March 27, 2022

Rush Fest 2022 – A Party Like No Other!

A Party Like No Other

Rush Fest 2022 returns to Colorado, to be more game-centric

 

After holding Rush Fest in St. Louis last year, the signature event that introduces players to the 11-a-side level of the game returns to Colorado with some exciting new changes.

 

Foremost among the new wrinkles for Rush Fest 2022 will be the addition of new games, according to Rush Fest director Nik Penn.

 

“We’re going to make Rush Fest more game centric,” Penn said. “In the past, we’ve played one game each day along with one training session and a classroom session. But this year, we’re going to have more soccer.”

 

The new format will forego the training session and replace it with two 40-minute games. 

 

“It’s about the same amount of soccer but now you can have more games, and as a coach and technical director you get more halftimes, more pre-games and more after-game talks with the kids,” Penn said. “It’s the first time they play 11v11, so this is a very valuable opportunity for clubs.”

 

After Sunday night’s opening ceremonies packed with music, quizzes, giveaways, and a Rush orientation, teams will play two games each day on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday is an off day with fun activities, while Friday wraps up the week-long event with games in the morning.

 

“This is where players get the chance to really see what we mean when we talk about the Rush way,” Penn said. “They’ll get a great environment to play plenty of soccer but also learn what it means to be a Rush player.”

 

The event held July 10-15 will also include coach education, a parent’s night, and closing ceremonies along with some social gatherings.

 

Rush Fest is open to 2010 boys and girls teams. However, partial teams and individuals can also participate as well.

To learn more about Rush Fest 2022, visit the website here .

Director of Player Development

By Ubaldo Murillo • October 2, 2026
Frank Meza Named East Penn Rush Director of Player Development

East Penn Rush Expands Competitive Pathway with APL/Acela League

By Ubaldo Murillo • September 30, 2026
East Penn Rush is excited to expand our competitive opportunities through participation in the Atlantic Premier League (APL)/Acela , providing several of our younger Premier and Elite teams with another high-level environment for competition and player development. The Atlantic Premier League offers competition for boys and girls beginning at the younger age groups and features multiple levels of play. For the 2026–27 season, APL offers an Acela First Division along with a second division, creating opportunities for clubs to place teams at an appropriate competitive level. For East Penn Rush, joining APL/Acela is particularly important for our Premier and Elite teams below the U13 age groups . While many national-level leagues and pathways begin at U13, APL/Acela gives our younger players an opportunity to experience a highly competitive regional environment earlier in their development. Competing Against High-Level Programs One of the biggest benefits of APL/Acela is the level and variety of competition available throughout the region. The league attracts competitive programs from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and surrounding areas. APL/Acela competition has included teams associated with Pre-MLS NEXT, Pre-Academy and other high-level developmental programs . Published league results, for example, show APL/Acela competition involving teams such as FC DELCO Pre-MLS NEXT, Keystone FC Pre-Academy, Philadelphia Union Juniors, Real Futbol Academy and other strong regional programs. This gives our younger Rush teams an opportunity to regularly challenge themselves against different playing styles, stronger competition and organizations with established academy pathways. Building the Pathway Before U13 Our goal is not simply to enter teams into another league. The addition of APL/Acela is part of the continued development of the East Penn Rush player pathway . For our younger Premier and Elite players, the U9–U12 years are critical developmental stages. Players are learning how to apply their technical ability in increasingly faster and more demanding game environments. Playing against quality opposition requires players to make decisions quicker, become more comfortable under pressure and develop a deeper understanding of the game. APL/Acela gives us another platform to challenge those players before they reach U13 , when additional regional and national opportunities become available. The pathway is designed to progressively prepare players for the next level: East Penn Rush Development → Competitive Travel → Elite/Premier → APL/Acela → U13+ Regional & National Opportunities For players who continue progressing through the club, this experience can help prepare them for the competitive demands they will encounter as they move toward our older Premier teams and opportunities such as the National 1 (N1) League . More Opportunities. More Competition. More Development. East Penn Rush continues to build an environment where players do not have to wait until their teenage years to experience meaningful, high-level competition. Adding multiple teams to APL/Acela allows us to better match our Premier and Elite teams with competition that challenges them at the appropriate stage of their development. It also expands the range of opponents our teams can face beyond traditional local league play. Our objective remains the same: put players in environments that challenge them, support their development and prepare them for the next step in their soccer journey. Participation in APL/Acela represents another important step forward for East Penn Rush and our commitment to creating a complete developmental pathway from our youngest players through our Premier and national-level teams. One Club. One Pathway. More Opportunities.

National 1 League

By Ubaldo Murillo • September 29, 2026
East Penn Rush Accepted into the National 1 League
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