After Saturday’s preseason scrimmage with the New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake Head Coach praised his team’s aptitude in adapting quickly to a new formation. At the axis of that acclaim is RSL captain Kyle Beckerman. The consummate leader has been a central figure in each day of training camp this year after spending the last several years starting preseason at the U.S. National Team’s January camp. This year, he turned down that invitation, opting instead to help usher in a new era with RSL and the change has been palpable from day one.
“It’s huge having him here,” Cassar said. “He’s not just a leader with his voice. He’s a leader by his actions. When everyone sees him doing the work, everyone follows suit.”
Acting virtually as a coach on the field, Beckerman conveys the message of RSL’s staff within the run of play, aiding in corrections to the new concepts both big and small. Whether it’s barking instructions to his teammates or offering a praiseful pat on the back, his voice was ubiquitous in training and in the Saturday scrimmage in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Now as the camp progresses to the next step in Irvine, California, on Tuesday, he will continue to be called on to help integrate new players with returners and keep the club moving forward.
To fellow midfielder John Stertzer, having Beckerman involved in camp from the beginning for the first time in his three MLS seasons has been a welcome change.
“It’s awesome to have him around. Having him here really sets the tone. He’s the captain. He’s the leader of this team,” Stertzer said. “It’s really nice to have him here because usually he’s missed it.”
Beckerman knows what he sacrificed to be involved with his club from the start of camp. The U.S. National Team played a friendly last week in Chile and will host Panama at the StubHub Center this week. Beckerman likely would have played an integral role in those matches. However, he viewed the first weeks of Real Salt Lake’s training camp as a good launching pad to the 2015 season and the choice was easy for him.
“It’s been great. It’s been nice to be here at the start, set the tone, be there with the guys and put in the work,” Beckerman said. “We’re all out here suffering and getting the bodies ready … sometimes it hurts. But it’s been good and I’m glad I’m here.”
