Alex Orenczuk
•6/19/2026
CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Zack Campagnolo was a young soccer player getting his start in Cape Coral.
Campagnolo began playing at 3 or 4 years old with the Cape Coral Soccer Association. His career soon took him through Fort Myers, Weston and the Orlando City academy before he moved to Colorado at 16.
“I started playing when I was about four, 3 or 4 years old in Cape Coral,” Campagnolo said. “It was not too different from what most kids grew up playing and doing.”
His move to Orlando helped put him on the national team radar. Campagnolo earned his first U.S. youth national team call-up during his U-15 season.
“That was the first real taste of that for me in my journey of the national team career and really experiencing what it is to be a national team player,” Campagnolo said.
The goalkeeper has since represented the United States in countries including Slovenia, Japan, Spain and Bulgaria. He was also part of the U.S. team at the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
Campagnolo said those trips have helped him grow on and off the field.
“Just getting a whole lot of international experience under my belt and new experiences off the field as well,” he said. “It’s really opening my eyes to what the world has to offer.”
Campagnolo continued his development with the Colorado Rapids academy and later signed his first professional contract with the organization.
He has also had the opportunity to train alongside U.S. national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who Campagnolo said has served as a mentor.
“You start out as a kid at 11, 12 years old watching the game, and you’re seeing a Zack Steffen playing on the biggest stage, and now you’re training with him every day,” Campagnolo said.
Now, the 19-year-old is trying to continue climbing through the Rapids system and the U.S. national team program.
“Hopefully, continuing on my path through Rapids and moving up the ladder,” Campagnolo said. “Hopefully, I can make the men’s team at some point and be at a World Cup on that stage.”
