CARSON, Calif. – Three weeks after joining the LA Galaxy as the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, Charlie Rugg returned to the training field for the first time on Monday.
The first round pick has been sidelined with a nagging groin injury since the start of the preseason and has been limited almost entirely to fitness work since joining the club last month.
“Charlie had his first day back on the field,” said head coach Bruce Arena on Monday. “He did some of the exercises and we’re going to try to get him doing full training tomorrow.”
The former Boston College forward is expected to play a role as an outside midfielder in his rookie season. Although he still has a ways to go before he can contribute on the field, Rugg admits that he’s feeling better each passing day.
“It feels good, I feel like I haven’t touched a ball in three weeks so it definitely feels good. They have me getting back into it slowly and I don’t want to jump back into everything too fast," said Rugg. "I did the warm-up with the team, I did the passing drills with them as well and if they would have had keep-away then I would have done that as well, but they went into a small-sided game and I was doing ball work on the side.
“I’m just taking it day by day and I’m just working towards that day that I feel 100 percent again,” Rugg added. “I haven’t felt a 100 percent in a while with my other injuries but I felt pretty good today.”
