Daily training report
Preseason reset: Day 4
With preseason now fully underway, including multiple double session days, it’s no surprise that players are showing their first signs of fatigue and soreness – it means less joking before and after trainings. But Wednesday’s subdued mood during warmups changed when the magic words - ‘team handball’ - were spoken. The change of pace made smiles return. Davy Arnaud, one of the most competitive guys on the team, might have been the happiest and fiercest player on the field. The intensity carried over as the team moved into soccer work, and good spirits and competitiveness settled into a perfect mixture as the session ended with a crossing and finishing drill. With no afternoon session, the players had a little time to take a breather and rest up for two more practices on Thursday.
On Field Highlight of the Day: After two different fitness tests on Tuesday evening - a 12-minute run and a 10-minute run – most of the players grabbed a bottle of water and a piece of grass to plop down and call home. While the quiet crowd was getting ready to leave, team captain Bobby Boswell addressed the team. Instead of fitness or the training or anything to do with the previous 72 hours, he acknowledged Eryk Williamson, a guest player and member of United’s U18 Academy team, as it was his last day of training before joining the latest U-18 U.S. Men’s National Team Camp. With a round of applause followed by individual “good luck” from many of the players, at that moment it wasn’t the First Team and an academy player, it was just D.C. United.
Off Field Highlight of the Day: During preseason players and coaching staff are together nearly 24 hours a day for almost 5 weeks: two training sessions a day, time spent in the boat house and breakfast, lunch and dinner with everyone. Which is why per diem dinners every once in a while are always welcomed. The current squad gets along on and off the field, but they all appreciate getting out of the team gear and letting their guard down a little outside of the hotel. That's why on Tuesday evening, some guys went to nice dinners in a big group, while others found their way to Chipotle and a movie. Sometimes that’s all it takes to recharge the batteries.
Q&A with Taylor Kemp:
DCU: After four days of preseason how are you feeling?
TK: I feel good. Everybody’s starting to feel the wear and tear of preseason a little bit. It’s been a pretty quick start and everyone’s getting some soreness, but that’s pretty regular. We are starting to get some of the rust off so that’s good, but we have the afternoon off today so it will be nice to rest a little bit.
DCU: Speaking of rest, the players had a per diem dinner last night and the afternoon off today, what have you been up to?
TK: Last night a bunch of guys went to dinner and we all went to see American Sniper at a local theater which was nice to kind of get away from the hotel a little bit. This afternoon off is nice too. Me and a couple guys are going to go to the store and maybe check out a local golf course to hit some golf balls. It’s nice to get a little breather away from the hotel.
DCU: How important are those down days to be able to step away from soccer a little bit?
TK: It’s huge not only physically, but mentally too. When you’re down here everything is different. You live with a roommate, you’re training every day, most of the time twice a day, and it’s really a 0 to 100 kind of thing so its nice to step away to get your body to feel better and get your mind off soccer a little bit. Everyone is here to compete and you need that mental rest to stay in, especially when it gets long, which is hasn’t yet, but it will.
DCU: After last season what are your personal goals for this year?
TK: I want to be in the starting lineup right away and compete, play consistently and be a reliable guy night in and night out. I want to earn and solidify myself in the stating 11. I just want to help the team win.
Quote of the Day:
Bobby Boswell: “I’m not here to play, I’m here to win.”
Current song on in the boat house:
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror
