Kickin’ Back

When the Colorado Rapids return to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park this month for their 15th Major League Soccer season, they’ll have a whole new batch of rookies to look after their beloved cleat room. Painted the team’s onyx color, the 7-by-10-foot space is lined with numbered racks where the 24 players hang their shoes between games and practices. Newcomers are responsible for the room and its shoe-care station, outfitted with polishes, brushes, and a sink. “There’s a hierarchy,” says Kieran Cain, marketing director for the Rapids. “It’s up to the rookies to make the boot room look nice. They treat that room like a shrine.”