Major League Soccer's 2020 season may be on pause, but Wednesday represented an uplifting and positive step forward in the return to play.
Sporting Kansas City was one of four MLS clubs to commence voluntary individual workouts at their respective training facilities yesterday. Following remarkably detailed health and safety protocols, Sporting players visited Compass Minerals National Performance Center (formerly Pinnacle) for the first time since the MLS campaign was suspended on March 12 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the Sporting players who returned to the pitch was captain Matt Besler, who joined The Border Patrol this morning for his customary appearance with Border Patrol hosts Nate Bukaty and Steven St. John on Sports Radio 810 WHB.
"I can't state how good it felt," Besler said of workout out at the club's word-class training facility. "We knew there were going to be a lot of restrictions with what we were able to do on the field in terms of having to (work out) individually and having to stay in your quadrant on the field. There's a lot of guidelines we have to follow, but once I got out there on the field—wearing my cleats again and was a great morning weather-wise—it just felt awesome. It's a small step, but it's a step forward."
Listen to Besler's full podcast appearance below.
Now in his 12th season with his hometown club, Besler participated in a national teleconference Wednesday to discuss the momentous return to Compass Minerals National Performance Center and the leading role that Manager Peter Vermes has played in setting an individual workout protocol that was created in consultation with MLS as well as medical and infectious disease experts.
Besler will round out his week of media appearances on Friday, joining MLS Instagram Live at 1 p.m. CT Friday for a discussion with MLS digital personality Stephen Keel. Be sure to follow @MLS on Instagram to catch the full interview.
