Landon Donovan will be one of the speakers at the conference. (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)
SEATTLE – Seattle Sounders FC has announced two additions to its Sports Science Seminar series as 16-year NFL veteran Rondé Barber and MLS great 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. Participants will 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.
Barber and Donovan, manager of San Diego Loyal (USL Championship) join a 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 and conditioning coach Andreas Beck, in addition to many others from across the sports world, including several Sounders FC personnel.
Given the current best practices in combating Coronavirus (COVID-19), the annual Sports Science Seminar is being held virtually this year, 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,” Sounders FC president of soccer and general manager Garth Lagerwey said in a statement. “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 – April 15, April 22 and April 29 – from 3-7 p.m. ET each day, with four featured presentations per session, along with a group round-table 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 8 a.m. ET 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.
