Efthymios Kyprianou joins the Dynamo Academy as the new Head of Academy Strength and Conditioning and brings nearly 15 years of experience in the field.
“I am thrilled to add Efthy as he will build a range of new Performance programs for our Academy players,” Dynamo Academy director Paul Holocher said. “We want to become one of the best development environments in North America and these on-field and off-field programs will help move us in that direction. Efthy brings outstanding experience working with the youth national teams, senior national teams, and several professional clubs throughout Europe and we are excited to have him work with us in Houston.”
Kyprianou joins the Dynamo Academy after serving as the head of performance at OFI Crete FC last year in Greece. The 39-year-old began his career in his native Cyprus in 2009 as an athletics coach for the Cyprus Athletics Federation. Since then, he has gone on to work for the Cyprus National Team, Aspire Academy in Qatar and Hatta Club FC in the United Arab Emirates.
“I always wanted to be part of a club that is growing. I read a lot about the Dynamo prior to speaking with Paul (Holocher) and (Paul) Caffrey about the project and this role,” Kyprianou said. “I am excited that I can start from scratch and work with well-respected professionals who have a truly clear vision.”
The vision laid out by Holocher and the performance staff will address the needs of each age group in the Academy.
“Efthy’s approach to strength and conditioning is both age and football specific. It includes the active use and integration with the ball, which was important consideration for us,” Holocher added. “As a UEFA coach in his own right, he has an excellent knowledge of the game. His football-specific training and methodology will undoubtedly help improve and optimize the performance of our young academy players as they strive to reach the next levels.”
The Cyprus native speaks three languages and is currently working on his PhD in exercise Physiology from John Moores Liverpool University in the United Kingdom. On the field, he received his UEFA A coaching license in 2017. Kyprianou looks to bring a holistic approach to the Dynamo Academy that will enhance how players use the ball in their fitness regimen.
“My role goes beyond what we do on the field and in the gym. We will create guidelines for players on what they can do at home, both with the physical part of the game and the technical part. We want to also touch on their nutrition, their sleep, their recovery in general," Kyprianou said. “I am more of an observer right now, especially with where we are in the season. Then we will take it step-by-step.”
He wrote a paper on the holistic approach to player development in 2019 and would go on to write an additional three papers that were published in peer-reviewed journals. Kyprianou was invited to present his work at the 2020 Sounders FC Sports Science Seminar, which hosts leaders in the space to discuss innovation and development in sports science and performance.
“That was the first time I was introduced to MLS and it was a very memorable event due to the experts, just top-level across the board,” Kyprianou said. “I was asked to present on the impact of sports science on football and specifically the soccer players. I have worked with players from all types of backgrounds and that has been beneficial as I settled in here with the Dynamo Academy.”
The move to Texas brings him closer to his brother, who currently lives in Florida and coaches track and field.
“I would visit my brother and I always knew that it would be a dream come true to work here in the United States,” Kyprianou said. “I am now living that dream here in Houston.”
