Village Christian School has hired professional athlete and long-time sports performance coach Riley Smith as its new Strength and Conditioning Specialist as part of a new strategic partnership with Live Athletics Physical Therapy, the school has announced.
Through this valuable partnership, VCS student-athletes will not only have a dedicated strength and conditioning coach in the weight room, Smith’s contract with Live Athletics will also give teams access to the organization’s location in Westlake Village for unique training and recuperation opportunities in the same facility professional athletes use for sports performance and rehabilitation.
“It is our heart to provide our student-athletes with every opportunity to thrive, and Riley’s experience, expertise, and character make him the perfect choice to help them grow in their God-given talents and abilities,” said Athletic Director Diana Putignano. “When you combine his passion with the added backing and access to the professionals at Live Athletics, we are so excited for unique benefits that all of our programs will receive.”
Smith, a highly recruited wide receiver out of Ventura College, who went on to play at West Texas A&M University and in the XFL for the San Antonio Commanders, brings a wealth of experience that will benefit VCS student-athletes across all programs.
“I’ve played sports since I was four, and I ended up going on and playing professional football in the XFL and CFL, so I think my experience and knowing the demands of football, knowing the demands of every other sport I played, I know what it takes to be mentally and physically prepared for competition,” said Smith, who had offers to play at Alabama and Oregon out of junior college. “I think that because I’ve played at a high level, I can relate to kids, especially being a younger coach – I’ve had 12 years of experience coaching; coaching and training while I was playing – it’s a matter of me knowing the kids on an individual level and inspiring them that way and sharing my testimony.”
That testimony is built on early struggles, tragedy, navigating the recruiting process as an undersized athlete, and eventually accepting the Lord when he was at Ventura College.
“My mentality in the weight room, my mentality in sports changed forever, because I knew that it wasn’t about me now. It was about what God had planned for me,” he said.
Prior to coming to Village, Smith worked as the Head Skills Trainer/Specialist at PJF Performance in Woodland Hills; Strength and Conditioning Coach at Monarch Athletic Club; and Strength and Conditioning Coach at Redline Athletics. And now he’s ready to hit the weight room with VCS student-athletes.
“My approach has always been to build from the ground up, so the more we can strengthen everybody’s feet and base and ankles, it’s going to just naturally strengthen everything else,” said Smith, who earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology from West Texas A&M.
With Smith comes the backing of Live Athletics Physical Therapy, which complements Village’s thriving Athletic Training program.
“We’re proud to partner with VCS as Riley steps in as sports performance coach,” said Live Athletics Founder Zach Ray. “Riley brings great energy and a motivating presence to daily training, and with him guiding the work—plus our clinics ready for fast evaluation and care when needed—VCS athletes have a clear, coordinated bridge from performance to sports medicine so they stay healthy, keep progressing, and compete with confidence.”
At Village, Smith will serve all Village teams and be involved in the Middle School Sports Performance program powered by CORE.
“We are thrilled to welcome Riley to the VCS family,” Putignano said, “and we believe God will do big things in and through him as a member of the Village Christian Athletic Department.”