January 27, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Sacramento Republic FC News Release
This weekend, Republic FC players and coaches will step onto the pitch for the first time in 2023. Many eyes will be on the club as it begins its 10th season after a memorable year in 2022.
While the Indomitable Club undoubtedly hit many goals last season – a historic U.S. Open Cup run, a return to the USL postseason, and numerous accolades for Republic FC players and coaches – the team fell short in achieving the ultimate success: championship hardware. As Head Coach Mark Briggs prepares to open training camp, the message is clear: in order to bring a trophy home to Sacramento, everything must be even better than it was last year.
“Last season was great and we got to great levels, but some parts weren’t at the standards we wanted to be at,” said Briggs. “At the end of the day, we didn’t bring home any hardware – no trophies or championships – which means essentially, we failed.”
The disappointment has now become motivation for Briggs and the rest of the club, and the focus for the season ahead is clear: “We have to step it up in everything we do. Everything’s got to be done at the next level and we have to remain focused on our goal of bringing a championship to Sacramento,” he continued. “We’re evolving, we’re improving, and we want to be better. We have to obtain silverware.”
The first step: putting together a roster that believes in and is fully committed to the end goal. For the 17 players returning from 2022, “All of the players coming back feel that they have something to prove. Some things will remain the same, but there will also be changes to our culture and system that we believe will take us all to the next level.”
Briggs and the technical staff also brought in new players to address the key areas where to team will work to be stronger. For the new signings, the drive to achieve the ultimate success is just as strong as those returning: “The new players – they believe in everything we’re doing just as much as the guys who are returning,” said Briggs. “We’ll get them integrated into our culture as quickly as possible because the sooner we can develop that togetherness on the team, the stronger we’ll be on Opening Night.”
So how does it all come together? For Briggs, it’s all about ‘The Three H’s:’ Hunger, Horrible, Humble. “Hunger is all about attitude – everything we do must be done with an intensity and a purpose. Horrible is our performance -…