Seasoned trainer brings more than two decades of experience, including in USL ranks
BOISE, ID — Athletic Club Boise and Saint Alphonsus have tapped Ricardo Ruiz as the Head Athletic Trainer of the new soccer club. Ruiz brings more than two decades of experience in clinical, industrial, collegiate, and professional sports settings, most recently serving as Head Athletic Trainer for Locomotive FC, a USL Championship team.
In his role, Ruiz will serve in tandem with the team’s physician, overseeing the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of Athletic Club Boise athletes. He will also work closely with the coaching staff to ensure players maintain peak physical condition throughout the season.
“Ricardo’s depth of experience and proven leadership in professional soccer made him the clear choice for this role,” said Justin Weatherford, Saint Alphonsus Executive Director, Musculoskeletal Service Line. “His commitment to athlete wellness and his ability to build strong relationships with players and coaches will be invaluable as Athletic Club Boise launches its inaugural season.”
Ruiz has supported athletes across multiple levels of competition and is passionate about advancing player health and performance.
“What really drew me to this role was the chance to help build something from the ground up,” said Ruiz. “It’s rare to be part of a new club with such strong community support and ownership commitment. I’m excited to contribute to creating a culture that prioritizes player health and performance.”
Ruiz will officially begin his role on January 19, 2026, and will be based full-time with the club at its stadium training grounds.
CEO and co-founder of Athletic Club Boise Brad Stith eagerly anticipates Ruiz’s arrival.
“Having Ricardo join us is a major step in building the professional standards we want for Athletic Club Boise from day one,” said Stith, CEO and co-founder of Athletic Club Boise. “Through our partnership with Saint Alphonsus, we’re able to provide our players with elite-level care while having Ricardo fully integrated with our team.”
Click here to learn more about the collaboration between Athletic Club Boise and Saint Alphonsus Health System.
For more information, visit acboise.com or follow @acboise on Instagram and X.
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About Athletic Club Boise
Athletic Club Boise is Idaho’s first professional soccer club, competing in USL League One. Founded with deep roots in the community, the club is building a privately funded stadium at Les Bois Park through a 30-year partnership with Ada County. AC Boise will debut its men’s team in 2026, followed by a women’s Gainbridge Super League team in 2027. All men’s matches will be broadcast nationally on the ESPN and CBS Sports family of networks—a first for Boise pro sports. The club’s mission is to celebrate Idaho’s identity through sport, grow access to the game, and become a lasting source of pride for the Treasure Valley.
About Saint Alphonsus Health System
Saint Alphonsus Health System is a Catholic, faith-based, not-for-profit health care system serving Idaho, eastern Oregon, and northern Nevada communities. The health system, which was named a 2025 Forbes Best Large Employers of America, includes 4 hospitals, 595 licensed beds, 86 medical group clinics, and 7 joint venture relationships. The health system employs more than 7,000 colleagues and providers. The Saint Alphonsus Health Alliance is comprised of over 3,400 employed and independent providers. The health system hospitals include Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center – Boise, ID; Saint Alphonsus Regional Rehabilitation Hospital – Boise, ID, a joint venture with Encompass Health; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa, ID; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Ontario, OR; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Baker City, OR. Saint Alphonsus Health System reinvests in the communities we serve, through charity care and other benefits. Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of people by emphasizing care that is patient-centered, physician-led, innovative, and community-based. For more information, visit us at www.saintalphonsus.org.
Saint Alphonsus is a proud member of Trinity Health. Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit, faith-based health care systems in the nation. It is a family of 121,000 colleagues and nearly 36,500 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 27 states. Nationally recognized for care and experience, the Trinity Health system includes 101 hospitals, 126 continuing care locations, the second largest PACE program in the country, 136 urgent care locations and many other health and well-being services. In fiscal year 2023, the Livonia, Michigan-based health system invested $1.5 billion in its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. For more information, visit us at www.trinity-health.org.