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Toyota Story Behind: The Equipment

By Philadelphia Union

June 6^th, 2017

Brandon Comisky and Dan Nolan manage the equipment for the whole team, from ordering the gear from adidas to setting up the field layouts during training, and everything in between. Interns Alex Bowden and Mike Peters are on duty as well.

The last training session ahead of the trip to NYCFC starts at 9:30am—about 90 minutes earlier than usual—to let the team catch an early afternoon train to Grand Central Terminal (while the equipment arrives by van). A 9:30 start means Brandon and Dan, along with Alex and Peters, have to get set up even earlier. While players dress in the Power Training Complex and walk or drive over, Brandon gets a head start on packing bags in the stadium, where the game apparel is kept. The traveling party hasn't been sent yet, so everyone's gear is packed to be prepared for any possibility.

Outside, the interns bring field cones, wall mannequins, and balls out to the fields. Once the team arrives, Peters and Alex join a game of keep away with the players warming up. Brandon and Dan get the practice details from the coaching staff and prepare the field for the first set of drills.

Dan runs the shot clock during drills, an addition to training this year to pressure players into creating chances quickly during possessions. When practice is wrapped up, rookie Jack Elliott helps scoop up stray balls.

One shot ended up in The River End, stuck behind the fence and on top of a tarp covering seats for the weekend rugby event at the stadium. With the tarp covering all the access to the seats, and fragile enough that it can't be walked on, Peters shimmies up the railing to get the last ball.

After training wraps up, the guys finish up packing the bags and get ready to load the van.

Next stop, Yankee Stadium.

In New York on Friday afternoon, Brandon, Dan, and Peters get to Yankee Stadium by 8am on Saturday to set the locker room. Shower shoes on the floor, shorts, socks and shin guards on the seat, jerseys hanging, and warmups on the shelf. Haris Medunjanin gets a special treat in his locker as he's named captain in Ale's absence for international duty.

With areas of the pitch providing questionable footing, some players request a change of spikes on their cleats. Brandon shows Peters how to switch them out.

Lockers are set and the team will arrive in about 15 minutes. While Dan is out waiting for the bus to pull up, Brandon goes over the locker room playlist, set by the equipment staff each match, and Peters takes a seat in an unused locker.

At Yankee Stadium, a blue light flashes on the service level to alert stadium staff that the team is arriving. Dan struts in ahead of Gooch and the squad.

Like training sessions, the guys are out on the field to lay down cones for drills and get any last-minute requests from the players. After this, it's game time.

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