From Swig to the mountains, what these Utah Royals had to say about living in Utah

The Utah Royals' return to the NWSL this season not only reintroduced fans to the league but also introduced several members of the Royals organization to what the state of Utah has to offer.

While the team features multiple players who were born in or played collegiately in Utah, the roster includes several players from across the country and from outside the U.S.

The Royals have players representing Sweden, Spain, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and the Netherlands. The team's sporting director, Kelly Cousins, hails from England, and head coach Jimmy Coenraets comes to the Royals from his home country of Belgium.

At exit interviews on Tuesday, the Deseret News asked Coenraets and some of the players about their experience living in Utah over the last several months.

What have Utah Royals players and staff enjoyed about Utah? Regardless of where they were from, nearly every response included praise for Utah's mountains. Royals players can enjoy Utah's mountains with views from both America First Field, where they play, and Zions Bank Real Academy, where they train.

"The mountains, the nature, it's nothing that I've experienced before, and it's very far from Sweden," Agnes Nyberg, a Swedish midfielder, said. "I had (the) chance to see the mountains here around. Just to view everything walking to practice has been amazing."

Darielle O'Brien grew up in California and has loved her time in Utah, especially the outdoor recreation opportunities.

"We have outdoor experiences in California as well, but nothing like the mountains and going on hikes and experiencing the outdoors (here). I'm all for that kind of stuff," she said. "If I had the opportunity to come back, I definitely would, just because it's not a bad place to live and let alone the soccer environment that it provides, so I've loved it."

Mina Tanaka, who was born in Thailand but grew up in Japan, joined the Utah Royals in July. Through her translator, Tanaka said she enjoys how big and beautiful the mountains are, but also noted her surprise at the impact the elevation has on her.

The team's head coach has used the opportunity to spend time in the outdoors, either hiking or running, as a stress reliever.

"As a coach, you have a demanding job. As a staff, you have a demanding job, so you have to find something and somewhere where you can really release yourself and just put everything away. And I think the nature is my way of doing that," Coenraets said. "When you talk about Utah, you talk about Salt Lake City, that's one of the reasons why you would move towards here, just to be able to do all of the outdoor stuff."

"As a coach, you have a demanding job. As a staff, you have a demanding job, so you have to find something and somewhere where you can really release yourself and just put everything away. And I think the nature is my way of doing that."

— Utah Royals coach Jimm Coenraets Coenraets, who is a big sports fan, has enjoyed Utah's sports teams, attending Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club games as well as college football games.

"In general, I think I enjoy it very much here," he said. "It's a fun place to go and to be just in general and doing all of that, being safe, being healthy. I think that's the most important part."

Team captain Paige Monaghan has fully immersed herself in the Utah culture. Though originally shocked by the number of soda shops that dot the state, the team captain has embraced the dirty soda phenomena.

"What surprised me is the soda shops. That was the one I called my parents, and I was like, coffee shops, like, there's never a line. The three o'clock rush is actually at Swig. So that was my biggest like, 'Whoa.' I've never consumed so much soda either since I've been here, which probably should change next year," she said.

Her favorite soda shop? Swig, where Monaghan gets The Founder.

Monaghan also praised the welcoming and safe community in Utah.

"Everyone's been so nice and friendly. I just feel safe everywhere I go, and I just feel like it is such a like, togetherness community, which is just so easy, especially being far from home. It's felt like not just like a second home. It feels like my home," she said.

Where could Utah improve, according to the Utah Royals? While the responses were mostly positive, there were two suggestions for where Utah could improve: its nightlife and restaurants.

O'Brien was surprised by how early places close for the evening, but it's been a minor adjustment, she said.

"Coming from California, I feel like everything's open a lot of the times 24/7, so I think that, considering I'm a night owl, that's like what I've had to adapt to — that everything closes so soon and sometimes (are) not even open on certain days," she said.

Although he has enjoyed his time in Utah the last five months, Coenraets has a bone to pick with the state's food scene.

"I have to be honest. I've been raised with very good food for 29 years. I'm not saying the food is bad. But I still have to adapt on a daily basis, and I still have to find the right places to go," he said.

The head coach has received restaurant recommendations, but he's still on the hunt.

"To be honest, I found a few good places, but I'm still looking for, like, the hidden gems," he said.