At times, the Canadian Premier League off-season feels incredibly long.
For Pacific FC, that suited them just fine. Following a disappointing 2025 season, where they missed the playoffs for the first time since the league's inaugural year, it was a chance to reflect, in some cases heal, and return refreshed for this year's pre-season.
"I think the injuries challenged us, the adversity challenged us," Pacific FC head coach James Merriman told CPLSoccer.com, "and we got away from doing the things that we've always been able to do here, and that we've had success doing here. So you learn a lot from those seasons like that. You learn a lot from those types of experiences."
It has also been a chance to turn the page. Last season hasn't been talked about much at all during the team's training camp. Instead, the long layoff has once again ignited the team's hunger to get back on the pitch and compete ahead of the season.
On the idyllic Vancouver Island, they've been able to train outside every day, bringing a new freshness and energy to the camp.
"We've returned a group of players incredibly motivated from last season," said Merriman. "We've added some good young players that are excited to show themselves and take the opportunity. And the groups come together really well."
Star striker Alejandro Díaz, echoes these sentiments. Last season, he joined the team from rivals Vancouver FC with just 13 matches left in the season. While he managed six goals, the opportunity to start the year with the club, and get to do a full pre-season with them, is vital to a team looking to improve on its worst-ever attacking output — a league-fewest 30 goals in 28 games.
"I think this year is going to be way better, and you can already feel in the team this energy," he said.
Also, crucially, Pacific begins the season far healthier. Attacker Ronan Kratt and central defender Juan Quintana missed the vast majority of last season with ACL injuries, and will almost feel like new signings.
"It's on and off the field," said Merriman, "it's the energy that they bring, their ambition, their motivation, the quality they bring to the game... we lost a lot losing those two so early last season."
That isn't to say there aren't exciting new faces on the island this year as well. They've added at every position. South Sudanese striker Bul Juach was among the most prolific strikers in Australia last season, while former A-League champion Taras Gomulka will be the tempo-setter in midfield. Joshua Belluz and Diego Konincks add quality to the backline, while Eleias Himaras does the same in goal.
Young players like 18-year-old local midfielder Mattias Vales, meanwhile, are primed to take the next step in their development.
At the heart of this group, however, remain those who know firsthand the level to which the club is hoping to return. Díaz, attacker Marco Bustos, full-back Kadin Chung and captain Josh Heard were all part of the team that won a CPL title in 2021.
Getting back to those standards, which saw Pacific consistently among the league's top teams, and competing in both the Canadian Championship and Concacaf, is what motivates that group.
"It's really important to bring that energy and that mentality back," said Díaz. "That's what we're trying to do. And I think the culture that we had that year, we're bringing it back."
When Pacific FC host CPL finalists Cavalry at Starlight Stadium on Sunday, April 5 to begin the 2026 season, they do so with a clean slate -- and a clear goal to get back to its competitive past.
"We need to be fighting in the end," said Merriman. "That's where we've always been able to be since 2020, so we need to use that experience. We need to lean into that, and that needs to be the goal and the target again, to get back into that picture at the end of the season."
