Commerce City, Colo. - And, they're back!
A majority of the Colorado Rapids players were back together at Dick's Sporting Goods Park today for the first time since November to take their entrance physicals ahead of preseason training. By 2 pm, 24 players had taken to their lockers - many in new locations compared to past seasons - to fill out their forms while catching up with each other.
One by one the players went to the training room where their vitals were taken, including height, weight, body fat, and blood pressure. Also on the docket were electrocardiograms (EKG), a chiropractor exam which included a test to measure imbalance to the neurosystem, the standard doctor's examination, and the baseline imPact test (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing).
Despite the late change to the schedule which moved the physicals up four days, the majority of players were present for the physicals, including: Omar Cummings, Kosuke Kimura, Matt Pickens, Drew Moor, Ross LaBauex, Ian Joyce, Josh Janniere, Eddie Ababio, Brian Mullan, Scott Palguta, Stew Ceus, Chris Sharpe, Marvell Wynne, Steven Emory, Davy Armstrong, Andre Akpan, Pablo Mastroeni, Joseph Nane, Tyrone Marshall, Anthony Wallace, Quincy Amarikwa, and Wells Thompson, as well as as draftees Joel Helmick and Tony Cascio.
A handful of players had previous commitments and will undergo their exams when they arrive. Recently signed defender Hunter Freeman was on his way from Houston; Caleb Folan is in the midst of the U.S. residency process so he remains out of the country; Mac Kandji is with family in Europe; Conor Casey is attending a friend's wedding outside Colorado; Jamie Smith was attending to family matters; draftee Kohei Yamada is back in Japan awaiting his new visa to return to the U.S.; and Jeff Larentowicz is with the U.S. Men's National Team ahead of Saturday's friendly versus Venezuela in Arizona.
All healthy players will be put through various fitness tests by fitness coach John Ireland on Friday and Saturday before coming in for the first day of training under new coach Oscar Pareja on Monday, January 23.
