Description

ABOUT SPARC

SPARC – Sports Performance Athletic Recovery Center – is one of the DMV’s premier athletic training facilities — a world-class space built for athletes who are serious about getting better. Located in Beltsville, Maryland, just north of College Park, SPARC serves athletes from middle school through the professional level across sports performance training, basketball skill development, boxing, yoga, and sports medicine through a partnership with MedStar Health.

We are best known today for our elite basketball programming and state-of-the-art indoor facility. With an outdoor turf area coming online, SPARC is actively expanding into multi-sport skill training — building a true destination for serious athletes across several sporting genres.

We aspire to integrate world class skill development coaching standards with bespoke sports performance strategies and service delivery.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are Seeking an experienced leader in the athletic performance/S&C Industry to continue the evolution of high-performance sport integration, training, and recovery here at SPARC.  As the Director of Athletic Performance, you will lead the design, implementation, and continuous monitoring/evaluation of SPARC’s strength, conditioning, and performance programming. The DAP will set the standard — philosophically and operationally — for how athletic performance service provision is delivered at SPARC.   This includes management, evaluation, and accountability of staff, personnel, and patrons. Professional standards of execution, accompanied by scientifically supported methodology, are guiding principles here at SPARC, not an aspiration.

The DAP will work alongside our basketball skill trainers — SPARC’s current calling card — to create a fully integrated athlete experience. As our outdoor turf facility comes online and our sport offerings expand, you’ll also help shape performance programming for athletes across several genres of sport. 

This is a unique opportunity for an ambitious industry leader to build a lasting institution of performance excellence in the private sector.

Core responsibilities

—      Lead the Design and implementation of SPARC’s athletic performance programming across all athlete populations — youth development through professional off-season, and across multiple genres of sport

—      Directly coach and train athletes at all levels; this is a hands-on role that requires consistent floor and field presence

—      Hire, develop, evaluate and manage performance staff — establishing clear professional standards, accountability structures, and coaching consistency across the department

—      Collaborate closely with basketball skill trainers to build integrated, sport-specific programming; contribute to multi-sport programming as SPARC’s outdoor turf facility launches

—      Partner with SPARC’s MedStar physical therapy team on athlete return-to-sport protocols and injury prevention programming

—      Lead pro and collegiate off-season training programs, including SPARC Pro Off-Season packages

—      Develop and systematize athlete assessments, individual performance tracking, and acute/long-term development plans

—      Represent SPARC’s performance philosophy in athlete communication, marketing content, and community-building

—      Contribute to the programming vision for emerging verticals including the Bridge Year Academic Program

What Sparc is offering

—      Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

—      Performance-based incentive structure tied to program growth

—      Full access to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art private training facility

—      Leadership role with direct input into SPARC’s programming, culture, and growth

—      Integrated sports medicine partnership with MedStar Health

—      Access to an established and growing athlete community across the DMV

—      Founders who are invested in building something exceptional and will give you the runway to do it

Requirements

Qualifications

REQUIRED

—      Bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, exercises science, kinesiology, or related field

—      CSCS, or equivalent accredited professional certification

—      6+ years of strength and conditioning or sports performance coaching experience at the collegiate/professional level

—      Leadership experience in athletic performance industry

—      Demonstrates the ability to set, communicate, and enforce a bespoke professional standard across the performance staff

—      Deep knowledge of multi-sport (field, court, combat) performance programming, assessment, and periodization

—      Experience with athlete monitoring systems and performance assessment technology

—      Strong and articulate communicator — with athletes, parents, staff, and ownership

—      Experience building or scaling a performance program from the ground up

STRONGLY PREFERRED

—      Master’s Degree in exercise physiology or related field

—      Private sector or commercial performance facility experience

—      Basketball-specific training background or strong familiarity with the sport

—      Network within the DMV athletics community