About Us
Utah Royals FC, Real Salt Lake, Real Monarchs, and the RSL Academy are united by a shared mission of winning together through development. We are committed to building world-class teams by investing in people—developing players, staff, and leaders through collaboration, growth, and a high-performance culture. If you’re passionate about sport and motivated to grow your career in a purpose-driven organization, we invite you to join us.
Summary
The Assistant Strength Coach supports the planning, delivery, and monitoring of gym-based strength, power, speed, and injury-prevention programming for women’s professional soccer players competing in the NWSL. This role focuses on safe and effective training execution, athlete education, and close collaboration with performance, medical, nutrition, and coaching staff to optimize player availability, long-term health, and on-field performance. The position requires a strong understanding of female athlete considerations and a commitment to creating a professional, inclusive, and athlete-centered training environment.
Responsibilities Include:
- Assist in the delivery of individualized and team-based strength, power, and speed programs aligned with the club’s performance philosophy.
- Supervise gym and field-based strength sessions, ensuring proper technique, intent, safety, and load management.
- Progress and regress exercises based on athlete readiness, training phase, and performance objectives.
- Support injury-prevention strategies and workload monitoring in collaboration with performance and medical staff.
- Assist with return-to-play and reconditioning strength progressions under the direction of medical personnel.
- Monitor athletes during modified, individual, or reconditioning sessions.
- Track gym loads, attendance, strength metrics, and athlete progress using performance monitoring systems.
- Assist with physical testing protocols (e.g., jump testing, isometric assessments, force plate, and VALD data collection).
- Contribute to daily performance, training load, and player availability reporting.
- Work collaboratively with the Lead Strength Coach, Head of Performance, medical staff, nutrition staff, and technical coaches.
- Communicate clearly and professionally with players regarding training intent, technique, recovery, and expectations.
- Maintain a professional, inclusive, and athlete-centered environment that reflects the club’s values and NWSL standards.
- Support strength and speed programming for goalkeepers, including coordination with the Goalkeeper Coach and oversight of relevant testing.
- Assist with gym-based programming for designated youth or development players (e.g., U18s), as assigned.
- Develop and progress gym-based rehabilitation and reconditioning programs in collaboration with the Lead Strength Coach and medical staff.
- Support and collaborate with the nutrition department on initiatives related to fueling, recovery, and education.
- Set up, maintain, organize, and ensure safe operation of the weight room and training spaces.
- Ensure adherence to club policies, safeguarding standards, league regulations, and best practices for working with women athletes.
- Utilize performance technology and data responsibly to inform training decisions and athlete care.
- Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, Sports Science, or a related field.
- Nationally recognized Strength & Conditioning certification (e.g., CSCS).
- Completion of 2–3 strength and conditioning internships.
- Minimum of 2–3 years of experience working as a strength coach in a high-performance environment.
- Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification.
- Demonstrates a high level of professionalism, integrity, and accountability in a high-performance environment.
- Possesses an outgoing, approachable, and athlete-centered personality that builds trust and rapport with players and staff.
- Exhibits excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to clearly explain training concepts and provide constructive feedback.
- Communicates effectively and collaborates across multidisciplinary teams, including performance, medical, nutrition, and technical staff.
- Maintains strong organizational skills, adaptability, and a positive presence while representing the Club internally and externally.
- Able to work evenings and weekends to accommodate the Team’s schedule.
- Able to pass an NWSL background check and become Safesport certified.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in women’s professional soccer or elite female sport environments.
- Demonstrated understanding of female athlete health, load management, and injury considerations.
- Master’s degree in Sports Science, Exercise Physiology, or a related field.
Physical Requirements
This position requires the ability to stand, walk, and move for extended periods; demonstrate and coach physical movements; lift, move, and set up training equipment weighing up to 50 pounds; and perform physical tasks such as bending, squatting, kneeling, reaching, pushing, and pulling. The role requires work in both indoor and outdoor environments and the ability to visually observe and verbally communicate with athletes and staff in training and competition settings. The position also requires the ability to maintain physical stamina and focus during non-traditional work hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position, in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
The Club provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.
Note: The need may arise to revise, supplement, or rescind portions of this job description, and the Club reserves the right to do so at any time. Employees shall be required to meet the qualifications and perform the duties of any revised job description.
