Ben Olsen’s bum ankles could barely keep up with the rest of him, the anticipation of a new season fueling a pacey trek onto the training grounds one morning this week.
The dawn of a fresh campaign triggers the endorphins — “you won’t find too many pessimistic coaches right now,” he said ahead of his eighth season as D.C. United’s guide and 21st in the organization.
But as United prepared for Saturday night’s opener at Orlando, Olsen also embraced the sense of renewal in an organization that had grown stale in a blooming soccer league.
It’s not just the opening of Audi Field this summer, which will end both a 14-year wait for a new venue and a 22-summer, love-hate relationship with creaky RFK Stadium.