FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Marietta, GA] — May 5th, 2025 — SSA Swarm is proud to announce the hiring of Dr. Josh Villalobos as the club’s new Head of Performance. In this role, Dr. Villalobos will oversee all aspects of sports science and performance across the club’s programming, including its premier USL platform at the top of the player development pyramid.

Dr. Villalobos brings a wealth of experience from the collegiate, club, and national team levels, offering a rare combination of academic excellence, applied performance science, and coaching leadership. Most recently, he served as the Director of Soccer at The Heritage School and previously held key roles with MOBA Soccer Academy, including Director of the Girls and Sport Science Program and Head of Sport Science for both the USL2 and USLW teams.

A former professional and international player, Josh Villalobos represented Puerto Rico at both the senior and U-23 levels and was a first-round draftee of the Atlanta Silverbacks in the United Soccer League. He played collegiately at Furman University as a member of the NSCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Team and competed with the United States U15 and U17 National Teams.

Josh holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology, a Master’s in Exercise Science, and a Bachelor’s in Health and Exercise Science—all from Georgia State University. He has presented his research at national conferences and maintains professional memberships with the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

“We are thrilled to welcome Josh to SSA Swarm,” said Simon Davey, Executive Director. “His deep expertise in athlete development and performance science will be a critical asset as we continue to raise the standard for our players across all levels of competition.”

Welcome, Josh!