With the 2023 MLS season quickly approaching, the San Jose Earthquakes have hit the ground running with their first training camp this week in Santa Barbara. Below is a snapshot of the team’s week so far in Southern California.
Sunday, Jan. 22: Travel Day
After two weeks of training in San Jose, which included many double-days to ramp up conditioning, the Quakes hit the road on Sunday. The team traveled down via buses and arrived in Santa Barbara after a five-hour road trip. Players and staff got together for a team meal to close out the day, eager to take on the first session the next morning.
Monday, Jan. 23: Double Sessions
The team had a quick breakfast in the morning before departing to training for the first session of the day. The group focused on possession and tactical drills, before wrapping up their morning with an 11 vs. 11 scrimmage.
Players headed back for lunch and had a few hours to rest before hitting the fields again for the second session of the day. The afternoon session focused on a technical walkthrough ondefensive and offensive approaches, as well as set pieces to prepare for Tuesday’s friendly.
Tuesday, Jan. 24: Matchday vs. NYCFC
The Quakes earned a 2-2 draw against New York City FC in a closed-door friendly on Tuesday morning. The team’s first-choice lineup took a 1-0 lead into halftime, and scored after 45 consecutive passes.
The team returned to the hotel for an afternoon meal and were given the rest of the day off to recover.
Wednesday, Jan. 25: Recovery and Team Bonding
Following the club’s first game in months, and with another one coming up on Friday, players took on a morning recovery session with active regen drills and games like soccer tennis.
The group reconvened for lunch and prepared for a players-only off-site team activity.
