Sounders FC today announced two marque additions to its Sports Science Seminar series presented by adidas, as 16-year NFL veteran Rondé Barber and MLS icon Landon Donovan join the club’s annual conference. Being held digitally this year during the COVID-19 public health crisis, registration remains open to the public for the annual Sounders FC event that regularly attracts top names in the sports industry from across all major leagues, as participants discuss the most cutting-edge innovations and developments in sports science and sports performance.
This year’s slate is comprised of a wide range of leaders in their fields, from coaches and former athletes to analysts, agents, sports psychologists and more, across a variety of leagues and sports, which now includes Barber and Donovan. Barber, inducted into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor in 2019, played 16 years in the NFL, where he is regarded as having revolutionized the nickelback position. A five-time Pro Bowler and starting member of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl XXXVII Championship team, Barber holds the distinction of being the only player in NFL history to record 40 career interceptions and 20 career sacks, finishing his years on the field with 47 and 28, respectively. One of the most decorated players in the history of both U.S. Soccer and MLS, Donovan is a six-time MLS Cup winner and is tied with former Sounder Clint Dempsey for the all-time lead in goals for the United States Men’s National Team. He is now co-founder and head coach of San Diego Loyal SC in the USL Championship.
Barber and Donovan join a robust list of speakers and panelists, featuring U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, Olympic Athletes Performance Psychologist Jim Bauman, LA Clippers Director of Rehab Maggie Bryant, Borussia Dortmund High Performance / Strength & Conditioning Coach Andreas Beck, in addition to many others from across the sports world, including a number of Sounders FC personnel.
MEDIA NOTE: Working members of the press are able to 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.
Given the current best practices in combatting COVID-19, the annual Sports Science Seminar is being held virtually in 2020, with all registration fees being donated to support the Seattle Sounders FC Relief Fund, which supports individuals, nonprofits and small businesses in the neighborhoods surrounding CenturyLink Field.
“While the circumstances are not what any of us expected this year, we’re looking forward to taking the Sounders FC Sports Science Seminar into a virtual format,” said Sounders FC President of Soccer & General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “This will allow so many more interested participants the chance to join in and learn from and engage with this year’s talented and diverse pool of presenters. We’re also really pleased to aid in efforts to support those in need through the donation of all registration fees to support the Seattle Sounders FC Relief Fund.”
The seminar is taking place on three consecutive Wednesdays in April – April 15, April 22 and April 29 – from 12:00-4:00 p.m. PT each day, with four featured presentations per session, along with a group roundtable discussion to close out each afternoon. Interested parties can 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.
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.
