This is Part 8 of Holding The High Line celebrating Black History Month. Earlier this month, I wrote Part 6 and Part 7. Click here for Parts 1-5 that took place in 2021. In this installment, I’ll be taking a look at a former player for the Colorado Foxes and Rapids and current Rapids assistant coach Wolde Harris.
Rapids of Color Part 8: Wolde Harris
Like Robin Fraser, Harris was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He played college soccer at the University of Connecticut and then Clemson University. He graduated in 1995 as Clemson’s all-time scorer with 76 goals and 18 assists in three years with the Tigers.
Colorado Foxes and Rapids
Harris spent 1996 with the Colorado Foxes in the A-League. He joined the Rapids a year later, playing with the club from 1997-99.
“Playing in the middle of a dog track, that was interesting. We did have a lot of fans, somewhere between two to four thousand, which made for a great atmosphere. I did well in the one year with the Foxes,” Harris told HTHL.
He scored 26 goals during three years in Rapids Green, including leading the team with 13 goals in 1998. They made it to the MLS Cup Final in 1997. Harris subbed into the game in the first half for Paul Bravo. Colorado lost the game 2-1.
During his time in Colorado, he developed a reputation for good and skillful play in the box. Harris also had some good celebrations (see his sizzle reel below). As he showed in 2003 with the New England Revolution against his former side, he had the flair for the spectacular.
“I always had a hunger for scoring goals. That’s what I found fun in the games. I was on good teams that did the work to help me do that. I had Chris Henderson on one wing and Adrián Paz on the other. We were able to combine and score goals.”
Harris was traded to New England after the 1999 season. After stops with Kansas City, Charleston Battery (then in the USL A-League), and Bodens BK in Sweden, he returned to the Rapids for the 2005 season.
Coaching Career: Started Back Home, Back to Colorado
Harris got into coaching in 2010, starting at Jamaican powerhouse Kingston College. After a year as a graduate assistant at Clemson, he returned to Colorado as an assistant coach for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in their inaugural season.
“I put my heart and soul into the technical side. Yes there were failures, but there were lessons in that. I believe that time for me was invaluable as an up-and-coming coach. The opportunity to lead the team (as interim manager in 2019) gave me insight into what managing a team is all about.”
After six years there, he joined Fraser’s staff ahead of the 2021 MLS season. His primary role has been to work with the attacking players. Every time I’ve discussed this with him and said he works with strikers, he’s quick to point out he works with wide players as well. Harris has helped round out the staff with two midfielders, Fraser as a former center back, and him as a striker.
Wolde’s Thoughts on Diversity in MLS Technical Staffs
Like head coaching positions, assistant/staff positions for retired MLS Players of Color have been limited.
“As People of Color, we’re just looking for an opportunity. There’s a lot of people who have the qualifications. The club has taken the first steps in that direction. If you’re qualified and you fit the culture of the club, it’s incumbent on the club to give you a look. We have a wide cross section of cultures within the club. This gives us more ideas from different perspectives and can only benefit the club.”
“The more we discuss this, the more we’ll be open to different ideas and perspectives, and thus the more inclusive we’ll be.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.