Owen Munro
Manager in Performance Science at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center
As manager of performance science at the National Training Center, Owen Munro designs and oversees physical development, recovery programming and performance testing, aiming to build a standardized, evidence-based model of how U.S. soccer teams operate.
How did UWF prepare you for a career in athletic management?
Soccer has been a part of my life since as early as four years old. As I entered early adulthood and chose to study at the University of West Florida, I decided to compete at the collegiate level to continue pursuing my passion of playing. While at UWF, Kyle Rank, assistant director of sports performance, was fundamental in helping me pursue the career path that I have today. With his knowledge and personality, he created an environment that supported and challenged us as players while building strong relationships along the way, something I hope to emulate throughout my career. Additionally, UWF’s close relationship with EXOS, a performance training company in Gulf Breeze, led to an internship during my final semester which opened many doors down the line. UWF’s athletic programs have a long history of competing and excelling in championships, giving me the opportunity to play at a high level while also gaining an education that allowed me to build a career in a field I am passionate about.
How has your career evolved over time?
My career path has remained in the scope of athletic performance, but the environments and populations supported have changed. From NCAA Division I athletes to professional female soccer players in Mexico and in the National Women's Soccer League, I have been extremely lucky to have served so many wonderful athletes and learn from so many high level practitioners. Now, as a manager in performance science at the National Training Center with the U.S. Soccer Federation, I work alongside technical staff, goalkeeping coaches, analytics and many more to design and oversee physical development, recovery programming, performance testing and profiling protocols across all camps held by the NTC. These efforts aim to build a standardized model of how U.S. soccer teams operate, with consistent testing benchmarks and data monitoring that give an evidence-based understanding of a player’s physical development.
What does it mean to you to be a part of U.S. Soccer?
I couldn’t have picked a more exciting time to join U.S. Soccer, between the opening of the National Training Center and the U.S. Men’s National Team competing in the World Cup. It’s a great privilege to be a part of the momentum that will hopefully push soccer to new heights in this country. The ability to be a part of this program was first founded by the experiences, resources and education I received from UWF. A world of possibilities became available to me because of the opportunity to be a UWF student-athlete.