Head Coach Announcement
SWITCHBACKS FC PRESS RELEASE, Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Colorado Springs to Name a Head Coach
Colorado Springs, CO – The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC announced today that Steve Trittschuh has been selected as their Head Coach to launch the new club in 2015. The announcement was made at St Francis Medical Center, the team’s first local title sponsor.
“Steve Trittschuh came highly recommended by the USL Pro league offices and virtually every reference we called,” said Switchbacks President Nick Ragain. “Tritt has been at the center of soccer growth in America for the past 30 years including his play in the successful World Cup qualifying match in 1989 after a forty year USA drought. He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and relationships to our club that will attract talented young players to help us compete.”
Coach Trittschuh was a high school All American from Illinois, a full ride scholarship athlete to Southern Illinois University, a US Olympic athlete competing in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a starter on the 1990 US National Team competing in the FIFA World Cup in Italy, the first American to play in the European Championship Cup, played seven years in the MLS and competed for an MLS Cup with the 1997 Colorado Rapids. Trittshuh was an assistant coach with the Colorado Rapids from 2001 to 2006 and won one MLS reserve title. For the past several years, Coach Trittschuh has coached with the top youth clubs in the State of Colorado, most recently for the Colorado Storm, performs duties for MLS and US Soccer, and is a member of the Colorado Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame.
“I feel it is an honor and a privilege to be the first coach of the Switchbacks and to bring professional soccer to the Colorado Springs area. I am excited to put together a competitive and exciting team that will play a style of soccer that will be fun to watch. I look forward to seeing everyone at the stadium for the 2015 season” said Switchbacks Coach Steve Trittshuh.
The Switchbacks FC are continuing to build out their franchise by hiring local marketing firm Vladimir Jones to orchestrate the brand, working with Populous Architects on improvements to Sand Creek Stadium, and opening offices downtown Colorado Springs in the Alamo Building. Season ticket deposits are available for purchase at switchbacksfc.com.
Name the Team Contest Winner: Switchbacks FC
Team Name Selected
In front of a packed crowd at Jack Quinn’s Pub & Restaurant Friday night, Ragain Sports announced that of the seven hundred submissions and votes in the Name the Team Contest
Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club
and more simply, Switchbacks FC will be the name of the new USL Pro Soccer Team in Colorado Springs slated for play in 2015.
“At the end of the day, two names drew majority fan support and of those two names, we can truly own only one name” said Nick Ragain “and we are excited to be named the Switchbacks Football Club". A switchback is a sharp turn in a road or path as it traverses a steep incline which can be seen striping Pikes Peak from virtually any location in Colorado Springs. The unique name and visual elements will provide some interesting branding opportunities to the team as it moves forward in the next branding phase of the 2014 build up year.
Season ticket deposit holders will be requested to participate in deeper discussions about logo design as Ragain Sports brings on a branding agency to hone in on the visual representations of the club.
Post by Ragain Sports.
Season Ticket Deposits
Ragain Sports is accepting Season Ticket Deposits for the 2015 Switchbacks FC season. A fifty dollar season ticket deposit will provide the following value:
So purchase your season ticket deposits today!
- Place you in line to select your seat locations
- Go against your full season ticket price when selections are made available
- Provide you a commemorative Switchbacks FC scarf for each ticket purchased
- Select invitations to participate in team branding meetings
So purchase your season ticket deposits today!
About Ragain Sports
Ragain Sports is owned by Martin Ragain and was officially incorporated in November, 2013. Mr. Ragain has been an owner and founder of a large engineering practice based in Denver, Colorado since 1980 and has offices around the World. With the agreement reached between the USL Pro and Major League Soccer in August of 2013, it became clear that new growth is taking place in professional soccer in the United States. Ragain Sports, a family business, was created to participate in that growth.
After thorough ivestigation on where a franchise could be successfully located in Colorado, Colorado Springs became our winning location as it has both the near term infrastructure and long term vision for a sports franchise like the USL Pro to be successful.
Ragains Sports is excited to particitpate and contribute to the Colorado Springs sports entertainment culture. Our focus is to be winners in every facet of this new venture.
After thorough ivestigation on where a franchise could be successfully located in Colorado, Colorado Springs became our winning location as it has both the near term infrastructure and long term vision for a sports franchise like the USL Pro to be successful.
Ragains Sports is excited to particitpate and contribute to the Colorado Springs sports entertainment culture. Our focus is to be winners in every facet of this new venture.
Planning for the Future
Prior to making a city seletion for this soccer franchise, near term and longterm venue options were critical. Sand Creek Stadium, located next to Security Service Field (home to the Sky Sox), will be our home for the near future. Currently, we are working with the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Department along with a venue planner, rendering artist, and a consulting architect to determine the best avenues for venue improvements keeping event experience as a top priority for the fans.Our goals at Sand Creek are to increase the spectator capacity, additional graded parking, staging areas for players/spectators, VIP areas, temporary concessions, increased lighting, and egress points.
Long term, our goal is to be the primary tenant in the new downtown stadium being planned as a part of City for Champions. The vision for the downtown, multi-use stadium will provide this franchise the opportunity to provide a higher level of spectator enjoyment and become a greater entertainment asset to Colorado Springs.
Job Opportunities
If you are interested in receiving updates about new job opportunities, please fill out the front office staff form for sales/marketing/event planning or the team form for coaching/playing/support. When we post a new position, you will receive an email notification and next steps if you're interested.
Franchise Award Press Conference
On December 5th, 2013, at El Pomar’s Penrose House, the United Soccer Leagues Pro division awarded Ragain Sports an expansion franchise for Colorado Springs, CO.
Tim Holt, USL President, outlined the state of league and the growth that’s taking place because of its successes and the new agreement between the USL Pro and MLS. The 2013 USL Pro Championship game was the most successful ever as it saw 20,000 spectators fill the lower bowl of the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FLA. Wonderful work done by Orlando City Soccer and the Charlotte Eagles. By 2015, the USL Pro division expects to grow dramatically as it anticipates every MLS team either affiliate or field their own USL Pro team.
Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach voiced his support of the new franchise while speaking at the press conference emphasizing the need to “attract and retain young professionals”. Creating an environment of excitement, growth, and opportunity will not only attract young professionals but businesses as well. Mayor Bach went on to speak about how the City for Champions project will be a great opportunity for this franchise and others to engrain themselves in this community.
Team Owner and Governor, Martin Ragain, was the final presenter at the press conference and spoke about his dream of not only owning a sports franchise but having a family business. Mr. Ragain is the President of a successful engineering firm based in Denver with offices around the World. The opportunity to participate in a growing USL Pro league and partnering with a City that has the vision to grow via the City for Champions has allowed him to marry his passion for sports and family with a viable sports franchise.
Ragain Sports will be playing at Sand Creek Stadium adjacent to Security Service Field (Sky Sox home) for the near term with the goal of being the primary tenant in the planned City for Champions downtown stadium.
Tim Holt, USL President, outlined the state of league and the growth that’s taking place because of its successes and the new agreement between the USL Pro and MLS. The 2013 USL Pro Championship game was the most successful ever as it saw 20,000 spectators fill the lower bowl of the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FLA. Wonderful work done by Orlando City Soccer and the Charlotte Eagles. By 2015, the USL Pro division expects to grow dramatically as it anticipates every MLS team either affiliate or field their own USL Pro team.
Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach voiced his support of the new franchise while speaking at the press conference emphasizing the need to “attract and retain young professionals”. Creating an environment of excitement, growth, and opportunity will not only attract young professionals but businesses as well. Mayor Bach went on to speak about how the City for Champions project will be a great opportunity for this franchise and others to engrain themselves in this community.
Team Owner and Governor, Martin Ragain, was the final presenter at the press conference and spoke about his dream of not only owning a sports franchise but having a family business. Mr. Ragain is the President of a successful engineering firm based in Denver with offices around the World. The opportunity to participate in a growing USL Pro league and partnering with a City that has the vision to grow via the City for Champions has allowed him to marry his passion for sports and family with a viable sports franchise.
Ragain Sports will be playing at Sand Creek Stadium adjacent to Security Service Field (Sky Sox home) for the near term with the goal of being the primary tenant in the planned City for Champions downtown stadium.
Post by Ragain Sports.