The Black-and-Red took the field for their first touches of preseason on Wednesday, primarily focusing on fitness and technical work as they prepare to head to Florida for preseason camp this weekend. Training featured a variety of new faces, including forward Darren Mattocks, defender Frédéric Brillant, and midfielder Ulises Segura.
The session opened with individual ball work, including one-touch passing and transition drills. After honing in on their footwork, players split into teams for possession exercises while goalkeepers joined Director of Goalkeeping Zach Thornton for handling drills.
Fitness came next—one of the most important elements of preseason. As United work toward the regular season, regaining match fitness levels will be of the utmost importance in order to build 90-minute endurance and prevent potential injury. The team participated in a running test that forced them to maintain a quick pace over a prolonged period of time, challenging players to push themselves to their aerobic limits.
With a new mix of players heading into the 2018 season, United will also be focused on building team chemistry in the coming weeks. As players learn their teammates' styles of play, the Black-and-Red's on-field chemistry will continue to improve. Team bonding will be equally as important off the field, as positive relationships between teammates can lead to increased accountability and unity throughout the season.
"The first day of camp was good, " defender Taylor Kemp said following the first session. "We're excited to get down to Florida and use the ball a little bit, but it's good to get the group together and to get everybody going on the front foot."
