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FC Tampa Bay held a special night practice at Gulf Coast United Soccer Club in Largo on Wednesday.

The team hit the pitch for 90 minutes Wednesday night in front of an audience of local youth soccer players, parents and other fans.

Jimmy McDonald, Director of Coaching for Gulf Coast United, said it was a great experience for his club.

"It is fantastic for our club to have the professional players out here," said McDonald. "The practice was absolutely wonderful and very technical. It reinforced a lot of what our coaches are trying to get across to our players. I am very pleased that a lot of our players and parents had the chance to see the team and that the professional players are doing the same drills that we teach, just that they do it better. We were thrilled to have FC Tampa Bay here tonight."

FCTB mixed physical fitness and individual work with scrimmage time in Largo, giving the crowd a good sense of the team and the hard work the players put in everyday.

“I know there are a lot of players, girls and boys, who play the game who want to become serious soccer players and it is a good barometer for them to see the current professional team here,” said FC Tampa Bay head coach Ricky Hill. “We have a number of experienced players who have been with the league for many years and the kids can look at certain things that they do, take it on board and perhaps put it into their armory.”

Hill is pleased to help the team give back to the community whenever possible.

“It is great to reach out to all the areas around Tampa in respect to that we are the only professional soccer team in Tampa Bay,” said Hill. “It is good for the youngsters to see players who have attained a certain level of professionalism.”