MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Announces Technical Staff Hires

April 15, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota United announced today 2021 staffing changes within the MNUFC technical staff.

In addition to Sr. Director of Sports Science Damian Roden, announced last week, Director of Sports Medicine Hilary Obert, Sr. Video Analyst Cameron Knowles and Assistant Athletic Trainer Kayce Godwin join the Loons technical staff ahead of the 2021 season. These four join Athletic Trainer Baker Cronin, Strength and Conditioning Specialist Adam Parr and Team Dietician Angela Bruzina, who were all hired ahead of the 2020 season.

Minnesota United First Team

Hilary Obert is a physical therapist and serves as the Director of Sports Medicine for Minnesota United. Hilary completed her doctorate in physical therapy in 2015 and her Credentialed Sports Certified Specialty in the field of physical therapy with a sports residency in 2016 (Seattle, Washington). Obert has been involved in sports her entire life and knew at a very young age she wanted to be involved in prevention and rehabilitation within an elite team environment. Hilary lived and worked in Seattle for the previous six years. During her time in Seattle, she worked with the USL and First Team Seattle Sounders FC Organization.

Cameron Knowles has spent the last nine years as a coach with the Portland Timbers: six years as an assistant coach in MLS, winning MLS Cup in 2015, and three years as Head Coach of Portland Timbers 2 in the USL Championship. Cameron currently holds a USSF Pro license, and has a master's degree in psychology. He oversaw the transformation of Timbers 2 as the team reached the playoffs for the first time in team history in 2018 in his first year as head coach. He also provided professional opportunities for academy players, and developed players for the Portland Timbers' first team.

Baker Cronin will begin his second season with Minnesota United and his first season as the team's Head Athletic Trainer. He was previously an Assistant Athletic Trainer with San Jose Earthquakes from 2016-2020, as well as serving as Rehabilitation Coordinator from 2019-2020. Baker completed his bachelor's in athletic training in 2013 from the University of Michigan and his master's in neuromechanics in 2015 from Oregon State University. He also worked as an athletic trainer at Northwestern University and University of California, Berkeley.

Kayce Godwin joined MNUFC as an athletic trainer for the youth academy in 2019 before working with the first team this season. Prior to joining the club, she spent the past several years as an athletic trainer at Hamline University in Saint Paul and Augsburg University in Minneapolis working with men's soccer, women's and men's hockey, men's basketball, and softball teams. A native of Lawton, Oklahoma, Kayce played soccer at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma while earning a bachelor of science degree in psychology in 2007. Kayce completed a master of human relations degree at the University of Oklahoma in 2011 and a master of science in athletic training from Shenandoah University in 2015.

Adam Parr returns for his second season in the Performance Department with Minnesota United. He originally joined the club as the Assistant Strength & Conditioning Specialist at the beginning of the 2020 season, but he also wound up serving as the interim Fitness Coach and also the team's Sport Scientist beginning with the MLS Is Back Tournament and throughout the remainder of the season. Prior to joining Minnesota United, he was the Head of Strength & Conditioning and Data Analytics for Reno 1868 FC in the USL for two seasons.

Angela Bruzina is a board certified specialist in sports dietetics and a published nutrition researcher in the area of athlete knowledge and behavior change surrounding nutrition practices. She has been a contributor at events hosted by organizations such as American College of Sports Medicine, The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association, the American Athletic Conference and more. She is a sought after presenter and has guest lectured for many universities, sports nutrition companies and local organizations.

MNUFC returns to the pitch for its fifth season in MLS. Follow Minnesota United's social channels and check our website at mnufc.com for regular updates on the club.

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