Javier Velasco enters his 3^rd season as the Head Coach at Middlesex College. The USSF National B licensed coach and USSF National A Senior License candidate brings 27 years of youth, high school, college and semiprofessional coaching experience to our program. He is the President and founder of Javier Velasco Soccer Academy (JVSA) and Head Coach of their UPSL Premier Semiprofessional team and U17 UPSL Academy team. 

 

Velasco served as the 1st Assistant of the men's soccer program at Division 1 NJIT for six years where he assisted with all aspects of the program. He was the Sporting Technical Director at Morris Elite Soccer Club; he was also the Head Coach of the USL Academy and USL 2 Pre-Professional Teams. Velasco also coached at Cedars Stars Academy, New Jersey Soccer Academy, Players Development Academy and Jersey Knights Soccer Club. In addition to serving as head coach of the girls' soccer program of Rahway High School, North Brunswick High School, Arthur L. Johnson High School, Edison High School boys' soccer, Manville High School boys' soccer and Kinnelon High School boys' soccer.

Velasco also has experience coaching, evaluating and scouting for Region 1 ODP at the state, regional and national level.           

During his collegiate playing career, Velasco was a standout for National Championship teams with Mercer County College, Centenary University and Kean University. Prior to his collegiate success, Velasco was a three-time, New Jersey All-State selection for North Brunswick High School.

Velasco played for Kean University men's soccer program in 1996 reaching the New Jersey Athletic Conference Final, He was also a member Centenary (NJ) College's 1995 Small College Athletic Association National Championship team and was the Most Valuable Player of the title game. Earlier, he played at Mercer County College, which reached the National Championship game when he was there in 1994.            

On the professional level, Velasco was a standout for the North Jersey Imperials, Central Jersey Riptide and New Jersey Stallions of the United Soccer League Pro (USL) during his six-year career. He also competed against MLS teams in US Open Cup competition, such as Miami Fusion and DC United. He also played for several semiprofessional teams like Kearny Scots NJ and Hermes SC in NY.

As a youth, he won a U16 National Title in 1989 in Ecuador, representing the State of Manabi. He spent two years playing club soccer with the Union Lancers, where he won a U17 state title in 1992 and was an U18 state finalist the following year.

Velasco has been working as an educator for the past fifteen years. He is a 2000 graduate of Kean University, with a degree in management science, majoring in international business with a minor in Spanish. 

He resides in Metuchen NJ.