Kelsey Loupee is willing to confess to assault as a 5-year old.

It seems the Colorado Rush standout was somewhat fond of pushing around other 5-year olds on the soccer field, although she ultimately blames her older brothers.

“I was kind of the bruiser out there because I learned how to push people around from them, I was always playing with them,” Loupee said. “They kind of got me into soccer and I started liking it just like they did.”

Now a U16 player with Rush and U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV ODP, Loupee displays a much more sophisticated game, combining good touches on the ball with fine decision making to be a playmaker and string-puller from central midfield.

“We do a lot of work on footskills and small-sided games with our club team,” Loupee said. “We have extra practices indoor on small fields to work on quick play.”

Loupee has played just about every position on the field at one point or another, but her club coach, Andrew Kummer, likes her in midfield on his team.

“I know she’s very versatile and that I can use her anywhere,” Kummer said. “For my team in particular it comes down to personnel and she can really help us in the middle. Her ability to hold the ball is excellent and she wants the ball at her feet. She’s individually good on the ball and it’s important for us to have that player inside, but she will play wherever I need her. I can always count on that.”

Loupee is enjoying a steady diet of soccer now, sometimes practicing twice a day between her school team and a hybrid club team called Crusaders, which trains a lot and plays boys teams on Sundays. She also works twice a week with a weight trainer and on her own with footskills, using a kickback net and pug goals in the family yard.

“Juggling used to be my big thing when I was younger but now I focus more on footskills,” she said. “I also work on free kicks because I take most of those for my team.”

Kummer agrees that Loupee has a bright future.

“There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “Based on the interaction I’ve had with college coaches already, many coaches are taking a long look at her. There are several that will be in Las Vegas this weekend for the Showcase. She’s going to be watched quite a bit and her grades are excellent. She’s going to have a lot of people showing some interest in her. She’s definitely somebody who can help a program with her leadership and ability to be a good teammate. She’s all about helping a team win.”