Baseball has its Cactus League: spring training in Arizona, where for the first time as many teams are based as in Florida. For the first time, MLS teams set up camp in Arizona, and it has been asuccess.
Facilit ies at Casa Grande’s Grande Sports World and Phoenix’s Reach 11and as well as college fields at Arizona State and Grand Canyon University were used. Sunday’s sendoff game between the Kansas City Wizards and Arizona Sahuaros took place at the new WestsideSoccer Complex in west Phoenix. Teams also visited the Athletes’ Performance training center in Tempe.
“In the past we usually took a domestic preseason trip to Florida and followed thatwith an international trip before our season started,” Kansas City assistant Kerry Zavagnin said. “This experience [in Arizona] allowed us to remain at onelocation. This location provided all the necessities to have a productive preseason.”