Jasper Löffelsend contract extension. Dillon Serna formally retires.

COMMERCE CITY – This past week, Colorado Rapids had some personnel news. Former Rapids homegrown Dillon Serna announced his retirement on Wednesday. Jasper Löffelsend had a contract extension, announced on Tuesday.

Serna is originally from Thornton, Colorado. He played one season of college soccer at the University of Akron under Caleb Porter. He signed a Homegrown contract in 2013, having been with the Rapids academy in 2009. His best year was in his second season. In 2014, he played 1,623 minutes, made 18 starts, and recorded three goals and four assists.

He was a nice local kid and a good teammate. He just never managed to find a clear position amid the coaching carousel. At the end of the day, he wasn’t good enough. He played midfield, wide midfield, and fullback. Some injuries didn’t help. An ACL tear, a tibia injury that lost another year, to name a few. He had a long leash because he was a Homegrown and never cost much. He never made more than $120,000 per the MLS PA.

That red card against Orlando City when Anthony Hudson gave him a look at left back might have been the beginning of the end. He did score some bangers though. This reporter will always remember that 2016 winner against Colorado Springs Switchbacks in 2016.

The club moved on from him at the end of 2019. In his one season of professional soccer outside of Colorado, he played 15 games for Sporting KC II, then in the USL Championship. He spent another injured year with Switchbacks in 2021.

He returned to the organization for 2022-23, as a bench player for Rapids 2. It was probably time. He just turned 30-years-old a few weeks ago. Would it be worth it to find another lower division team to make less money that he was ever making as a Burgundy Boy? Did he even want to leave his home state?

He’s now working at GOLFTEC, staying around the club, and enjoying life.

Jasper Löffelsend’s new deal:

The club has signed the German holding midfielder to an extensions through 2025. There is a team option for 2026 as well. He previously was under contract through the end of the year with an option for 2025. How the club has control over retaining him for potentially the next two and a half years. Chris Armas and others speak well of him. Even if he got a raise, he probably isn’t costing much. He’s good cover as the club looks to secure options at central midfield for the Armas era.

Photo Credit: John Babiak

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