Former Colorado Rapids coach and U.S. team midfielder Chris Armas has been named head coach of the Kansas City Current, the team announced Wednesday.
Armas replaces coach Vlatko Andonovski, who was named to a new position as the club's global sporting director following the 2025 season. Andonovski, the former U.S. women's national team coach, had led the Current of the National Women's Soccer League for the past two seasons.
“From the talented group of players, the facilities and passionate fan base, this club represents a world class environment,” Armas said in a statement. “Above all, it’s the culture and the people that impressed me most.”
The Current won the NWSL Shield last year and set regular-season records for points (65), wins (21), home wins (11), road wins (10), shutouts (16) and fewest goals conceded (13). Eventual champion Gotham FC eliminated Kansas City from the playoffs with a 2-1 quarterfinal victory.
In addition to leading the Rapids for the past two seasons, Armas had previous head coaching stints with the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC. Armas and the Rapids parted ways in October after the club missed the playoffs.
A defensive midfielder, Armas played in 66 matches for the United States from 1998-2005. He missed out on the 1998 World Cup because he had not broken into the squad and an ACL injury kept him out of the 2002 World Cup.
Armas played for the LA Galaxy in 1996-97 but spent the bulk of his career with the Chicago Fire before retiring in 2007.
"He brings an abundance of experience at the highest levels both as a coach and a player and shares in our long-term vision of the Kansas City Current being the best women’s football club in the world," Current co-owners Chris and Angie Long said. "A natural leader, Chris demands excellence, and we are confident he will further cultivate and enhance our competitive environment as we continue to pursue championships and expand our global footprint.”
Armas was enshrined in the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2025.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Colorado Rapids head coach Chris Armas in the first half of an MLS soccer match in Commerce City, Colo., July 12, 2025. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
U.S. bobsledder Kris Horn survived a frightening ride down the track in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Sunday, after his three teammates failed to make it into the four-man sled at the start of a World Cup race.
Horn, the driver, got in first, as is common in bobsled. But his three teammates — Ryan Rager, Hunter Powell and Caleb Furnell — all had trouble getting in, leaving Horn to navigate the course with no other weight in the sled and nobody to pull the brakes at the bottom.
Rager appeared to be the first to stumble, and the domino effect took over from there. Powell appeared to get thrown somewhat violently toward the track wall, hitting his back on the hardpacked icy surface after he couldn't get into the sled, and Furnell couldn't make his way into his spot either. None of the U.S. sliders suffered serious injuries and all X-rays taken came back negative, the team said.
“A little sore,” Powell told The Associated Press. “I should be fine in a couple days.”
Without any weight in the sled, Horn basically careened down the track but still reached a speed of around 75 mph (120 kph) during the run that lasted just over a minute. Horn drove the sled across the finish line, then had the presence of mind to scoot toward the back of the sled and pull the brake handles.
Athletes and coaches from several different national teams rushed to the finish line to ensure that Horn was fine as the sled skidded to a stop; some simply shook his hand and nodded their heads in disbelief. Horn — whose start in bobsledding was as a brakeman, so he knew what to do — waved to the nearby television cameras to show he was OK.
“We are fortunate it wasn't worse,” USA Bobsled head coach Chris Fogt said in a text message.
It was a rough weekend for Horn, who also crashed out of the two-man World Cup race on Saturday. His brakeman for that race, Carsten Vissering, suffered abrasions and was unable to compete on Sunday in the four-man. Rager took Vissering's spot on the four-man sled.
There is one World Cup race weekend left before USA Bobsled and Skeleton picks its team for next month's Milan Cortina Olympics. Horn is expected to be named to the team as one of the men's bobsled drivers, along with Frank Del Duca.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Kristopher Horn/ Carsten Vissering of the USA in action during the Men's 2-Bob World Cup, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Mayk Wendt/Keystone via AP)
