Coaching the pros: U of GH Kinesiology alum Imad Shaker’s career takes his education to the soccer pitch

Belgium-based University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) Kinesiology alum Imad Shaker (class of 2019) is guiding professional soccer players in reaching their top athletic potential through a love for the sport and a strong educational foundation in exercise science. 

As a physical performance coach for Cercle Brugge K.S.V. in the Belgian Pro League – a role he describes as “very rewarding” – no two days working with athletes are the same for Shaker.

“The fact that I get to work with professional players on a daily basis is a huge privilege,” he said. “I think it's an incredible thing.”

A day in the life of a physical performance coach

Typically, he wakes up early to squeeze in a short workout for himself before arriving at the training grounds at 7 a.m. Then, he sets up ice baths for the players and prepares the vests they wear that contain equipment that tracks their physical output and stats. Once the players arrive, Shaker has everyone fill out a wellness questionnaire for the day. There’s also individual and group activation (the term used for exercises done in the gym to prime the athletes).

Afterwards, the group moves to the soccer pitch, where the team warms up and participates in drills, while Shaker monitors their stats from the equipment they’ve been wearing. He also trains the team in the gym, leading the players in various exercises to get them in optimal physical form for their next big game.

This dream role is one he hadn’t previously known existed. 

Discovering new goals

It all started when he was a teenager. Shaker was strong in math, so he thought his trajectory might be to study business in post-secondary school. It wasn’t until a fateful day during high school lunch period that he discovered his true path. A friend took a video of Shaker writing a workout on a board for his friends to follow, when it clicked – he needed to work in fitness. So, he set up meetings with teachers and counsellors to figure out how he could make this dream a reality, which led him to discovering Guelph-Humber’s Kinesiology program.

“That’s how I found Guelph-Humber…I wanted theory, but I also wanted something a lot more practical, a little bit more hands-on,” Shaker said. 

The program can open a variety of doors for students, which allowed him to explore his interests. At first, he was intrigued by a career in physiotherapy, then became curious about becoming a registered kinesiologist – all pathways he was able to consider. But as he delved deeper into the world of high performance for athletes, he learned that the physical performance coach role existed and that it was a job he aspired to obtain.

Through networking at U of GH, Shaker was hired by Kinesiology instructor Fabian Rayne to work at his wellness clinic, where he gained experience working in a rehab setting. Through a separate connection, Shaker met and began working for Dennis Lindsay, owner of The Athletes Gym. The combination of roles provided valuable experience, insight, and certainty for Shaker to pursue a path to work for a professional soccer team.

Gaining mentors gave him valuable insight into how he could reach his goal. Shaker learned about the best places in Europe to work in the soccer industry and earned a credential related to being a soccer strength and conditioning coach.

His options were between Belgium, France, and Germany. Shaker ultimately selected Belgium because of the league’s reputation for developing talent, not just for the players but for staff like himself. This is how he ended up at Cercle Brugge K.S.V.

“I came here on an internship. It's normally done in three months, but I pushed for six because I knew if I did six that they would probably end up hiring me. And to my luck and to my very big privilege, they offered me a contract at the end of my six months,” he said.

You can’t score unless you try to take the shot

But the role, while a dream come true, isn’t always without challenge. 

Shaker explained that professional athletes are immensely talented, which is why sometimes it’s difficult to get buy-in for the work he does in advancing players’ skillsets.

“When you introduce this concept of strength and conditioning, optimal performance, they don't always believe in it because they go, ‘Look how far I’ve come, and I've never done that. Why should I start doing it?’ So, the hardest part of the job is teaching them that this is something that you need to do to go further but also prolong your health,” Shaker said. “That isn't always so easy, but it's certainly the reason I do what I do. I love teaching that.”

Moreover, it’s integral to the team’s success that everyone remains on the same page and works in harmony together, from the players to the strength and conditioning head, to the physical performance coaches, to the coach.

It also may come as a surprise to people unfamiliar with the sports industry that, sometimes, these jobs aren’t always glamorous. Shaker said that performance coaches on the team sometimes partakes in smaller jobs, which can include filling up water bottles for the players, picking up balls, or cleaning tubs. They play an important role while lending a helping hand.

Reminiscing about Guelph-Humber

While Shaker has achieved success in his career and is experiencing living abroad, he remembers that this journey started at Guelph-Humber.

As he reminisces on his days as an undergraduate student, he recalls meeting wonderful friends, enjoying small class sizes where he felt like he was “never just a number,” and even craving the GH Café’s caramel muffins. 

“I was able to really connect with my professors,” he said.

And he learned a valuable lesson at U of GH that he believes would serve other students, too: start networking. Shaker emphasized the importance of making connections, volunteering, and doing whatever it takes to get your foot in the door. This experience not only helped him meet mentors and build meaningful career connections, but also allowed him to determine which career paths would be the best fit for him.

“I would have conversations with people who were 30+ years in into the industry… Finding a mentor early on in your career, I believe, makes a huge difference in those early stages,” Shaker shared. 

As someone who understands the value of having a mentor, Shaker is giving back to the Guelph-Humber community. You can find him on the University’s Ten Thousand Coffees networking hub, where he’s eager to share advice with students and be a mentor. 

Explore Guelph-Humber’s Kinesiology program at our Fall Open House on November 22, 2025.