Instructors

Coaching History

2002-Present: Associate Head Men's Soccer Coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy

1996-1998; 2011-Present: LIJSL Director of Coaching Education - LIJSL Coaching Academy, a branch of the NSCAA

1996-1998; 2007-2009: Head Coach of the Long Island Lady Rough Riders - 1997 USISL (United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues) "W" League National Champions. Posted combined record of 53-26-5.

2004:  NSCAA Northeast Region College Assistant Coach of the Year

2004/2011-Present:  LIJSL/NSCAA State Technical Director

2003-2005:  Technical Director Long Island Junior Soccer League

1998-2001:  Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy

2001:  Head Coach LIJSL Advanced Player Development Program

1998:  Selected as Head Coach of the USISL “W” League Umbro All-Star Select Team 

1997:  Selected as Newsday Coach of the Year

1992-Present:  LIJSL Coaching Academy Instructor; NSCAA Staff Instructor

1986-1997:  Eastern New York Olympic Development Program staff coach, coaching in both the boys’ and girls’ programs

1990-1996:  Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at SUNY Farmingdale

1986-1995:  Head Coach of the 3 time State Champion Hicksville Hawks, placing 10 State Select players, 4 Regional Select players, 3 National Team players, and 3 Professional players

1986, 2007:  Member of the Women’s U.S. Region I Select Team staff

Playing Experience
1970-2006:  Player on Long Island - member of the 1995 League and State Champion Carle Place Saints F.C.

1985-1987:  Played semi-pro for the New Jersey United Soccer Club

1983-1985:  Played sweeper and outside back for SUNY Farmingdale, team captain

1971-1984:  Played youth soccer in the Hicksville Americans Soccer Club, competing internationally in Canada and Europe

 

Instructional Staff

Gary Book 

Book is a Director of NOGA Soccer. NOGA's innovative approach to the coaching and development of youth soccer players has been instrumental in forever changing the face of youth soccer in the USA and has been a unique catalyst in the amazing growth of grass roots soccer. He is a UEFA, NSCAA and USSF qualified coach and is an NSCAA National Staff Coach.

Joe Behan
Behan holds Premier, Advanced, and National Diplomas from the NSCAA and also has A, B, and C licenses from the USSF. He has also served as the head coach of the NYU men’s soccer team for the last 15 years, leading the Violets to a conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division III Final Four. He also has extensive experience as a player and coach in local men’s leagues with the Shamrock SC and the Irish Rovers. A long-time coach and trainer for many clubs across Long Island, he is also a soccer writer for the Irish Echo Newspaper.

Tim Bradbury
Bradbury grew up playing youth and college soccer in England and had a five year soccer career playing in the English semi-pro leagues before coming to the US. He has received his Advanced National Diploma, Premier Diploma, National Goalkeeper Diploma, and Master Coach Diploma from the NSCAA, as well as his National A License and National Youth License from the USSF. He has been a soccer coach and trainer since 1984, coaching at every level from youth to semi-pro leagues. That includes stints as the LIJSL Select Coach and the ENYYSA ODP team. He has appeared regularly as a clinician at the NSCA Conventions for years and spent three years as a member of the AYSO Technical Committee. He is a published author of soccer articles and has been a member of the LIJSL Coaching Academy staff since 1996.

Rocco Morelli
Morelli is one of the most accomplished soccer trainers and instructors in the US. He holds, among others, the Advanced National Diploma, Premier, and Professional Development licenses from the NSCAA. His extensive coaching resume includes head coaching positions with SUNY Maritime and Polytechnic University, and the Eastern NY ODP Program. As a player, he led the University of Maryland to a national championship in 1968 and still holds records for goals in a championship game (4 vs. San Jose State), and shooting percentage (6 goals on six shots in a complete NCAA tournament). After college, he went on to play professionally for several teams and is a member of the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame.

Paul Maye
Maye got his start as a stellar youth soccer player where he was recruited into the Manchester United youth program at 12 years old. At 14, he and his family moved to the US. After a stellar HS career, he played for the nationally ranked Fairleigh Dickinson University before playing professionally in the Northeast Atlantic League with the Long Island Stars and the Brooklyn Italians. He owns every high level coaching license and diploma offered and has served as a member of the LIJSL Coaching Academy staff since 1992. He is also an instructor for the NSCAA and a coach with the LIJSL Select Program.

Jerome Vivona
Coach Vivona serves as an Associate Staff Instructor within both the NSCAA Coaching Academy and the Long Island Junior Soccer League Coaching Academy. He is currently the NY Red Bulls Academy Training Programs Representative for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island. A former Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at NYIT, he is a full time staff coach within the NY Red Bulls Academy Training and RDS Programs. Vivona is also a Head Coach within the LIJSL Select PDP program. Coach Vivona holds a USSF B License, the NSCAA Premier Diploma, Advanced National Diploma, and the National Diploma, as well as the NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma. He also holds his NSCAA Level II GK Diploma. Vivona played College soccer on scholarship at Quinnipiac University. Here on LI, He was team captain and until recently the all time scoring leader at North Shore High School while playing under the esteemed Bob Blitz. In addition, he had the privilege of training and playing for NSCAA Hall of Fame and US National Team Coaches, Walt and Eugene Chyzowych.

Frank Schmidt
The dean of the LIJSL Coaching Academy, Schmidt has been involved as an instructor with the program since 1985. He followed a stellar college playing career at Clemson (where he earned MVP and All-Conference honors) with an even more outstanding coaching career. He spent 32 years as the varsity soccer coach at Sachem HS, where he earned eight league Coach of the Year honors and three Suffolk County Coach of the Year awards. He has also received a NSCAA Letter of Commendation and has been named Coach of the Year by the National Federation Coaches Association.

Mike Borra
Borra has a long-running relationship with the LIJSL, especially at the highest levels of play. In addition to working as a trainer with the Syosset Soccer Club since 1999, he was also an LIJSL ODP coach from 1999 to 2010 and served as Director of the LIJSL U11 Developmental Program from 2003-2006. He also spent four years as the head coach of the boys varsity soccer team at Syosset HS from 2002-2005. An instructor in the LIJSL Coaching Academy since 2004, he holds a National Diploma, Advanced National Diploma, and a Premier Diploma from the NSCAA.

David Stapleton
Stapleton holds Premier, Advanced, National & National Goalkeeping Diplomas from the NSCAA, and also holds a USSF B license and UEFA certifications. He has been a member of the LIJSL Coaching Academy staff since 2006, teaching courses to league member coaches. He is currently the Ast Coach for the Men's Soccer program at LIU-CW Post, and actively coaches youth Soccer throughout the year. Stapleton also directs youth programs and camps with Future Stars Sports Group throughout the NY Metro Area.

Scott Leamey
A former goalkeeper and captain for the first LIJSL Select team to travel overseas, Scott has been coaching the Select PDP (formerly ODP) keepers since 2008 and currently works with the New York Red Bulls Academy Teams as well as the Regional Development School. He holds his NSCAA Advanced National License and Advanced National Goalkeeper License. Leamey also owns a National Goalkeeper License from the USSF and is a staff member on the NSCAA Goalkeeper Academy.

Erin O’Hare
O’Hare has an extensive resume with a great deal of coaching experience that extends from the youth level right through the collegiate ranks. She has served as a coach an instructor for the Stony Brook travel and academy teams, has trained various NERP and ENY Premier teams, coached in the LIJSL Developmental Program and was an LIJSL ODP Select Program coach for teams aged 11 through 17. She is also an ENYYSA Coaching Education instructor and served as the GU17 State ODP coach in 2012. She has also served stints as head soccer coach at Half Hollow Hills West HS, and as an assistant women’s coach at her alma mater, NY Tech, where she was a four-year captain and all-conference selection. She continues to play in the LI Ladies Soccer League since 2001. She currently holds her NSCAA National and Advanced National diploma, as well her USSF National Youth License and her TOPSoccer certification.

Michael Longo
Longo grew up playing in the LIJSL as a youth player. He currently holds his National diploma, Advanced National diploma, and will be working towards his Premier license class in the near future. A former men’s assistant coach at C.W. Post University and Molloy college, he now coaches three of his children in the LIJSL. He is also currently on the Board of Directors as a Trustee for the Long Island Junior Soccer League.