What are the responsibilities and job description for the Physical Development Coach position at FC Cincinnati?
Job Title: Physical Development Coach
Department: Sports Performance
Reports to: Director of Sports Performance / Director of Player Development
About FC Cincinnati, TQL Stadium and Mercy Health Training Center
FC Cincinnati is a Major League Soccer team playing at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The club’s wide and diverse ownership group is led by controlling owner Carl H. Lindner III; as well as managing owners Meg Whitman and Dr. Griff Harsh; Scott Farmer; and George Joseph. Originally founded in 2015 by Lindner III and current president Jeff Berding, FCC began play in the United Soccer League (USL) in 2016. The club won the 2018 USL Regular-Season Championship in record-setting fashion and earned postseason berths in all three of its USL seasons. In 2017, FC Cincinnati also advanced to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a run that included victories over two MLS squads. FC Cincinnati opened the clubs privately funded, 26,000-seat soccer-specific TQL Stadium in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati in 2021. FCC entered MLS as the 24th team in 2019.
TQL Stadium, home of FC Cincinnati, is one of the most ambitious soccer-specific stadiums in not only North America, but the world. Critically acclaimed firm Populous designed an innovative and forward-thinking stadium that is one of the largest soccer-specific facilities in Major League Soccer. The closest seats are within 15 feet of the pitch at the $250 million, privately funded stadium. The design includes 53 traditional suites and 4,500 premium seats throughout four premium club spaces. FC Cincinnati’s supporters’ section, The Bailey, has grown to be more than 3,100 strong and loom over opponents at a 34-degree angle at the stadium’s north end. A 360-degree canopy roof covers every seat in TQL Stadium, but still allows sufficient sun in to grow a natural grass field. The stadium has five team locker rooms, including a comprehensive team suite for FC Cincinnati that features a dressing room, coach’s office, lounge, equipment storage and the Mercy Health Center of Excellence for the team’s medical and game day fitness needs. TQL Stadium meets all current requirements to host CONCACAF and FIFA events, and within the first year of the stadium’s completion has featured both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams, including the USMNT’s FIFA World Cup Qualification match vs. Mexico.
The team also opened the state-of-the-art Mercy Health Training Center (MHTC) in Milford, Ohio. Designed by MSA Sport, the $30 million, 24-acre facility includes three full-size, lighted soccer fields – including two stabilized natural grass surfaces and one synthetic turf surface – as well as a goalkeeper-specific training area. The MLS team is housed in a 30,000 sq. ft., multilevel building abutting the fields, while the FCC Academy teams utilize a separate 4,000 sq. ft. wing of the building. Additionally, there is a 3,000 sq. ft. maintenance facility on the property. In the design process, the MSA Sport design team benchmarked training grounds across the world, including the best in Europe, South America, and Asia. The goal of the design meets the original goal to develop one of the premier and most progressive team facilities in Major League Soccer and North America
Job Summary
Reporting into the Director of Sports Performance and Director of Player Development, the role of the Physical Development Coach is to lead the physical development of MLS NEXT Pro players at FC Cincinnati. An accomplished practitioner, the individual will work together with the technical staff to increase player athleticism to aid on-field performance and reduce injury occurrence, as part of a holistic long-term athletic development program.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead all aspects of MLS NEXT Pro athlete preparation, end-stage rehabilitation, and injury prevention in close communication with management, coaching and medical staff
- Using best-practice scientific principles, devise appropriate on-field training programs including power, speed, change of direction and aerobic fitness to prepare players for the demands of training and match-play
- Using best-practice strength and conditioning assessments for soccer players, perform a needs analysis of each player to identify individual strengths and weakness and drive appropriate individual development programs
- Drive the strength & conditioning strategy of MLS NEXT Pro and Under 19 academy players in accordance with scientific training principles
- Deliver gym-based strength & conditioning programs to players, in accordance with growth and maturation status and long-term athletic development model
- Together with the Director of Sports Performance, align with club-wide monitoring strategies for MLS NEXT Pro players to individually monitor each player within the team and micro-manage those players to mitigate injury risk and optimize player health, well-being, and readiness
- Manage the collection, storage and analysis of all MLS NEXT Pro player wellness and training load data and provide effective feedback to key stakeholders within the organization
- Travel with the MLS NEXT Pro team; responsible for competitive match physical preparation and delivery of recovery practices
- Assist the Head of Sports Science and Nutrition to develop an educational resource/program for players in areas such as Nutrition, Lifestyle, Preparation and Recovery to complement existing education provided by coaches and performance department staff
Qualifications & Experience
- Master’s degree in Sport / Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Sports Nutrition, or a related field and CSCS certification
- Minimum of 2 years of experience working with elite athletes in a high-performance sporting environment
- A thorough understanding of the holistic needs of developmental soccer players
- Knowledge of sports science, strength and conditioning science, sports nutrition, and sports medicine disciplines
- Proven ability to collaborate successfully as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team to solve performance problems
- Experience of management of athletes in individual and group settings
- Expertise in U.S. soccer and an understanding of the MLS schedule would be advantageous
- Experience of maintaining databases and working with athlete monitoring systems
- Proficient in use of common sports science technological equipment / software (GPS, Heart rate, Jump testing, skinfold calipers)
- Ability to communicate information in a manner that is easily understood by a range of audiences
- A critical thinker, receptive to feedback and willing to learn
- Creative, dynamic, and enthusiastic personality
- Motivational coaching style. Ability to demonstrate and role model appropriately
- Pro-active with excellent organizational and time-management skills
- Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide verification of vaccination prior to start date
FC Cincinnati is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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