The Montreal Impact Academy teams were back on the field this week for the first time in 2016.
Last December, the U16 and U18 teams played their last USSDA regular season games in Florida and will only start the second half of the season in March, but everyone was happy to return to training.
“This transition period is important for the individual process of training. It helps us address the gaps certain players have as well as strengthen their technical, tactical and physical aspects,” said the U18 head coach Yoann Damet. “This time is also used for team building activities and to restore a positive dynamic before the rest of the season.”
With no games scheduled for the next two months, it’s a perfect opportunity to work on specific gaps or to do different activities.
USL Preseason
For FC Montreal, it marks the beginning of the 2016 preseason. Players continue their preparation to be ready for this second USL season, which will begin in March.
Although many players from last year’s edition will be back in 2016, there will also be an important part of the team that will discover the USL and professional soccer for the first time. FC Montreal is the last step at the Academy before reaching the first team and the club’s philosophy is to compose its USL team with a majority of players from its Academy. In 2015, FC Montreal was the youngest team in the league.
More details on the team’s preparation will follow…