Performance Director

Jason R. (Jay) Mathews is a sports medicine professional with a wealth of athletic training and sports performance experience.  He spent the 2002-2005 seasons as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Chicago Fire. During this time, the team won a U.S. Open Cup; a Supporter’s Shield Trophy and was an MLS Cup Finalist.  Mathews also earned the 2003 Athletic Trainer of the Year award for MLS.  He then spent the 2007-2009 seasons with the Columbus Crew as the Head Athletic Trainer and he was the Head Strength and Fitness Coach in 2009.  The Crew won back to back Supporter’s Shields in the 2008 and 2009 MLS Cup. Mathews has also been the lead athletic trainer for several US Soccer U-18 and U-20 MNT camps and tournaments.

Mathews also holds certifications as a performance enhancement specialist (PES) and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and has provided a number of strength and fitness programming sessions to various athletes and groups.  He has provided ACL injury prevention programs and provides functional movement testing for injury prevention identification.  Additionally, Jay is a Nike SPARQ trainer, specializing in soccer fitness and performance.

In 2010, Mathews furthered his education by earning a degree as a physical therapist assistant (PTA) from Kent State University in Ashtabula, OH.  He earned his Master’s Degree in Exercise Science from the California University of Pennsylvania in 2006 and his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1999.    Jay was a founding member and the former President and Secretary/Treasurer of the Professional Soccer Athletic Trainers’ Society (PSATS).

A native of Maryland, Jay is a veteran of the US Army and has run several full and half marathons. He enjoys sports activities, reading true crime and history stories. He and his wife Trang have two children, Ethan and Emily.