TUKWILA, Wash. – Midfielder Aaron Kovar has returned to the Seattle Sounders’ preseason camp as the fittest player on the roster for the second straight year.
Kovar, the 22-year-old midfielder and Homegrown Player entering his third season with the Sounders, won the team’s annual beep test on Monday at the Starfire Sports complex. The grueling test measures endurance and fitness by asking players to run a certain distance in an increasingly short amount of time, and a player is eliminated when he cannot complete the run before the beep sounds.
Kovar was the last man standing for the second straight year during the Sounders’ second day of preseason training Monday. Kovar appeared in six games for the club in 2015 and then trained with Preston North End earlier this month as part of his offseason regiment.
Second-year midfielder Cristian Roldan finished second in the test, with Darwin Jones coming in third.
“The most important thing coming out of the fitness test is that we have a base point and we know where we’re working from,” head coach Sigi Schmid said. “Overall, I was pretty pleased with where our team was at.”
Román Torres (knee) and Andy Craven (knee) were the only players who did not compete in the beep test.
Joevin Jones Impresses Early
Recently acquired defender Joevin Jones worked out for the second time with his new club after being picked up via trade earlier this month, and head coach Sigi Schmid said he’s excited to see what Jones brings to the fold on the left side.
“He’s very good going forward offensively, and he’s got good pace, which is a nice thing,” Schmid said. “We want our outside backs to be able to get forward, and he’s somebody that can add that to our game.”
Jones appeared in 28 games for the Chicago Fire in 2015, his first season in MLS after previously playing professionally in his native Trinidad & Tobago.
“He’s quick,” goalkeeper Stefan Frei said. “We have to integrate him into the squad and work on communication … but first impression is great. He’s a great player. Very athletic, and good with the ball at his feet.”
Said Jones: “I’m always composed on the ball, I can dribble, I can go down the line and get some good crosses in. And I got some speed as well.”
Zach Scott Returns
Veteran defender Zach Scott is back for his 15th season with the Sounders after signing a deal last week. The 35-year-old Scott appeared in 20 regular-season games and three more in the playoffs last season.
The Sounders opted not to pick up the option on Scott’s contract at the end of last season before coming to terms on a new deal.
“You need people like that in the locker room,” Frei said. “I don’t want to say he’s the team dad, and he doesn’t really talk that much in the locker room either, but he’s a calming presence that everyone respects. You need to have those guys in the locker room for the locker room to be healthy. Especially for that aspect, I’m extremely happy that he’s back.”
Michael Farfan Debuts
Recently acquired veteran midfielder Michael Farfan said he’s settling in with the Sounders, the third MLS club of his career. Seattle added the 27-year-old San Diego native last week to help shore up the midfield.
“Everything is so organized, and I think this organization is top notch,” said Farfan, who appeared in 17 games for D.C. United last year and played with the Philadelphia Union from 2011-13. “I think this is the best place to be in MLS, for sure.”
