CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati officially kicked off its second preseason on Wednesday morning as players were put through their paces in conditioning drills to start the build-up to the 2017 USL season.

For FCC Head Coach John Harkes the feeling was different than from a year ago when the club was bringing together an entirely new squad. With a majority of the squad back for Year 2, including All-League goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt and defender Harrison Delbridge, continuing the club’s growth is the principle focus.

“When you start Year 2, the first thing that you have under your belt is a little bit more of an idea of what you’re about as a collective,” Harkes told FCC’s official YouTube channel. “Now it’s about figuring out the new guys that we’ve added in, what their personalities are like, how they’re going to challenge the guys we have here and I think we’re excited because the offseason is too long.”

Cincinnati fortified its squad after the departure of 2016 USL Most Valuable Player Sean Okoli to Major League Soccer’s New York City FC with the addition of former Seattle Sounders FC and OKC Energy FC forward Andy Craven, and ex-FC Edmonton striker Darryl Fordyce. Two former rivals also arrived from Louisville City FC, with midfielders Kadeem Dacres and Aodhan Quinn adding to an already strong group.