Aaron Sanchez is in his first year as a reconditioning/assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Cardinals after spending the past two years (2023-25) at the collegiate level as the director of athletic performance at Seattle University.
During his time at Seattle University, Sanchez designed strength training and rehabilitation programs for all 20 men's and women's athletic programs including basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and track and field. In his first season in 2023, the Redhawks men's soccer team won the WAC Championship.
Sanchez made the move to Seattle University after spending a year and a half with Breaking Force LLC, working primarily with NFL athletes and clients in men's tennis and women's soccer. He was responsible for executing rehab and strength protocols as well as program nutritional and supplementation plans for specific calorie and macronutrient goals.Â
He spent the 2021 season at the University of Washington football team as strength & conditioning and sports science coach where he worked closely with Cardinals head strength and conditioning coach Kyle Sammons.
Prior to working with the Huskies, Sanchez spent a season (2019) with the Portland Timbers of the MLS as a performance coach intern before joining the Seattle Sounders as a performance coach with their academy team (2019-20).
Sanchez previously worked at Highline Physical Therapy assisting with patient evaluations and rehabilitation implementing specific therapy techniques to help with recovery. He also spent time at his alma mater, Linfield University, working with the football team as an assistant offensive line coach/strength and conditioning coach.
A Portland, OR native, Sanchez earned his bachelor's degree from Linfield University in Kinesiology and Exercise Science in 2016 while playing tight end for the Wildcats. He earned his master's degree in Biokinesiology with a Sports Science emphasis from USC in 2020.
Sanchez is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has also earned Level 1 certifications as a Kettlebell Instructor from StrongFirst and as a Sports Performance Coach by the United States Olympics and Paralympic Committee. He is also a certified Functional Strength Coach and has certifications in FMS 1 and Y-Balance from Functional Movement Systems.
