Sounders FC kicked off its 2020 Sports Science Seminar presented by adidas last Wednesday, as participants representing 40 US states and 29 countries spent the afternoon taking in engaging presentations from a decorated speaking panel that included NFL legend Rondé Barber, MLS great Landon Donovan, USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter and others.
This year, the seminar is taking place in a virtual format across three Wednesdays in April. Each session – April 15, April 22 and April 29 – runs from 12:00-4:00 p.m. PT, with four featured presentations per session, along with a group roundtable discussion to close out each afternoon. This year also features a reduced registration fee, the full amount of which is being donated to the Seattle Sounders FC Relief Fund, which supports individuals, nonprofits and small businesses in the neighborhoods surrounding CenturyLink Field.
The second of three weeks of the seminar takes place this Wednesday, with a new and exciting slate of speakers. In order, participants in the seminar this week will hear from Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey, NHL Seattle Director of Hockey Strategy & Research Alexandra Mandrycky, NBA Agent at Beyond Athlete Management Daniel Poneman, and both Inter Miami CF Assistant Coach Albert Rude and Inter Miami Assistant Coach & Video Analyst Brett Utley. Following the individual presentations, these speakers will be joined by Rangers FC Assistant Coach Michael Beale, Major League Baseball Senior Vice President for Baseball Operations Kim Ng, Sounders FC Assistant Coach Gonzalo Pineda and Seattle Seahawks Director of Research & Development Patrick Ward for the afternoon’s roundtable.
MEDIA NOTE: Working members of the press can attend the 2020 Sounders FC Sports Science Seminar series. Interested media should contact Kelly Schutz of Sounders FC Communications [KellyS@SoundersFC.com] to reserve a place. Interested media must RSVP no later than 9:00 p.m. PT today in order to attend this Wednesday’s session.
Interested parties who are not credentialed members of the media corps but wish to attend the seminar series can still register at SoundersFC.com/SportsScience. Registration is rolling and will remain open throughout the three-week conference period, but participants must be registered no later than 11:00 a.m. PT on a given conference day in order to take part. The $50 registration fee covers all three weeks of presentations and is not prorated by session. Registrants will receive a recorded version of the entire three weeks of the seminar and a certificate of completion following the third and final week.
The focus of this year’s conference takes a different path than in past seasons, recognizing the challenging time most are facing and the innate desire for deeper human connection. Rather than focusing on cutting-edge monitoring or the newest training and rehabilitation methods, the 2020 Sports Science Seminar is concentrating on a single theme: hearing from 12 world leaders across multiple sports and leagues about what winning means in their role and how they communicate cross-functionally across their organization. In discussing a single topic in intense detail, the goal is to put stakeholders from successful teams in one place all together to ignite discussion about different roles within the team environment, with the hope that all participants leave with a better understanding of different perspectives while fostering connectedness.
Each day of the seminar consists of four 45-minute presentations, each from a different speaker who will take participants inside the speaker’s world from their respective organizations. Each presenter will discuss their role, their industry journey, what winning means within their position and how they communicate this across their organization. The final hour of each day’s schedule will feature a moderated roundtable between participants and speakers, along with the addition of special VIP guests.
This year, the presenters include the following leaders in their fields:
- Rondé Barber, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back and Super Bowl Champion
- Jim Bauman, Olympic Athletes Sport & Human Performance Psychologist
- Andreas Beck, Borussia Dortmund High Performance / Strength & Conditioning Coach
- Gregg Berhalter, U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team Head Coach
- Maggie Bryant, LA Clippers Director of Rehab
- David Joyce, The Performance Union High Performance Leadership & Strategy Specialist
- Efthymios Kyprianou, Hatta Club FC Sports Scientist
- Garth Lagerwey, Sounders FC President of Soccer & General Manager
- Alexandra Mandrycky, NHL Seattle Director of Hockey Strategy & Research
- Daniel Poneman, Beyond Athlete Management NBA Agent
- Mike Robertson, Owner, I-FAST
- Albert Rude, Inter Miami CF Assistant Coach
- Brett Uttley, Inter Miami Assistant Coach & Video Analyst
Additionally, special guests joining these speakers for the roundtable portions of the event include Art of Coaching Owner Brett Bartholomew, Rangers FC Assistant Coach Michael Beale, San Diego Loyal SC Executive VP of Soccer & Manager Landon Donovan, Sounders FC Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Sean Muldoon, Major League Baseball Senior Vice President for Baseball Operations Kim Ng, Sounders FC Assistant Coach Gonzalo Pineda, Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, former Director of Rehab/Sports Science for Everton FC, Matt Taberner, Orlando Magic High Performance Director and former Sounder Dave Tenney and Seattle Seahawks Director of Research & Development Patrick Ward.
Those interested in viewing the full event schedule, learning more or registering for the 2020 Sounders FC Sports Science Seminar presented by adidas may do so via SoundersFC.com/SportsScience.
