In less than a month, Republic FC will kick off its 12th campaign in front of its Indomitable Fans at Heart Health Park. It’s a new year with more chances to claim silverware than ever before, and the club’s first season under Head Coach Neill Collins.
After landing in Sacramento in mid-January, Collins jumped headfirst into his new position, with a weekend of open tryouts before training camp kicked off. Shortly after, the team headed out on its first road trip of the year for a week of practice sessions and scrimmages. And while Republic FC has 16 players returning from last year’s squad, Collins has taken a gradual approach to gearing up for the season.
“The biggest thing over the first two or three weeks is the fitness. Coming back from the off season, the players were in good shape, but there’s still room for improvement,” he said. “It’s something that we’ve focused on building and now we’ve got them at a good base.”
Yet even while fitness has been the focus, Collins mentioned that there have been plenty of moments on the pitch where the team’s talent has shown through, including goals from Sebastian Herrera, Russell Cicerone, Lee Desmond, and academy player Jackson Martin.
“As a whole you can see the quality that we have and the attitude’s been great,” he said. “But we also have to remember that it’s preseason. It’s about learning, about seeing what works and doesn’t work. It’s always nice to win, it’s always nice to get good performances, but this isn’t going to make or break our season. So right now the focus is on making a little bit of progress each day so that we’re ready for that first game on March 8.”
“We’re going to use these last few weeks of camp, these final scrimmages, to ramp up the tactical and technical side of the game,” explained Collins. “Players can have sustained minutes and we’re not having to make as many changes due to fitness restrictions, so this is where we’ll start to look at putting together a Starting XI for Opening Night.”
Fans will get their first chance to see the team in action on Saturday, February 22 when Ventura County FC comes to Heart Health Park. The day will begin with the inaugural Strive for 45 3K Fun Run & Walk at 11:30 a.m., followed by a preseason friendly at 2:00 p.m. After the match, supporters can meet the team with autograph and photo opportunities throughout the stadium.
Visit SacRepublicFC.com/FanFest for additional details about match tickets, Fun Run & Walk Registration, and Meet the Team.
