Academy Physical Preparation Coach

Vancouver Whitecaps FC are seeking an innovative Academy Physical Preparation Coach to join our dedicated team. This role involves shaping the athletic foundation of our emerging talent, ensuring they possess the physical resilience and capacities required to excel at the highest levels of professional football.

You'll be an instrumental part of the Academy interdisciplinary team, taking ownership of comprehensive, long-term athletic development strategies on individual and team levels. Contributing to the overall development strategy and physical development pathway, your work will span both on-field and gym-based settings, with a remit to deliver age- and maturation-appropriate strength and conditioning, as well as providing basic sport science support in collaboration with the sport and data science departments.

Key Responsibilities

In collaboration with the Head of Academy Physical preparation:

• Design, implement, and evaluate physical development and strength & conditioning programs, relative to our physical development pathway.
• Conduct comprehensive player assessments and profiling, leveraging objective data to inform individualized development strategies.
• Oversee and manage player training load, utilizing monitoring technologies to track progress, adapt interventions, and ensure optimal development.
• Collaborate seamlessly with technical, medical, nutrition, data science, mental performance and operations departments to foster an integrated approach to athlete development.
• Educate and empower players on best practices for physical conditioning, nutritional strategies, and effective recovery protocols.
• Lead impactful physical development sessions, contribute to individual development plans, and collaborate on targeted rehabilitation planning and delivery.
• Remain at the forefront of youth physical development knowledge, integrating the latest research and methodologies into our academy framework.
• Exhibit and practice club culture and philosophy on all dealings with relevant stakeholders.

We're Looking For Someone Who Has

• A passion for long-term athletic development.
• A versatile and proactive mindset, adept at navigating challenges and adjusting to emerging information.
• A growth mindset in relentless pursuit for improvement.
• Exceptional communication skills, fostering strong relationships across all levels of our organization.
• An embodiment of our cornerstones: discipline, mentality, work ethic and team spirit.

Qualifications & Experience

• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the NSCA, or an equivalent internationally recognized certification.
• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Strength & Conditioning, Sport Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Current CPR/First Aid and relevant safeguarding certifications.
• Previous experience in delivering physical performance support to youth athletes.
• Computer literate and proficient with Microsoft Office suite.

Why Join Us?

At Vancouver Whitecaps FC, you'll have the opportunity to play a meaningful role in shaping the next generation of professional footballers. Working alongside a passionate, multidisciplinary team, you'll contribute to the long-term development of emerging talent within a high-performance environment. Join a Club that values growth, collaboration, discipline, mentality, work ethic and team spirit, where your expertise will help build the foundation for future success on and off the pitch.

The Club

Vancouver Whitecaps FC is the longest-running professional soccer club in Canada and the United States. Since its inaugural season in 1974, the club has united generations of loyal fans in British Columbia and beyond. With academies in eight out of ten provinces, a network of partner clubs, and hundreds of camps and clinics every year, Whitecaps FC provide a foundation for Canada’s soccer future.

We are also strongly committed to providing opportunities to Canadian athletes, both male and female, with the largest soccer development structure in Canada. This includes academy programs in eight of ten provinces across the country.

In addition to building a winning team on and off the pitch, the Club places great importance in giving back to our community, harnessing the power of sport to create a stronger, more equitable & inclusive society through three key community goals: helping meet critical needs, using soccer to build life skills and creating soccer participation opportunities in Indigenous communities.

Inclusion Statement

Vancouver Whitecaps FC believes that diversity and inclusion is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. This includes but is not limited to people of colour, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. Should you require any accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to contact our People & Culture department.

"Within these walls, you are welcomed, accepted, and respected. Here, no matter who you are or where you come from, you are home. And you’re part of the team regardless of your age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, marital or family status, disability, or religious belief or non-belief. All we ask is that you be ethical and inclusive in all that you do. Be respectful of all players, fans, and staff, and remember to cheer loudest for the ones wearing the blue and white. Go ‘Caps!"

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.