FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – September is one of the most exciting months on the Major League Soccer calendar. It’s when the playoff picture comes into focus. It’s when the games go from “important” to “must-win.” It’s when a year’s worth of work could come down to a single moment.
But it’s also when the slog of a 34-game, eight-month season begins to take its toll.
New England Revolution players reported for preseason on January 22, departed for an extended camp in Spain just three days later, and have been nonstop ever since. They haven’t gone more than eight days without a game since the season began. They’ve had just four off weekends since February.
It’s a grind both physically and mentally, and as such, weekly preparation at this stage of the season can take on something of a different approach. While much of the focus remains on training for the weekend’s opponent, there’s added emphasis on rest and recovery, making sure bodies are ready for game day.
“You’ve got to take the extra time to take care of your body every single day,” said goalkeeper Matt Turner. “It’s late. It’s been a grind this season. Games came thick and fast in the summer – we haven’t really had much of a break. So (we’re) just taking care of ourselves on and off the field, making sure we’re getting good food in us, and just keeping off the legs when (we’re) not on the field.”
Sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena said the training regimen does change late in the season, but said it’s based mostly on an individual basis. Director of Sports Performance Jarryd Phillips and his staff monitor each player’s fitness daily, and adjust their workload accordingly.
That could mean a slightly different training routine for a rookie like DeJuan Jones, nearing the apex of his first professional season, and the longest schedule he’s ever endured.
“It’s very difficult,” Jones admitted. “I just picked up a (calf) injury not too long ago, so I’m just staying on top of recovery and fitness with the trainers. It’s been a grind – the longest season that I’ve ever had, so it’s definitely a change. But I’m just getting the rest that I need and getting ready for practice the next day.”
The importance of every match provides a dose of much-needed adrenaline – the Revs enter Saturday afternoon’s meeting with New York City FC just two points above the playoff line with six games remaining – and energy is easier to muster when you’re in the thick of the postseason race.
But the veterans on the roster know it’s better to build that energy throughout the week and save it for game day, and that often means ramping down the workload from Tuesday through Friday.
“It’s important to take care of your body,” said Andrew Farrell, finishing up his seventh season. “We’ve got to get ready and mentally prepared for the big task to compete at our highest level on the weekend.”
