ST. PETE, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rowdies are getting a well-deserved break as they approach the midway point of their season, and for this team, time away from the field does more than just give the body a chance to rest.
After four games in 14 days, Tampa Bay is on a bye this week — part of a mandatory mental health break agreed to by the league and the players' association.
WATCH: Rowdies embrace bye week, look to recharge
Rowdies forward MD Myers said the timing couldn't be better.
"It's huge. It's a grind, every single day, every week. So it's nice to be able to reset."
Head coach Dominic Casciato said his players' physical fitness takes a backseat to their mental fitness.
"I think there's probably not much difference between the teams at the top and the bottom of the league," he said after practice. "I think the teams at the top of the league are just in a better head space. I think my job as a coach is to get them in the best possible head space, every week."
Myers leads the team with 8 goals this season and said he feels like he's hitting his stride — even if he wouldn't mind skipping the break and getting back on the field.
"I feel like I'm in a rhythm, right now. I feel good," he explained. "When the team is winning it makes everything easier. We got a lot of great players up top. So it makes my job a little more simple."
Myers is flying home to New Jersey, where he plans to catch as much of the World Cup as possible.
"It's been electric. I love it, every single day. I had to cancel all my plans the last couple weeks," he joked. "There are games all afternoon. Hopefully the U.S. can keep going strong. We'll see how far we can go."
Casciato may have a harder time keeping up with the tournament.
"I have a bunch of jobs that my wife has put together for me. So, I'll have to do those around the house," he grinned. "But looking forward to a little bit of downtime, spending some time with her and my son."
The Rowdies return to action on July 4, when they host Lexington SC for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Al Lang Stadium.
Share Your Story with Kevin
Tampa Bay 28 Sports Anchor Kevin Lewis knows what happens on the field ties us together. From parents coaching kids to young athletes achieving life-long dreams, Kevin shares stories we can all celebrate. Reach out to him below.
.
'It's either eat or pay bills': Florida families desperate for answers after losing SNAP benefits to fraud
Florida families are losing hundreds of dollars in SNAP benefits to fraud, with multiple victims in the Tampa Bay area saying unauthorized charges on their accounts are being traced to the same California address — and the state is offering no way to get that money back.
