If you think preseason is about the same for all professional soccer teams, consider the Wilmington Hammerheads, runnersup for the USL PRO championship in 2012.
This year the Hammerheads are beginning preparations for the 2013 season with 10 days in late February in Antalya, Turkey.
Coach David Irving will use the preseason tour to work with his current roster, that includes newly-signed Jamel Wallace and Shaun Utterson. Also on the trip will be returning midfielders Bryce Taylor and Mark Briggs, both of whom played big roles in the Hammerheads season year ago.
That run to the league championship fell one win short, as the Hammerheads were beaten 1-0 by the Charleston Battery.
In Turkey, the Hammerheads will get a taste of international competition, first playing Chinese Second Division side Beijing IT and then facing Ukrainian club Olympik Donetsk a day later. Their final opponent will be FK Akzhaiyk of the Kazakhstan premier League.
Following the tour, Wilmington will have a player combine in Arnold, MD (March 8-10) and in Wilmington (March 16-17).
The Hammerheads have also re-signed veteran midfielder Paul Nicholson and defender Gareth Evans. Nicholson played in 20 matches a year ago, while Evans played in 22.
Briggs, who is in his third season with the Hammerheads, will again serve as assistant coach.
The Hammerheads will be affiliated with the MLS New York Red Bulls, and will play a two-game home/away series with the Red Bulls reserve team with results counting in the USL PRO standings.