Minnesota United bolstered their training staff with the addition of former Seattle Sounders strength and conditioning coach Jarryd Phillips. Phillips brings MLS experience to the club as it looks toward both ensuring a fall season title this year and a smooth transition to MLS in 2017 or 2018.
“I’ve had very good conversations with the coaching staff and their plans and vision for the team were awesome,” Phillips said. “The professionalism of the club and the way they are running things blew my mind. It’s all about the excitement of joining a team with an exceptionally bright future.”
Phillips has ties to the North, having coached with the PDL’s Thunder Bay Chill in 2012 and the University of Mary (ND)’s staff in 2013 and 2014. The following year, he was signed by Seattle Sounders, helping to instill a sports science mentality to the Sounders. Using instruments like Omegawave technology, the Sounders were able to monitor their players’ heart rates and performance levels to quickly modify their training plan and best accommodate their team. Phillips worked closely with the team’s USL team (S2) to also work with young players (such as current Loon Damion Lowe) to get them into peak fitness.
“My main focus is to get settled and get an understanding of the club, the players, the philosophy of the organization,” said Phillips. “Then as we progress to really broaden my relationships with the players. Each athlete is different so it’s important to build a relationship and understanding with each player individually.”
The sports science method revolves around internal measures (like daily player surveys and self-reporting) and external application based off of these internal processes. While there was no announced plan to bring this format to Minnesota United, it must be expected that signing a professional with Phillips’s background implies a preference for these methods. Phillips has joined the staff immediately and will look to aide in the club’s target to make the NASL Championship this November.
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