wants to invite.
Official page ↗ - 03Players at other MLS NEXT clubs
They can join Academy trials with written permission from their current club.
Official page ↗ - 04Out-of-state players
Players outside Colorado and New Mexico fall under MLS homegrown territory rules. A limited homestay program is open to select top players.
Official page ↗
- Colorado
- New Mexico (Rapids homegrown territory)
- Local and regional evaluation sessions
- Ask who is inviting you: the academy itself, or a camp or paid program run by the club's youth department.
- Ask whether the invitation is for one trial, a training pool or a team place. Pools can run for months.
- Ask in writing about cost, travel and school before you agree to anything.
- Tell your child's current club. MLS academies usually contact the current club first.
What to check before you agree
What parents ask about Colorado Rapids
Is the Colorado Rapids Academy free?
Yes. The club says players do not pay. It covers coaching, facilities, registration, travel, meals and equipment. Players provide their own transport to practice.
Can my child try out if they play for another MLS NEXT club?
Yes, with written permission from their current club. The Rapids say they talk to the current club before any trial.
Practice reading the game while you wait
Soccer IQ is how a player decides what to do before the ball arrives. Our Soccer IQ game shows short match moments and asks your child to choose. It is a free early version. It is for practice and talking together. It does not predict whether a child will be picked.
League and college numbers: Youth soccer in the US: the numbers.
Last verified October 16, 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.
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