If there’s one word to describe the Colorado Springs Switchabacks right now, it’s intentionality. 

Colorado Springs is being intentional in the way it attacks its challenges, on and off the pitch. 

On Saturday, the Switchbacks will travel to Phoenix Rising FC for their first Prinx Tires USL Cup match. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. 

The contest is the first of three in a week for the Switchbacks, who are involved in three different sets of competitions. Saturday’s match is for the USL Cup. On Wednesday, Colorado Springs will head up Interstate 25 to face Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Finally, on May 2, the club will return to its usual business, competing against San Antonio FC in the USL Championship regular season. 

Switchbacks coach Alan McCann is confident in his team’s ability to compete in all three matches this upcoming week, thanks in part to the way he was intentional with crafting the team’s roster this season. 

“It’s three games in a week so it’s the use of the whole squad,” he said. “It’s why we built the roster the way we did, two deep in every position at least. Lads coming back from injury is going to be key for us and us hopefully getting one or two more signings over the line but it’s a genuine use of the whole squad.

“You’ll see, per game, you’ll see people putting in efforts that you saw in the previous week with the Open Cup and into the Monterey game. Everyone stood up in that whole week and we were able to use every single player through so that’s the same approach to this next week.”

Colorado Springs enters the upcoming gantlet with great momentum after a week in which the Switchbacks beat MLS’ Sporting Kansas City and Monterey Bay FC by a combined 7-1 margin.

The seven-goal week comes off a breakthrough the team had during the bye week, which preceded it. The crucial takeaway was being intentional. 

“We learned a lot about ourselves with that bye week. …. It made us see what we’re capable of when we’re very, very intentional with possession,” McCann said. “That has to be what we are going forward. When we are aggressive in our actions on and off the ball, that’s our identity.”

Maintaining that aggressive posture, especially on defense, is a key part of the game plan Saturday. The Switchbacks are searching for their first win on the road this season after going 0-2-1 through three matches.

The Prinx Tires USL Cup features all 43 teams from the USL Championship and USL League One, which is a division lower on the U.S. soccer pyramid. 

Colorado Springs, AV ALTA FC, Orange County SC, El Paso Locomotive FC, Phoenix Rising FC and New Mexico United will battle to win the group or earn the lone wild-card spot among all seven groups for a chance to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

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Magee grateful for return to Colorado Springs 

Last week, the Switchbacks brought back midfielder Tyreek Magee, who had previously played for Mount Pleasant FA in Jamaica. Magee was with Colorado Springs in 2023 and 2024 during the club’s run to a league title. 

Magee said he’s gained experience in his time away from downtown Colorado Springs, learning from his coaches and teammates in Mount Pleasant as the club secured the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup. 

He’s excited and grateful to be back in Colorado Springs, where he also hoisted a trophy.

“I ended my time here really well, and I have good relationships with people here,” Magee said. “I just felt like it was a really good time to come back and reestablish myself. That’s what I’m looking forward to do right now.”

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Injury report

Midfielder Steven Echevarria

Midfielder Devon “Speedy” Williams

Defender Markhus ” Duke” Lacroix

Goalkeeper Christian Herrera (illness)