The Colorado Springs Switchbacks will be getting a team dog this season in the Switchbacks Pup, who will eventually become an assistance dog with Canine Companions for Independence if life works out as planned.
The little pupper will become the latest soccer dog in the American soccer landscape, joining fellow working dog Spike with the Atlanta United of Major League Soccer, a variety of MLS club mascots, including Nashville SC’s Tempo the Coyote, and many NWSL players are dog moms as well.
The Switchbacks Pup was introduced on the CCI social media pages on Thursday, May 6, and he is currently nameless, but he will be named either Striker, Summit, Sweeper or Switchy, dependent on a fan vote. (At the time of this writing, Striker has a narrow lead over Summit, 47.1 percent to 41.2 percent).
The Colorado Springs Switchbacks play in the Triple-A level USL Championship, along with Bark and Deke’s Las Vegas Lights and Holland the Pup‘s Tampa Bay Rowdies, in the Western Conference Mountain Division, and are an affiliate of the Colorado Rapids of MLS.
The new Switchbacks Pup will eventually become an assistance dog and soccer dogs ambassador when he grows pup.
As an assistance dog, the Switchbacks Pup will eventually help a human handler with daily tasks they might need an extra paw for, which could include opening doors like Kuno the Servicerottie does for the Mistress or keeping their person steady if they have balance problems, like Sampson the Service Dog does for his mom.
He will also likely appear on gamedays at Weidner Field, and at team functions within the community as a way to increase his socialization skills. His adventures for now can be followed on social media with the hashtag #SwitchbacksPup.
During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Switchbacks finished third in the four-team Group C with a record of two wins, seven losses and seven ties for a total of 13 points in 16 games, During the 2019 season, Colorado Springs finished last in the Western Conference with seven wins, 21 losses and six ties in 34 games for 27 points.
So far in the 2021 season, Colorado Springs has only played one game, as the Switchbacks fell in a road match at San Antonio by a 3-0 score.
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