Job Title: Academy Athletic Trainer
Club: Vancouver FC
Location: The Stadium at the Langley Events Centre
Department: Academy
Reports To: Club Physician
Role Overview
The Academy Athletic Trainer is responsible for the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries for Vancouver FC Academy players across all age groups. This role requires a genuine passion for working with youth athletes and an understanding of the unique physical and developmental demands placed on young players. The successful candidate will work closely with academy coaching, performance, and medical staff to ensure the long-term health and athletic development of our players. The academy typically trains four times a week in the afternoons. The academy season starts in September and concludes in April
Key Responsibilities
- Provide on-site athletic training coverage for academy training sessions, home fixtures, and travel for away competitions
- Conduct injury screenings, load monitoring, and wellness checks across all academy age groups
- Design and implement age-appropriate injury prevention programs in collaboration with academy coaching and strength & conditioning staff
- Evaluate and manage acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries with a focus on long-term athlete development (LTAD) principles
- Develop individualized rehabilitation programs for injured academy players and communicate return-to-play timelines to coaches and parents/guardians
- Maintain accurate medical records for all academy players in compliance with club, league, and privacy regulations
- Liaise with parents and guardians regarding player health, injury management, and medical referrals
- Coordinate with external physicians, physiotherapists, and specialists as needed ● Manage treatment room supplies, medical kits, and equipment inventory for the academy ● Support pre-season and ongoing player health screenings across academy age groups
- Assist in educating young players on injury prevention, recovery, nutrition, and overall wellness
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Athletic Training, Kinesiology, or a related field
- Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) designation or equivalent Canadian certification (e.g., CAT(C) through CATA)
- Current CPR/AED certification
- Minimum 1–2 years of experience in a sport or high-performance setting, with experience working with youth athletes strongly preferred
- Solid understanding of growth-related injuries and the physical demands of youth soccer players
- Strong communication skills, particularly when working with young athletes, parents, and coaches
- Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends
Key Competencies
- Experience working within a soccer academy, youth club, or CPL/MLS environment
- Familiarity with Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) frameworks and FIFA's youth development medical guidelines
- Additional certifications in manual therapy, dry needling, or sports nutrition are an asset ● Vulnerable Sector Check (required prior to employment)
- Bilingual (English/French) is considered an asset
What We Offer
- A competitive compensation package commensurate with experience
- The opportunity to shape the health and development of future Canadian soccer stars ● A collaborative, player-first workplace culture
- Professional development opportunities within the Vancouver FC organization
