LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville City FC became the latest USL club to announce it will head to the world-class facilities of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. as part of its preseason preparations for the 2017 USL season on Monday.

City will make the trip for the second consecutive year, with 2016’s trip having launched a season that finished with a second-place finish in the USL’s overall standings and trip to the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs. The club’s board of directors moved to send players south for the preseason after inclement weather coincided with the start of training two years ago.

“Going to Florida for the preseason gives us a great opportunity to build base fitness,” said Louisville Head Coach James O’Connor. “I think that was the biggest thing when I look at our first year, in 2015. Eight inches of snow made it problematic.

“Going to Florida, we know what kind of weather we’re going to get. We know the quality of the pitch. We know the equipment we can use. All of that allows us to put a structure in place.”