Daily training report
Preseason reset: Day 6
The Black-and-Red got in one last training session Thursday morning before its first preseason game of 2015 (Friday, January 31 - 7:00 p.m. vs. Orlando City SC). Head Coach Ben Olsen continued tinkering with lineups, with several different variations used, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more than one of them used in the match. Players have one last pool workout in the evening, and then it will be time to rest, recover and get mentally prepped.
- RELATED: Watch DCU vs. OCSC live
On Field Highlight of the Day: After arriving at the team hotel on Wednesday night, Markus Halsti was on the field with the rest of the team for the first time Thursday. After an introduction by Ben Olsen, he grabbed a grey pinny and joined Davy Arnaud and Jared Jeffrey as neutrals in a game of possession. (Insert Perry Kitchen, who is still with the U.S. Men’s National Team - into that mix, and that is some serious depth at central midfield.) Halsti looked comfortable on the ball and with his teammates.
Off Field Highlight of the Day: At the end of training on Wednesday evening, Head Coach Ben Olsen gathered around the players and let them know that their teammate Steven Birnbaum would be starting for the U.S. Men’s National Team against Chile. With the game starting at 6, practice ending at 5:20, and a hotel 25 minutes away from the practice facility, it was a mad scramble to get back to the hotel. Arriving right on time, players made their way in to the boat house, where two TVs had the game on, and there they sat for the first 45 minutes. At halftime, another scramble to the shower ensued as everyone raced to make it back in time for the second half.
Q&A with Jalen Robinson:
DCU: With the team’s first preseason game tomorrow, how are you feeling?
JR: I’m pretty excited for it. Getting to play against Orlando City for the first time, we get to see how they play and what to expect for this season. I think it will be a good game.
DCU: This is your second preseason with the team, how has that helped you?
JR: I would say it’s been a little easier just because I knew what I was getting into. I knew how to prepare myself in the offseason to get ready for this.
DCU: What did you do in the offseason to prepare for the season?
JR: I actually spent some time with my old Wake Forest teammates. I trained with them and worked out in D.C. with our offseason workout packet.
DCU: After one season as a professional, what are you looking to do more of this year?
JR: I guess just to continue to grow as a player and as a professional. I would love to get more minutes on the field and expand my knowledge for the game.
DCU: Who have you been hanging out with the most off the field?
JR: We haven’t had a ton of down time but I would say Collin Martin since he’s my roommate.
Current song on in the boat house:
Eric Church – Hell on the Heart
