Full-time assistant Javier Velasco joined the NJIT staff prior to the 2003 season and he assists head coach Pedro Lopes with all aspects of the program.
Prior to coaching at NJIT, he was head coach of boys soccer at Manville (NJ) High School in 2001 and was an assistant coach at Kinnelon (NJ) High the previous year. He also has extensive club experience, coaching with the Players Development Academy and the Jersey Knights Soccer Club.
As a player, Velasco was a member of Centenary (NJ) College's 1995 National Small College Athletic Association national championship team and was Most Valuable Player of the title game. Earlier, he played at Mercer County College, which reached its national championship game when he was there in 1994.
After playing at Kean University in 1996, Velasco embarked on a seven-year pro career, playing for teams in New Jersey in addition to one professional year in his native Ecuador. He remains active as a player in top Metropolitan area semi pro leagues.
As a youth, he won a U16 national title in 1989 in Ecuador, representing the State of Manabi.
Moving to the United States, he was all-state at North Brunswick (NJ) High School and 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 is a 2000 graduate of Kean, with a degree in management science, majoring in international business with a minor in Spanish.
He resides in Kearny, NJ, and was married in January 2008 to Alejandra, who is also from Ecuador.
