COMMERCE CITY — The Rapids are close to adding former Colombian national player and U.S. under-17 men’s national coach Wilmer Cabrera to the club’s coaching staff, Colorado head coach Oscar Pareja said Wednesday.
Pareja, also a former Colombian national player, was hired as Rapids head coach Jan. 5. The assistants under former coach Gary Smith were not retained after he was fired following last season.
“Wilmer is a coach who is very close to us now,” Pareja said. “We’re finalizing (the staff) now, but everything has been limited by time.”
The Rapids could announce Cabrera’s hiring as soon as today, when Rapids players report for preseason training camp.
U.S. soccer announced the departure of Cabrera on Jan. 3, but he remained with the team this week to carry out his tenure. The U.S. U-17 team defeated Denmark 3-2 in its second game of the Aegean Cup on Wednesday in Manisa, Turkey.
CU duo to play in Shrine game. The University of Colorado will have two players on the West roster in the East-West Shrine Classic on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla.: quarterback Tyler Hansen, who threw for 2,883 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, and offensive tackle Ryan Miller, a second-team Walter Camp Foundation All-American.
