Academy Performance Coach

Complementary Training; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 10,000 - GBP 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading training provider is seeking a qualified professional to enhance the Performance & Medicine department at AFC Bournemouth. The successful candidate will deliver strength and conditioning coaching to youth teams, develop conditioning programs, and collaborate with medical teams on player development. Candidates should hold a relevant BSc or MSc, have experience in youth football, and possess strength & conditioning accreditation. This role supports both personal and professional development in an inclusive environment.

Responsibilities

• Deliver strength and conditioning coaching for academy squads U9-U16.
• Assist in creation of gym and field conditioning programs.
• Lead physical assessments and interpret data for personalized programs.
• Collaborate with the medical team for injury prevention.
• Ensure all staff receive high-quality scientific support daily.

Skills

Sport Science or Strength & Conditioning knowledge

Experience working at youth level in professional football

Knowledge of growth and maturation

Attention to detail

Strength & Conditioning accreditation

Education

BSc. in Sport Science or Strength & Conditioning

MSc. in Sport Science or Strength & Conditioning

Job description

Overview

Location: AFC Bournemouth Performance Centre, Wimborne

The post holder will strive to develop gold standard practice within the academy Performance & Medicine department at AFC Bournemouth. This will be achieved through the understanding and implementation of best practice strength and conditioning, and appropriate level of scientific support.

Responsibilities

Departmental Requirements

• To work and liaise effectively within the department and integrate with current staff across the academy.
• To be willing to further their knowledge through continuous professional development and implement relevant knowledge into practice, of which the club will support.
• Willingness to work across a range of age groups spanning from the U9’s to the U16’s.

Strength and Conditioning Responsibilities

• Deliver best practice strength and conditioning coaching in line with the department philosophies, to academy squads U9-U16.
• Assist in the production and delivery of gym and field-based conditioning programmes tailored for differing needs of each age group and individuals within those teams.
• Lead/Assist in physical assessment procedures with academy squads, and ensure all data is recorded and interpreted, with future programmes tailored to individual needs.
• Collaborate with the medical team ensuring best practice injury prevention methods are conducted.
• Adhere to the club movement curriculum that can be applied across different age groups highlighting key movements that players should be able to attain during certain stages of development with clear progressions as key motor skills are learnt.

Sport Science Responsibilities

• Ensure that all playing staff are offered high quality scientific support on a day-to-day basis.
• To keep abreast with sport science research development and advances and maintain an open and flexible stance regarding best sport science practice.
• Monitor and interpret individual and team training data whilst providing knowledgeable feedback to medical department and coaches.
• Use training data to try to offer advice on subsequent team training periodization.
• Demonstrate a willingness to further personal knowledge into all disciplines of sport science including nutrition, physiology, psychology, and biomechanics, by attending relevant educational courses to positively enhance future sport science practice.
• Partake and contribute to department in service sessions on a regular basis, aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the department and ensuring best practice.
• Contribution to 8 weekly player reports providing individual feedback in conjunction with the medical team on players’ athletic profile and development.

General

• Ensure in all matters, you follow and actively promote the club’s mental health policies and practices to ensure an open, non-judgmental and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.
• Ensure that you to adhere to the club’s safeguarding policies and procedures and are committed to our safeguarding values, creating a safe and positive environment for all those who interact with the club.
• Obligation to adhere to the club’s health and safety policy and procedures.
• Ensure in all matters you follow and actively promote the club’s equality policies and practices to ensure a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.
• Responsibility to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and all related Company policies, taking reasonable care for their own safety and that of others, reporting hazards or incidents, following safe systems of work, and co-operating with all training and emergency procedures.

The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time; or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• BSc. (or equivalent) qualification in Sport Science or Strength & Conditioning
• Experience working at youth level in professional football.
• Extensive knowledge of growth and maturation
• Strong operational ability with an attention to detail.
• MSc. (or equivalent) qualification in Sport Science or Strength & Conditioning
• UKSCA or NSCA strength & conditioning accreditation