Colorado Rapids Practice Notes: May 10

Editor’s Note: I have a goal of getting out to practice once a week, depending on which day the open practices are, so I thought I’d start sharing my observations from practice in a weekly post.

Axel Sjoberg

In VERY EXCITING NEWS (!) Axel Sjoberg was practicing today! He had been working on the sidelines for a couple weeks, but he was in live scrimmage mode with the rest of the team today. In the Colorado Rapids podcast last week (Episode #220), Axel mentioned that everything is going really well, but it will take some time for him to get used to the physicality of live play again. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we could really use him back on the pitch, so hopefully he’ll continue on this path and be back soon. His surgery was on March 14, so we are in week eight of his recovery.

Caleb Calvert

Caleb Calvert has been out the last couple games with a concussion, but he was out there practicing today, so I take that as a good sign.

Micheal Azira

Apparently Azira got knocked pretty hard at practice yesterday, and he was completely sitting out today. Sounds like he may have hurt his back, but I can’t confirm, and I’m really hoping he’s okay for this weekend.

Shkelzen Gashi

I’m going to be honest - I was beginning to wonder if something more was going on with Gashi than illness and injury. But after a solid game last week, Gashi seems to be back in the good graces with the team (if he was ever out in the first place), and he stayed to run a little extra with the conditioning coach today. Perhaps he’s still working on getting fit for the full 90 minutes.