Carlos Mendes: “We have guys at different points right now. Some guys have been very fit in training, other guys are coming off maybe a longer break.” (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — With Cosmos B’s season opener barely a week away, head coach Carlos Mendes realizes what his top priority is: fitness.
The National Premier Soccer League team will get a test about that and other aspects of the game Saturday when its plays a preseason scrimmage at LIU Post in Brookville, N.Y. at 1 p.m.
“No. 1, our fitness level as a team has to go [up],” Mendes said earlier this week. “We have guys at different points right now. Some guys have been very fit in training, other guys are coming off maybe a longer break. That’s the balance, the fitness level.”
And, there’s more.
“Just getting to know each other and tactically learning a system, what your teammates’ tendencies are, what they’re good at, what their weaknesses are,” Mendes said. “That’s how you play as a unit, play together. That takes time. Those things we’ll continue to work on. The fitness level, if we do that, we’ll be OK for the start of the season.”
Cosmos B kicks off its NPSL season at Boston City FC Sunday, April 29.
The team is 1-1-1 in its preseason scrimmages, losing to Hofstra University, 3-1, tying LIU Brooklyn, 1-1, and defeating Columbia University, 3-0.
