Detroit City FC is headed to the playoffs in 2022! With the hunt for the USL Championship title only weeks away, the team will need to stay fit and healthy while also building more strength and stamina for the toughest competition yet.
That’s where Detroit City FC’s Head of Physical Performance Sam Joyce comes in. With a combination of GPS data from games and training sessions, one-on-one conversations with players, and the resources in the American Home Fitness Player’s Gym, he’s able to create plans to help the team reach their performance goals – not just as a group, but individually as well.
“Doing this effectively can really help an athlete’s season or even career,” said Joyce. “For all the guys I have certain things I want them all to do in terms of reducing the risk of injury and getting strong in the right areas as a group, but then every player has an individualized part of their program. This is based on a number of things such as previous injuries, training age and ‘weaker’ areas.”
Keeping the players in matchday form is a team effort. That’s why Joyce works with Detroit City FC Head Coach Trevor James and Athletic Trainer Maureen Lilla to make sure that everyone on the team is getting the support they need to give their best show on the pitch.
“Working with Trevor is a key part of this in terms of planning ahead for appropriate training loads on the field, and then with Maureen, we can collaborate on things like recovery modalities and gym content,” Joyce explained. “Like any sport, injuries are inevitable but the multidisciplinary aspect of high performance can definitely help to reduce the risk and keep players on the field.”
As the team prepares for the postseason matches, they can feel confident knowing they’ve got a staff dedicated to helping them reach their goals.
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Each month Detroit City FC and American Home Fitness will give a look inside the DCFC Players Gym, giving recommendations for exercises and how-to’s from the pros and staff.
Sam Joyce joined Detroit City FC as the Club’s first-ever Head of Physical Performance ahead of the 2022 campaign. Joyce comes to Detroit after spending the past three seasons with Indy Eleven in the same role. Prior to his time in Indy, Joyce was on staff with Nottingham Forest FC from 2012-2019 – serving as the lead strength and conditioning coach for the U9-16s before taking over for the U18s in 2016. He first joined Nottingham as an intern before being brought on full-time in 2014.
