Academy Performance Coach

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment•Commerce City, CO

About The Position

Colorado Rapids is looking for an energetic, engaged, innovative, and highly organized performance coach. The Strength and Conditioning Coach will be directly responsible for facilitating performance training programs for all Academy athletes. Important to this role is the ability to work within a multidisciplinary team and utilize objective data to help inform the training and decision-making process, maximizing the effectiveness of our developmental pathway.

Requirements

This individual must possess a minimum of a B.S. in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Sports Performance, Strength & Conditioning, or equivalent.
First Aid/CPR/AED certification required.
NSCA CSCS Certified (or) must obtain certification within first 3 months of employment.
EXOS Performance Specialist Certification or NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist.
USSF D License Required (or) must have soccer playing background in a competitive/elite professional or developmental environment that is equivalent to MLS Academy setting.
USSF Coaching Licenses required each year up through the C License as part of professional development plan to bridge the gap between performance and technical staffs.
Individual must demonstrate professionalism, punctuality, and exhibit proper ethical behavior.
Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills and the ability to work with a diverse group of individuals.
Must possess the ability to adapt to unpredictable circumstances and handle a highly demanding work environment.
Ability to prioritize responsibilities and multi-task effectively.
Ability to acquire or produce and maintain a valid Colorado driver’s license and meet company vehicle driving standards.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of professional sports team operations, public relations, and/or sponsor relations is preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and administer a soccer specific, developmentally driven, and biologically age-appropriate periodization model in coordination with the Player Health and Performance (PHP) Department and Academy Director, facilitating optimal individual player development within a team setting that supports the Colorado Rapids game model and tactical periodization strategy with the primary goal of preparing players to graduate into the Rapids 2 program and long-term vision of signing First Team Homegrown Contracts.
Assist Academy Director with physical loading parameters of each 6-week training block of work for each team within the Academy (u18, u16, & u15), matching pre-activation plans, on-field activations, gym programming, and recovery strategies to expected movement/load demands presented by each week’s theme, style of play (i.e., high pressure - possession based), and overall club philosophy, developing players who embody the core values of the Colorado Rapids Academy (Humility – Respect – Hard Work – Discipline) .
Create and maintain a strong working partnership with the Academy Athletic Trainers , collaborating to create a unified performance/medical approach as modeled by the First Team and Rapids 2, facilitating a club first, player-centric environment that is committed to selfless service, player/personal development, and elite individual care for all Academy players.
Serve as a resource to the Academy coaching staff by positively influencing internal and external player loads to optimize adaptation, fitness, and overall development using the PHP developmental framework to guide the developmental process.
Track and manage player performance profiles for each Academy player, including quarterly maturation measurements to compare chronological and biological age gaps and athletic profile projections based on player’s current biological age, performance testing data, match load output, and any other relevant information.
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).
Manage all performance technology for the Academy , using PHP department protocols to monitor internal and external training loads and operating within the scope laid out by Sr. Director of Sport and Data Science, Director of Performance, using the following technologies to create individual player profiles: STATSports GPS system for both MLS Next Pro-Pathway teams (U18 & U16), guiding the technical staff by providing accurate player load information in real time using live data during training and competition that is in line with optimal training adaptation, development, and overall player safety.
Upload, cut, and clean data after each training session and competition in a timely fashion, using precise PHP nomenclature to accurately organize and catalogue training session activities and matches, supporting our data informed decision-making process.
VALD Forcedecks (e.g., CMVJ and IMTP), Forceframe (e.g., Adductor/Abductor squeeze), Nordboard (e.g., Hamstring test), Dynamo, and SmartSpeed Gates (e.g., 10m & 30m sprint testing).
Bridge Athletic for all individual and team pre-activation plans, corrective exercise strategies, gym program periodization and delivery, and recovery/regen sessions.
Teamworks 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 (Teamworks AMS) Administrators (Senior Director of Sport & Data Science and Director of Performance).
Implement an Athlete Education Program including but not limited to mindset, recovery, nutrition/lifestyle, strength training, and injury prevention.
Provide individualized Return to Play (RTP) Protocols that allow each athlete to progress safely back to full training as guided by existing PHP RTP processes in coordination with Academy ATC and when necessary, Rapids 2 and/or First Team Staff.
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.
Provide at home training programs for those not traveling, injured, or during cancelled sessions (due to weather).
Required to generate and submit bi-annual physical profile report for all players in the MLS Pro-Pathway, identifying players with high potential and a brief overview of how we plan to maximize that potential over the Academy lifecycle.
Create and distribute required reports for national team call ups as required/requested to ensure our high potential players are maintaining their physical preparation and programming while away.
Additionally, coordinating with national team performance staff to report physical output during training camps or international competitions to safely reintegrate the player into Academy training, minimizing any risk.
Serve as a resource for Colorado Rapids Alliance Clubs and work with Academy Scout to build out ideal performance profiles and testing summaries for any trialists that come into the Academy training environment to then compare with existing Rapids players or ideal player profiles.
Required to attend bi-monthly coaching education sessions (approximately 1 hour every two weeks) to gain a full understanding of the Colorado Rapids game model, style of play, overall club philosophy, amongst other topics.
Travel as required.

Benefits

12 Paid Company Holidays
Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision)
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Life Insurance
Short and Long-term Disability
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending plans (FSAs)
401K plan and match of .5% up to 3% (I.e., 401k contribution of 6% is matched with 3% from employer) after 1 year of employment.
Continuing Education budgeted annually upon approval and need of additional skillset, professional development, and maintenance of professional certification requirements.
Summer Off-Season, approximately 3-4 weeks long, depending on playoff outcomes and Spring pre-season start dates.
Winter Off-Season, approximately 5 weeks long, depending on Fall pre-season start dates.