Off-season ends for Arizona United SC as training sessions begin.

Arizona United SC head coach Michael Dellorusso oversees the team's first day of 

training.

The long-awaited first day of training for the 2015 United Soccer League season has finally arrived for Arizona United Soccer Club.

The team gathered at Hoy Stadium on the campus of Phoenix College Monday afternoon to work on skills and fitness in front of a group of faithful supporters.

The beginning of training marks the end of the first proper off-season for Arizona United. At this time in 2014 the organization still had not been formed as USL was still struggling with the now defunct Phoenix FC Wolves.

Arizona United owner Kyle Eng strolled across the field surveying a group of more than 30 players - many of them unsigned players hoping to earn a contract with the team.

The off-season has been busy for Eng the Arizona United management team with the announced move to Scottsdale Stadium, the signing of several new and returning players, season ticket sales that have at least quadrupled over last season and the long-awaited announcement of affiliation with FC Dallas for the 2015 season.

Eng admitted the stadium move was a difficult decision to make.

"It was a tough decision for me personally because I'm a Peoria guy, a northwest side guy," Eng said.

"But if you look at what our goal is, it should be to do the best thing for soccer and make it available to more and more fans."

Scottsdale was not the only location considered by Arizona United according to Eng. The team also talked to officials in Mesa who were interested in hosting a team. In the end there was some resistance to altering the Mesa baseball field for soccer.

"Scottsdale has been unbelievable in their support," Eng said. "All they want to do is help."

Long Tan (left) works out during Arizona United SC's first 

training session held at Hoy Stadium at Phoenix College.

Eng went on to say the team is working on forming official partnerships with Scottsdale businesses which could host pre-game and post-game activities on game days.

Key player transactions during the off-season were made to bring what Eng called "winning DNA" to the team.

"Our first goal was to sign Long Tan,"  Eng said. "and [Rob] Valentino made so much sense for Phoenix."

Eng also mentioned the addition of goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski from the Orlando City team as a proven winner.

Carl Woszczynski

Woszczynski said after the workout that he's ready for the coming season.

"Everyone's been looking forward to it for the last four or five months," Woszczynski said. "The organization has done a great job putting a great group of players together. We're just ready to get back out here."

Though new to the team, Woszczynski has the benefit of working with goalkeeper Jacole Turner who is returning to the team this season.

"We'll definitely learn from each other as well as [goalkeeper coach Cory Robertson]," Woszczynski said. "Jacole knows how training here works. He's more comfortable with Cory but did a great job talking with me.

"I'm a bit older than Jacole and I have more games so I can share that experience with him. I think we can teach each other a lot this year."

Jacole Turner

The team will continue to train locally for the remainder of the week and head to Frisco, Tex., on Saturday to train at the FC Dallas training ground.

Arizona United Head Coach Michael Dellorusso is looking forward to taking the team to Dallas.

"I think it's great for our two organizations," Dellorusso said following the training session. "Their coaches will be able to see our guys and really assess and be able to know who's here. When they send their guys here they know who they're playing with.

"For us to be able to play them is a great experience for our guys."

Dellorusso has and will continue to work collaboratively with FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja.

"We're going do everything in our power to help his players grow," Dellorusso said. "He's going to do everything in his power to help us win a championship."