ORLANDO, Fla. – Servando Carrasco came out on top. Adrian Heath did better than Kaká. And the whole Orlando City squad enjoyed a light-hearted romp around Florida’s premier footgolf course on Wednesday as the team took a break from training prior to their regular-season finale at Philadelphia on Sunday.
With the team having played last Friday and facing an extra day’s practice, head coach Heath instead opted to take the coaches and players to the Windermere Country Club, where US international FootGolf player Steve Crane presides over an 18-hole challenge.
It turned into a hilarious scene amid the perfectly-manicured golf course, where the footgolf setup zig-zags across the golfing landscape to the tune of 2,298 yards for a par-71 course of this strange sporting hybrid that is more golf than soccer, as players have to kick a regulation soccer ball into an oversized cup.
On a perfect Florida morning, the 28 players and coaches were drawn into seven teams of four and let loose, with instructions to avoid the regular greens and NOT take a run-up to any shots that landed in a bunker.
Luke Boden, Harrison Heath, Carlos Rivas and Kyle Callan-McFadden led the first salvo off the tee and the game was definitely on. There were plenty of players taking it deadly seriously, while others decided it was an opportunity for jokes instead of birdies.
Indeed, the group involving Kaká, Aurelien Collin, Pedro Ribeiro, Sidney Rivera and Tommy Redding could be heard all over the course, while the occasional ball that went into a water hazard drew hoots of derision from everyone nearby.
Carrasco came home with Orlando’s best individual score, 64, while Swiss midfielder Adrian Winter carded a 65 and the quartet of David Mateos, Harrison Heath, Tony Cascio and fitness coach David McKay all shot 66. Crane showed them all how to do it, though, shooting a 60.
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It definitely wasn’t Kaká’s day, as he shot 73 – one more than coach Heath – while Collin trailed in with a 76, amid playful accusations of “occasional cheating,” and Darwin Ceren 78. The winning quartet was Winter, Ribeiro, Brek Shea and assistant coach Mark Watson.
“We have an extra day this week and have a lot of guys who are carrying bruises and knocks. We trained hard yesterday, so we thought we would dial it down today,” said Heath, explained his thinking behind the unusual outing for the team.
“It was a good opportunity to get everybody together in a different environment and think about something else. It has been great for the mood of the group and it sets us up nicely for the weekend.”
The Gaffer showing off his Foot Golf form at @WindyGCC. #SlowMopic.twitter.com/Ydv4oC9xVr
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 21, 2015
