1st Team Performance Coach

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment•Commerce City, CO

15d•$75,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Colorado Rapids are looking for an energetic, engaged, innovative, and highly organized 1 st Team Performance Coach. The 1 st Team Performance Coach will be directly responsible for collaborating with the Director of Performance to create and execute all pre-activation and S&C programming, along with collaborating with the medical staff in return to play programming, all in alignment with our Player Health & Performance Department systems and protocols. This includes working closely with the Director of Player Performance, Senior Director of Sport & Data Science, and medical staff to develop and support individual player development that is in line with the needs and wants of the club. Knowledge and experience in elite return to play, movement quality assessment, pre-activation planning, S&C programming, and physical/tactical periodization processes are required to be successful in this role. This position requires a coach who understands and respects high performance environments and who takes great pride in creating an elite, holistic, player-centric, team-first culture, ensuring that each individual player is optimizing their ability to achieve peak performance while maximizing their athletic potential and overall development throughout. Important to this role is the ability to work within a multidisciplinary team, contribute to the club’s return to performance process, and utilize objective data to help inform decision-making process. This role will support the vertical alignment of the Colorado Rapids by working with High Potential R2 & Academy Players throughout the year to facilitate elite homegrown player development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Strength & Conditioning, Sports Science, or equivalent
3+ years’ experience working as an S&C Coach, Performance Coach, Hybrid Role (ATC & Performance Coach), or equivalent in an elite soccer environment (e.g., MLS First Team Environment, 2 nd Team, Academy, NCAA Division I Program, etc., elite professional training centers), minimum
NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) NSCA CSCS is required for this role, but can be obtained within 3-months of hire for exceptional candidates with extensive professional soccer backgrounds and other qualifying education/certification
Movement Assessment Certification (or) Extensive Knowledge & Expertise
Must have experience using technologies such as Bridge (or other online platform), STATSports GPS, HR monitors, VALD Tech: Force Frame, Force Decks, Nordbord, Dynamo, Speed Gates, Velocity Based Training System, and any others that can make a positive impact
A specific skillset that exudes passion in execution, combining soccer performance, & sport science, injury rehabilitation, and soccer knowledge, to support a proven high-performance environment with young, talented, and ambitious practitioners through tactical periodization, data analysis, dynamic systems theory and soccer specific performance concepts
One’s ability to remain adaptable, authentic, and accountable is critical in finding success
Team player who wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves, a dedicated, charismatic, and optimistic practitioner who is an elite coach and believes in selfless service
Experience using Excel, Tableau, and/or Power BI, doing some basic statistical analysis when needed with a deep understanding of data visualization and interpretation to make real-time decisions
Must demonstrate professionalism, punctuality, and exhibit proper ethical behavior, always
Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills and the ability to work with a diverse group of individuals, interacting with professional players and staff, front office executives & employees, owners and other stakeholders to positively always represent the club

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Strength & Conditioning, Sports Science, or equivalent
Soccer background (USSF C License or above preferred) with coaching and/or playing experience
EXOS Performance Specialist (XPS) - Mentorship Program and/or Internship Program
NSCA Certified Performance & Sport Scientist (CPSS)
Athletic Training Certification w/ high performance background in soccer environment
Altis Coaching Certifications
Other, depending on certification/experience
Proficiency in foreign language- especially Spanish and/or Portuguese- preferred

Responsibilities

Create and maintain a strong working partnership with the First Team Interdisciplinary Team (Director of Performance, Senior Director of Sport & Data Science, Sport Scientist , Medical Staff, Nutritionist, Sport Psychologist, CMO, etc.) , collaborating to create a unified performance/medical approach as modeled by the First Team, facilitating a player-centric, team first environment that is committed to selfless service, player/personal development, and elite individual care for all First Team players.
Serve as a resource to the First Team coaching staff by positively influencing internal and external player loads to optimize adaptation, fitness, development, and most of all player availability, using the PHP developmental framework to guide the training process.
Track and manage player performance profiles for each First Team player and High Potential Player (R2 & Academy), including readiness testing, performance testing data, match load output, and any other relevant information.
Support medical staff and Performance staff to develop individualized Return to Performance (RTP) program that allow each athlete to progress safely back to full training as guided by existing RTP process.
Responsible for all performance programming and physical periodization through each phase of the year (i.e., off-season, pre-season, in-season, and post-season) in the gym under the guidance of and in collaboration with Director of Performance & Senior Director of Sport & Data Science.
Assist with the collection and processing of gym, movement assessment, and performance related data , using PHP department protocols to monitor internal and external training loads and operating within the scope laid out by Director of Sport and Data Science, Director of Performance, and Head of Medical, using the following technologies to create individual player profiles: VALD Forcedecks (e.g., CMVJ and IMTP), Forceframe (e.g., Adductor/Abductor squeeze), Nordboard (e.g., Hamstring test), Smart Speed Gates (e.g., 10m & 30m sprint testing), Dynamo (Isometric and Range of Motion testing) Teambuildr for all individual and team pre-activation plans, corrective exercise strategies, gym program periodization and delivery, and recovery/regen sessions. Smartabase Athlete Management System to track Daily Readiness & Availability (i.e., Training Status, Wellness Questionnaire, Session RPE, Hydration Status, Nutrition, etc.), in combination with all other data sources to create a robust player performance profile via aggregation and data visualization as guided by Colorado Rapids appointed (Smartabase) Administrators (Senior Director of Sport & Data Science and Head of Strength & Conditioning). Others , as deemed necessary by PHP Department
Design and administer individualized pre-training activation/injury-prevention protocols based on evidence-based practices and movement evaluations, injury history, positional demands of the game, and any other biopsychosocial factors that need to be addressed.
Perform activation/regeneration sessions , supporting the Director of Performance as needed.
Design and execute periodized training plans in collaboration with Director of Performance in the gym using technology and data to help best prepare athletes to reach their true potential
Provide individual and small group training programs & sessions for those non-rostered, not traveling, or injured, running on field technical/fitness session that is specific to player needs, positional demands, and stage of rehabilitation to replicate a match load, using specific metric thresholds to facilitate an appropriate training session when necessary
Work with First Team Player Development Coach and PHP Staff to monitor and manage training loads for High Potential Players participating across various teams, playing an active role in the Academy – Rapids 2 – First Team player movement continuum.
Maintain a high level of knowledge and practical application skills that are supported by recent evidence-based practices and scientific research to guide programing (pre-activation, S&C, RTP)
Required to tra ck individual player progress at each stage of the developmental lifecycle (Academy – R2 – First Team) , identifying high potential homegrown players to make a positive impact on First Team results and overall return on investment
Meet with Player Health and Performance Department daily, supporting player care & performance continuum
Participate in daily, weekly, session planning/organization in coordination with Director of Performance and Senior Director of Sport & Data Science, maintaining an accurate pulse
Monitor daily performance reports and readiness testing summarizations and inform Director of Performance & Senior Director of Sport & Data Science of any red flags or pertinent information that will influence player availability during training/competition
Run general maintenance on gym equipment and technology and liaise vendors to ensure equipment is in proper working order that is conducive to a high-performance environment, managing and coordinating maintenance, replacement, and cleanliness of all gym assets
Travel with the First Team when necessary
Complete Annual Safe Sport & Concussion Awareness Trainings as mandated by MLS
Other duties as assigned by Director of Performance, Senior Director of Sport & Data Science, Head of Medical, & Technical Director

Benefits

401K plan/Employer Match (1 for .5 match, up to 3%) after 1 year of employment
12 Paid Company Holidays & Paid Time Off (PTO) – Not during season
Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision)
Life Insurance, Short and Long-term Disability
Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending plans (FSAs)
Continuing Education Budget of $2,500/year that brings value to the employee and club, including: PSPA Membership & Conference Dues/trip expenses allocated to employee CEUs NSCA PMI Insurance & Membership Dues Covered
Company Phone
Company issues computer for all work-related duties assigned
Parking spot in First Team Lot with parking pass and ID badge for stadium access
Free meals during all training (Breakfast & Lunch) and match days (Lunch & Dinner)
All meal, hotel, & travel expenses paid when traveling on club business (e.g., Away Matches)
Secondary to First Team Player needs, access to team physicians, massage therapists, ATCs, chiro, and Psyche professionals when needed and/or available
Complementary Club Gear provided (shoes, cleats, socks, shorts, pants, tops, jackets, etc.)
2 Tickets to all MLS Regular Season Home Matches, more upon request & availability
Free admission to all Rapids 2 MLS Next Pro matches
2 Tickets to end of year Colorado Rapids “A Burgundy Affair” Black Tie Event
Discounted or, sometimes, free tickets to all Kroenke Sports & Entertainment venues: (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Ball Arena, Paramount Theater)
Regular All-Staff raffles to enter and win tickets to sporting events, concerts, etc.
50% off Black Swan Yoga memberships
24-hour access to First Team Area for work related activity, gym & modality usage (sauna, hot tub, cold plunge, red light therapy, hyperbolic chamber)
Potential opportunities to shadow and collaborate with other sporting professionals in Kroenke owned sports organizations: Arsenal FC, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, LA Rams, & The Mammoths
Free CPR/AED Training & Certification Renewal, provided by Kroenke