Jul 9, 2026 — Brad Estes: Colorado Switchbacks & Building a Championship Community

Bulletin for July 9, 2026

Featured Speaker: Brad Estes

President, Colorado Switchbacks FC — Colorado Switchbacks & Building a Championship Community

OPENING

Mike led the prayer and Marty led the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Treat every challenge life presents you with as an opportunity to learn and grow. There is more potential in you than you realize."

— Ronald J. Shurer, United States Army Medal of Honor

Trivia: What does "ZIP" in ZIP code stand for? Answer at the bottom.

CLUB BUSINESS

• Rodeo Reminder: July 16, 2026. A parking reminder email will go out July 15. No club meeting on Thursday, July 17.

• Water Conservation Symposium: July 29 — members will arrange their own transportation.

• Member Recognition: Becky Langley won the Jury's Award at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition for her painting "Bikini." Congratulations, Becky.

• First Tee Golf Tournament: A half-day event at Valley Hi — nine holes with two kids. Funds benefit youth golf equipment. Members urged to contribute.

• Safari Fundraiser Recap: The safari-themed costume contest at the 80th Anniversary raised $435. The board will select the recipient organization.

• Board Meeting: Tuesday, July 14 at 4:00 PM at WayPoint Bank.

• Member Show-and-Tell: Larry Gaddis displayed an anniversary gift from his wife — a T-shirt reading "Gaddis: The Name, The Myth, The Legend."

• Fourth of July Recollections: Members shared highlights including the Monument parade, a spectacular fireworks display viewed from a ship in New York's lower harbor (with B-52s, B-2s, and B-1s in the flyover), the Switchbacks' hot dog eating contest (winner: 12 hot dogs in 3 minutes vs. Joey Chestnut's 66 at Nathan's), and the Gaddis grandchildren launching an Estes rocket — whose VP is the spouse of a club member.

KEYNOTE: BRAD ESTES — COLORADO SWITCHBACKS FC

About Brad

Brad Estes has built an impressive record in professional soccer, leading Louisville City FC through its championship years and launching Racing Louisville FC of the National Women's Soccer League. He now serves as President of the Colorado Switchbacks.

About the Switchbacks

The Switchbacks were founded in 2015 by the Raigan family (Ed, Nick, James, and Rachel), initially playing at Barnes and Powers. The club was later acquired by Weidner Apartment Homes and moved downtown to Weidner Field as part of the City for Champions initiative — alongside Robson Arena, the Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS, the Air Force Visitor Center, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. The Switchbacks survived COVID with limited fan attendance and won the USL Championship in 2024.

Vision, Mission, and Values (PRESS)

Brad shared the framework the Switchbacks developed with full staff, coach, and player participation — built from the bottom up and approved by the board in summer 2025.

Vision: Embed the club into the heart of the community as an indispensable cornerstone that enriches lives and fosters pride for generations. (Soccer is intentionally not mentioned — the purpose is community, not sport alone.)

Mission: Inspire pride and passion through excellence on the pitch, spectacular fan experiences, and meaningful community engagement; deliver championship soccer and build lasting connections beyond Weidner Field.

Values — PRESS:

• Perseverance

• Respect

• Excellence

• Selflessness

• Springs (service and fan experience)

These values serve as a decision filter — including the difficult decision to terminate a player contract due to cultural misalignment.

The Flywheel Model

The Switchbacks prioritize people first. The logic: invest in staff well-being → better performance → enhanced fan, partner, and community experience → financial success → reinvest in people. Starting with financial metrics, Brad argues, is short-sighted and an uphill climb. The organization also emphasizes balance-sheet thinking — long-term net worth — over short-term income statement results.

Community Engagement

• Charitable stadium use: July 4 recognition of fallen soldiers, funeral services, and non-revenue community events.

• Service projects: Care and Share volunteering with players, staff, and Ziggy (the mascot); a planned fall cleanup of Monument Creek.

• Philanthropy: The trust established by Gene Weidner is committing nine figures to Colorado Springs over coming years.

• Unified Team: Pairs athletes with and without intellectual disabilities.

• Inspire Soccer League: Inclusive programming for participants of all abilities.

• Local special needs agency staff identify themselves as Switchbacks fans — a meaningful marker of the club's community integration.

Becoming Elite

Brad drew a distinction between being great and being elite: "Elite is consistently great." The current challenge is closing small margins — attending every class, doing all the little things. The inspiration for the club's cultural model came from a Penn State 2018 press conference following a one-point loss. As Thomas Edison put it: "Vision without execution is hallucination."

The long-term goal: fan connection so strong that people plan their schedules around game days. Soccer as civic furniture — something that attracts and retains residents and makes Colorado Springs a place people want to stay.

CONCLUSION

Two of soccer's greatest voices say it best:

"Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it." — Mia Hamm

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing." — Pelé

Go Switchbacks. See you at the rodeo on July 16.

Trivia answer: ZIP = Zone Improvement Plan.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────

The Pikes Peak Club · pikespeakclub.com