Head Athletic Trainer

Head Athletic Trainer

The Head Athletic Trainer will manage the day-to-day sports medicine operations for Racing Louisville FC. This position will be responsible for providing players with comprehensive athletic health services, which includes pre-practice and pre-game prevention, injury/illness evaluation, first aid emergency care, follow-up rehabilitation, and related services all under the advice and consent of a licensed team physician. The Head Athletic Trainer will work closely with the Head Coach, General Manager, and Director of Medical Performance. The performance of duties will be under the direction and supervision of the Team's Chief Medical Officer/Team Physician(s). This is a full-time, year-round position. The Head Athletic Trainer is expected to attend all team training sessions, matches (home and away), team events, and necessary club activities.

Essential Duties

Clinical Care & Player Health Management

• Provide comprehensive athletic training services including injury/illness evaluation, acute care, treatment, rehabilitation, re-assessment, and return-to-play planning.
• Manage on-field emergency care and ensure proper emergency action plan (EAP) execution.
• Implement evidence-based interventions and modify treatment plans based on clinical findings and athlete progression.
• Maintain a high standard of clinical documentation, including injuries, assessments, treatments, physician diagnoses, and RTP timelines within the league's EMR system.
• Monitor daily physical, psychological, and mental health changes and collaborate with appropriate staff for referrals.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA standards (bloodborne pathogens), HIPAA, and all league medical protocols.

Medical Operations & Administration

• Oversee day-to-day sports medicine operations for the professional team.
• Organize and manage preseason physical exams, annual screenings, and league-required medical testing.
• Maintain all medical equipment, modalities, inventories, supplies, and pharmaceuticals in accordance with regulations.
• Initiate and support players' insurance and workers' compensation claims.
• Ensure all medical areas and athletic training facilities are safe, clean, and properly maintained.
• Compile league-required medical reports and documentation in a timely manner.

Communication & Collaboration

• Communicate daily with team physicians, coaching staff, High Performance Unit, General Manager, and Director of Soccer Operations.
• Collaborate with physical therapists, strength & conditioning staff, sports scientists, dietitians, mental health professionals, and external specialists to coordinate holistic care.
• Educate players, coaches, families (if needed), and staff regarding injury prevention, wellness, and rehabilitation programs.
• Maintain familiarity with WADA/FIFA/NWSL banned substances and consult with medical staff regarding supplements or prohibited items.

Injury Prevention & Performance Integration

• Develop, implement, and monitor injury prevention strategies and recovery protocols.
• Assist with workload monitoring and contribute to interdisciplinary discussions around player availability.
• Participate in performance meetings to ensure alignment between medical, technical, and performance departments.

Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise Assistant Athletic Trainers, interns, and students.
• Provide mentorship, direction, and evaluation to medical support staff.
• Ensure consistency of care and compliance across all medical personnel.

Other Duties

• Attend all required league meetings, trainings, and continuing education sessions.
• Uphold all Soccer Holdings, league, state, and federal medical guidelines.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This role supervises the Assistant Athletic Trainer, as well as interns, students, and matchday medical support staff as applicable.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training (providing board of certification).
• Master's degree in Athletic Training or a related field.
• National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification (BOC) certification.
• Current Athletic Training license (or eligibility) in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification.
• Minimum three (3) years post-BOC experience as an Athletic Trainer.
• Minimum three (3) years' experience working with elite athletes (collegiate, professional, or Olympic).
• Experience in fast-paced, high-performance environments.
• Successful completion of a comprehensive background check.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Preferred

• Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), NASM-PES, or NASM-CES.
• Prior experience in professional soccer.
• Familiarity with league medical EMR systems

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. Must be able to stand, walk, run, kneel, bend, climb stairs, and move quickly in emergency situations. Ability to work in adverse weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, snow, wind). Must be able to walk significant distances throughout club facilities, stadiums, and training venues.

Schedule

Must be available to work a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, preseason, postseason, and all team matches and events (home and away). Significant travel required, including on charter flights, buses, and multi-day road trips.

References & Background Check

Racing Louisville FC and the NWSL will contact references and perform thorough background checks for all coaching and technical staff positions. The Club expects all coaches and staff to perform their job duties at the highest level of professionalism, ensuring the safety of our players.

About Our Club

Racing Louisville FC, also known as Racing, is Kentucky's top-tier professional women's soccer team competing in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Founded in 2021 as an NWSL expansion club, Racing is operated by Soccer Holdings, LLC, the same organization behind Louisville City FC. The Team's roster features both World Cup winners and national team-caliber players. Racing plays its home matches at Lynn Family Stadium and trains at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center in Louisville, KY.

Disclaimer

The information in this job description is not exhaustive of all the duties and responsibilities, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to perform the job. At the discretion of management, duties and responsibilities may change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other business needs.

Soccer Holdings, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, class, religion, country of origin, political belief, disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other factor protected by law.