ORLANDO, Fla. (March 20, 2025) — Orlando Pride has announced two additions to its support staff, as Erin Angelini joins as the new Head of Rehabilitation and former Orlando City SC player Scott Sutter joins as the new Player Development Coach. The Pride also announced the promotions of Chris Cafaro to Head of Video Performance Analysis and Christi Edson to Head of Performance, as well as the new addition of Tara Kaff as the Club's Performance Nutritionist.
"The addition of these new positions, as well as the internal promotions, demonstrate our Club's commitment to ensuring our athletes can consistently compete at the highest level possible," said Orlando Pride Vice President and Sporting Director Haley Carter. "Erin and Scott fit perfectly with our culture and performance environment. They both bring years of experience and knowledge and will drive improvements in player care and development. The internal promotions of Chris and Christi reflect the quality of work they've put in behind the scenes over the last couple of seasons. We are happy to continue to develop them as professionals and provide them with new responsibilities to help better themselves and the Club. Tara Kaff joins us in place of Dietitian Kelly Grebner, who was a vital part of our championship run last season and who we will miss greatly as she enters the consulting space. Tara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience supporting professional athletes and their nutritional needs, and we are all pleased to welcome her aboard as well."
With the addition of Angelini as the new Head of Rehabilitation, the Pride will now have two full-time physical therapists in-house, as she joins Cory Price, the Director of Medical & Performance. In-house rehabilitation allows immediate treatment following injuries, potentially reducing recovery time by 20-30% compared to outsourced care. Angelini will be primarily responsible for the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions of the players. She will coordinate evaluations, rehabilitation protocols, plans of care, and communication with relevant stakeholders concerning player recovery and return to play. Angelini will also provide and design position-specific conditioning to address individual player needs and weaknesses when recovering from matches or injuries.
Working closely with the technical, medical, and performance staff, Sutter is primarily responsible for maximizing athlete performance through the development of their individual technical skills. He will focus on the evaluation of individual player technical skills and the development and execution of one-on-one and small group training sessions aimed at improving player techniques. Sutter will provide feedback to address individual strengths and weaknesses with the goal of maximizing players' performance in targeted areas such as finishing, dribbling, or passing. He will also oversee the development and execution of all return-to-play (RTP) and non-travel individual and small group training sessions.
Angelini joins the Pride after previously spending nearly two years as a Sports Physical Therapist at Marshall University. While with the Herd, she also served as an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy. Prior to that, Angelini served as a Physical Therapist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the number one ranked outpatient in Pittsburgh. She started at UPMC as a Sports Physical Therapist Resident, accumulating nearly four years of experience. A graduate and former women's soccer player at Lebanon Valley College, Angelini has also coached soccer at the high school level for several schools.
Cafaro was promoted to Head of Video Performance Analysis after joining the Club prior to the 2023 season. While with the Club, Cafaro has worked extensively reviewing film and data while also providing critical analysis on upcoming opponents. Before coming to Orlando, Cafaro began working with the U.S. Soccer Federation as a Youth National Team Network Analyst and continues to hold the position on a contract basis. He has previous experience working as the performance analyst for the University of Florida's Women's Soccer team and is a graduate of the University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management.
Edson was promoted to Head of Performance after previously serving as the team's Head of Strength & Conditioning and Sport Science. She originally joined the Pride in January 2021 after having spent over two years working with Orlando City SC as the Sports Performance Coordinator. Prior to coming to Orlando, Edson worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach Intern at the United States Performance Center in 2017 following three years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Fla. Edson obtained her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Florida State University prior to completing a Master's in Exercise Science in Human Performance in 2019.
Kaff, originally from Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, spent the 2024 season with Major League Baseball's New York Mets as the team's MiLB Performance Nutrition Coordinator. Prior to that, Kaff gained experience in Australia, spending three seasons as the Performance Dietitian for the Queensland Reds Rugby team and the women's Gold Coast Suns AFLW team. Overall, Kaff brings nearly eight years of experience to the Pride in her new role.
Sutter joins Orlando Pride after playing professional soccer for nearly two decades with Champions League and Europa League experience. He returns to Orlando after a previous stint playing for Orlando City SC. Sutter is a UEFA 'A' licensed coach and has served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Virginia and as an Academy Head Coach for D.C. United. He also founded the Scott Sutter Soccer School and for the last two years has specialized in soccer development for individuals looking to improve their game.
