Real Salt Lake is only in its second day at the Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman, but already the club has made the state-of-the-art, $78-million facility home. Eighteen months since announcing that RSL would be building on the 57-acre plot of land in the southwest corner of the Salt Lake valley, the players took the field for the first time in an official capacity this week with the start of training camp and to say it has left a good impression would be an understatement.
“It’s beautiful. I think they did a great job on the building. It’s everything we need to be successful,” RSL captain Kyle Beckerman said, later calling it “one of the top facilities in the world.”
Added Albert Rusnák, who played with Manchester City in the early stages of his still-young career, “It’s a Premier League standard facility. There are not many in MLS like this so hopefully this will be the standard in this league as well.”
The team hasn’t just been gawking at the lavish facility, though. The first training sessions are crucial for Head Coach Mike Petke in establishing his style of play, as well as building the team chemistry vital to championship contention.
“I’ve been very happy with the first couple of days,” Petke said. “Everybody came in fit, which blew my mind. It allows me as a coach to move into things that I know they are capable of handling, physically. I think the level has been very good, the understanding is good and the chemistry and the mood has been great.”
That could be attributed in part to spending the first week in Utah, a departure from previous years when the club would typically spend the majority of the first week in Arizona or another warm-weather climate.
The comfortable environment allows the players to focus more on the task at hand according to Nick Rimando, who re-signed with RSL for his 12th season, it was announced on Tuesday.
“It’s really big in getting to know everybody and get on the same page, being around each other again and getting your feet wet on how we are going to play … just coming together as a team,” he said. “It’s good that we’re here in our own facility with the comforts of home, being home and sleeping in our own beds. I like that for sure.”
Beckerman agreed, “Preseason … it’s long. So if you can get a week at home and still get in the work that you need to get in, it’s just going to make everybody a little bit more comfortable. It also helps to train in altitude. So all-in-all, it’s good.”
RSL will remain in Herriman for training camp until departing for the second stage of preseason next week in Tucson, Arizona, where it will play two matches against the LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes.
A Numbers Game
With some new faces on the roster it’s time for everyone to pick their jersey numbers. RSL also had three players change their numbers this offseason as well. The following are the new numbers for returning players and the numbers new players will be wearing.
3 – Adam Henley
12 – Brooks Lennon
13 – Nick Besler
16 – Alfredo Ortuno
21 – Taylor Peay
22 – Aaron Herrera
24 – Connor Sparrow
27 – Corey Baird
As One in Herriman
In addition to Real Salt Lake’s roster of players, the entire Real Monarchs roster is training under Petke this week. That’s not all though. Utah Royals FC Head Coach Laura Harvey has been overseeing the training sessions as part of Petke’s staff, as has RSL Academy Technical Director Martin Vasquez.
