Team

Brief return to Foxborough signals a shift into the next phase of preseason prep

Team huddle in Casa Grande (2)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution’s preseason camp changed venues this week as the club moved base from Casa Grande, Arizona, back to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.


With that physical move the mindset of New England’s preseason prep changed, as well.


The Revolution’s 12-day stay in Casa Grande focused primarily on fitness, chemistry and sharpness. Those will continue to be objectives throughout preseason, but as the Revs move closer to the March 6 season opener, new challenges will need to be met.


This week the Revs will train four times in the Empower Field House at Gillette Stadium, an indoor facility that allows the players and coaches to stay out of the harsh New England winter, and keep their focus on the task at hand.


“We’ll use these three or four days to work on some individual things that we’re trying to pull out of these guys, and we’ll continue to work on our (sharpness in the) final third,” said head coach Jay Heaps.


The focus will shift again in just a few days when the Revs return to Arizona – Tucson, this time – where they’ll participate in the Desert Diamond Cup for a fifth straight year. New England begin play in the tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 17, against Real Salt Lake.


Tucson will mark the Revolution’s final preparation before the season opener, meaning game situations will be more realistic, more emphasis will be placed on tactics, and players will continue to see their minutes increase as the tournament progresses into the latter stages.


“We’ll be ready and back [in Tucson] to really get prepared for the start of the season,” Heaps said.