The pandemic put sports around the globe on hold but for the first time since early March, the Indomitable Club can once again start focus on upcoming oppositions in its quest for Championship Cup glory.
On June 24, the USL Championship announced the current training moratorium would be lifted, paving the way for a return to full-squad training. Ever since the regular season hiatus, the squad has been training diligently on their own, but now it’s as if the team has returned to preseason training – despite having one regular season fixture already under their belts.
Even though Mark Briggs’ men are one game into the 2020 campaign through July, the entire Republic FC team is just thrilled to be back in full force training and returning to their primary passion.
The pandemic put sports around the globe on hold but for the first time since early March, the Indomitable Club can once again start focus on upcoming oppositions in its quest for Championship Cup glory.
On June 24, the USL Championship announced the current training moratorium would be lifted, paving the way for a return to full-squad training. Ever since the regular season hiatus, the squad has been training diligently on their own, but now it’s as if the team has returned to preseason training – despite having one regular season fixture already under their belts.
Even though Mark Briggs’ men are one game into the 2020 campaign through July, the entire Republic FC team is just thrilled to be back in full force training and returning to their primary passion.
“It feels absolutely amazing, for all of us soccer has been our whole life so to have a weird circumstance occur like this where we can’t really play soccer, it’s been pretty difficult but to be able to be back on the field is an amazing feeling,” SRFC winger Villyan Bijev said. “We’re able to really express ourselves again and showcase our talents and abilities, it really feels like we have a purpose. I’m just excited to have games to start again, even if the club and the state decides we’re not able to have fans, I know they’ll be supporting us from home. Just to be able to be able to give them that joy and that pleasure of watching us and rooting us on, and to know that they’re watching and rooting, it’s amazing.”
Bijev and the boys in Old Glory Red are beaming with delight since the return to training at Papa Murphy’s Park. What started weeks back in small groups is now a full-team training session, and even though the squad should be midway through the season, it almost feels like training is back to what it was before the USL Championship campaign kicked off.
“It’s basically a mini-preseason all over again,” Republic FC Head Coach Mark Briggs said. “We’ve just been preparing, retouching on the expectations and philosophies that we went over in our initial preseason and making sure we’re fine tuning their bodies and technical skills.”
“It feels absolutely amazing, for all of us soccer has been our whole life so to have a weird circumstance occur like this where we can’t really play soccer, it’s been pretty difficult but to be able to be back on the field is an amazing feeling,” SRFC winger Villyan Bijev said. “We’re able to really express ourselves again and showcase our talents and abilities, it really feels like we have a purpose. I’m just excited to have games to start again, even if the club and the state decides we’re not able to have fans, I know they’ll be supporting us from home. Just to be able to be able to give them that joy and that pleasure of watching us and rooting us on, and to know that they’re watching and rooting, it’s amazing.”
Bijev and the boys in Old Glory Red are beaming with delight since the return to training at Papa Murphy’s Park. What started weeks back in small groups is now a full-team training session, and even though the squad should be midway through the season, it almost feels like training is back to what it was before the USL Championship campaign kicked off.
“It’s basically a mini-preseason all over again,” Republic FC Head Coach Mark Briggs said. “We’ve just been preparing, retouching on the expectations and philosophies that we went over in our initial preseason and making sure we’re fine tuning their bodies and technical skills.”
There’s definitely work to be done, and plenty of it as Sacramento prepares for the restart of the regular season which can resume as early as July 11. The full schedule, however, has been tweaked down to a 16-game regular season and clubs are divided into eight groups followed by a single-elimination playoff. Republic FC – having drawn 1-1 against FC Tulsa in March – has 15 fixtures remaining and most will be against their Division A oppositions: Reno 1868 FC, Tacoma Defiance and Portland Timbers 2.
Even with the shortened season and not knowing the exact dates and times of upcoming matches, the team is just grateful and appreciative to be returning to the game they love.
“Just being back out here is one of the nicest things,” Briggs said. “When you’re in quarantine and you’re away, you miss the little things like the sound the ball makes when it’s struck cleanly and the smell of the grass. It’s just nice to be out here and have the camaraderie with the players.”
Being with the guys, working towards a goal, getting some hard work in under the mid-day sun – it’s all well and good – but there’s another glaring reason the squad is stoked to be back on the field.
“To compete,” Bijev said confidently. “I know the reason I play this sport is because I love to compete. I love to go up against other teams and show them everything we have and have been working on. Now it’s time to go win some games.”
There’s definitely work to be done, and plenty of it as Sacramento prepares for the restart of the regular season which can resume as early as July 11. The full schedule, however, has been tweaked down to a 16-game regular season and clubs are divided into eight groups followed by a single-elimination playoff. Republic FC – having drawn 1-1 against FC Tulsa in March – has 15 fixtures remaining and most will be against their Division A oppositions: Reno 1868 FC, Tacoma Defiance and Portland Timbers 2.
Even with the shortened season and not knowing the exact dates and times of upcoming matches, the team is just grateful and appreciative to be returning to the game they love.
“Just being back out here is one of the nicest things,” Briggs said. “When you’re in quarantine and you’re away, you miss the little things like the sound the ball makes when it’s struck cleanly and the smell of the grass. It’s just nice to be out here and have the camaraderie with the players.”
Being with the guys, working towards a goal, getting some hard work in under the mid-day sun – it’s all well and good – but there’s another glaring reason the squad is stoked to be back on the field.
“To compete,” Bijev said confidently. “I know the reason I play this sport is because I love to compete. I love to go up against other teams and show them everything we have and have been working on. Now it’s time to go win some games.”
