NOTE: The following appeared in the first edition of Real Salt Lake's new matchday program, "The Sovereign."
While Real Salt Lake was in Oceanside, California, and Tucson, Arizona, preparing for the 2016 season, the club’s USL affiliate was in Costa Rica readying for its second season in USL. Real Monarchs SLC played three matches in Costa Rica against teams in the first and second divisions over the course of a 13-day excursion, but that was far from the only objective for the team on its ever first preseason trip.
In addition to working to build the camaraderie, fitness and sharpness that come with preseason trips, the Monarchs also made a point to make a small impact on the community surrounding the practice field the team called home for the first portion of the trip.