Vermont Green returns to training ground ahead of second season

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - We have reached Summer break for most colleges around the country, including UVM with graduation set for this weekend. But Virtue Field will not be quiet for long.

Vermont Green FC is back for year two in Burlington. The squad returned to the pitch at Virtue Field on Tuesday morning for their first training session of the new campaign. Last year was a phenomenal debut season for the Green, as supporters from around the area filled the stands with regularity and cheered the squad on to a playoff berth.

Because USL 2 rosters are largely made up of college kids, there’s naturally going to be a lot of turnover from year-to-year, but VGFC’s coaching staff and a handful of players are back for round two this summer. They say continuity is going to be key helping the new guys get with the program and getting the team off to a good start, with the season opener in Boston just four days away.

“I think it already puts us in a groove that we didn’t have last year at the beginning,” midfielder and UVM player Daniel Pacella said. “So just the fact that we know each other, some of the guys, and we have that chemistry and we have that bond that we built throughout last summer, I think that’s going to help us. And we just have to integrate the new guys.”

“I think definitely from a cultural standpoint, there was such a good vibe in the group,” head coach Adam Pfeifer said. “We’ve talked about since the beginning of this club that we want to have a really good vibe around the club. And so, I think that’s where we rely on those returning players the most. Some on field style of play stuff, what to expect with the different rules of USL 2 versus college soccer. But yeah, those returning players are gonna make this pretty seamless.”

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