Pedro Lopes - Soccer Director

Pedro has been with the Jersey Knights as a coach/trainer for the past 14 years. He is entering his 10th year as our Director of Coaching. Pedro has a strong and diverse soccer resume. He is the Head Coach at NJIT (NJ Institute of Technology). NJIT recently moved to Division I under Pedro. He is the former First Assistant Coach and Head of Recruiting for the Rutgers University Men’s Program. He is also a Camp Director at the Bob Reasso Soccer Academy at Rutgers University. He is a former four year letter winner at Rutgers who was named to the All-American Team two times. His professional experience includes MLS, A League, and the USSIL. He is a former member of the United States U-20 National  Team Pool. He is a graduate of Rutgers University. He played his high school ball at St Benedicts Prep in Newark where he earned All State Honors. Pedro has extensive youth experience with children of all ages at the club level. He a member of  the Rutgers University Athletic Hall of Fame. Pedro holds national licenses from USSF and the NSCAA.

Mike Knoth - Soccer Director,  Coach/Trainer U23W Dark Knights, U18G Rage, U16G Cavalry

Mike is an administrator in the Metuchen School District with over 30 years of experience working with children of all ages. His soccer experience includes 35 years of coaching soccer at various levels from U-8 to U-23. Along with his duties as Director of Bulldog Soccer School he is also Director of Bulldog Summer Soccer Camp in Metuchen and a member of the Board of Directors for the Jersey Knights Soccer Club. Prior to his administration position Mike coached for 25 years in the boys program at Metuchen High School. He is also in his 20^th year with the Jersey Knights.  Over that time his travel teams have competed at the elite level throughout the Eastern United States, Scotland and England. Many of his players have gone on to compete at the collegiate level with players currently playing for Rutgers University, Yale, Brown University, Seton Hall, Boston College, and Kean University. Mike lettered 4 years for the Kean University Soccer Team and until recently was active in the Garden State Soccer League  with the Jersey Knights Men’s Team. Mike has national licenses with USSF & NSCAA.

Steve MacKenzie - Coach/Trainer  U20M, U14 Fire

Steve is an educator in the Monroe School System. He is in his 13^th season as a High School Soccer Coach and 11^th season as the Varsity Soccer Coach for the Monroe High School Boys Program. Recently, Steve has been named Coach of the Year for the 2006 season by the Home News Tribune. He has extensive camp and club experience at all levels of youth soccer. He has been the Head Trainer at the Bulldog Summer Soccer Camp for the past 10 years. Steve also works for Tab Ramos at his Summer Academy and Bob Reasso and his Rutgers Elite Players Soccer Camp. He is also a staff trainer for the Jersey Knights Soccer Club. Steve is a graduate of New Haven University where as a scholarship athlete he earned 4 varsity letters in soccer. He has national licenses from USSF & NSCAA. 

Ken Graf - Director, Coach/Trainer U23M, U10G Knightmares  

Ken is an educator in the Metuchen School District with 37 years of experience. He has been the varsity soccer coach for the Metuchen High School Boys program for the past 33 years. Ken has won over 300 games in his career and has sent numerous players onto college programs. In 2008,  Ken was elected to the New Jersey Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame.  Ken also has the distinction of having 100% of his graduating seniors go to college in each of the past 19 years. In addition to his High School coaching duties he is also a Director of the Bulldog Summer Soccer Camp, Bulldog Soccer School and is a soccer consultant for the Metuchen Soccer Association and Metuchen Town Soccer, both of which he helped found. Ken is considered to be one of the premier coaches in Middlesex County. His teams perennially contend for the county and state titles. His 2009 Bulldogs advanced to the NJ State Group 1 semifinal. In 2006 Ken was named Coach of the Year by the Star Ledger.  Ken earned 4 varsity letters in soccer at Newark State College and played in the Garden State Soccer League for over 20 years. Ken has national licenses from USSF & NSCAA.

Jim Casey - Director of Goalkeeping Training     

Jim is a soccer coach and teacher in the Bridgewater School System. He has over 15 years of goalkeeping training experience. He is the founder and director of Extreme Goalkeepers, a goalkeeping training company. Jims’ resume also includes training goalies for Mike Romeo Goalkeeping Clinics, Tab Ramos Soccer Academy, SGA  Star Goalkeepers Academy, and Machniks Striker/Keeper #1 Camp. His extensive experience has allowed him to develop a unique and intense system of training. Jim is the Director of Goalkeeper training for Bulldog Soccer and Jersey Knights SC. Jim is a graduate of William Paterson University where he earned 4 varsity letters. Jim has licenses from USSF & NSCAA

Sean Casey - Coach/Trainer   Head Trainer - Little Kickers Soccer  

Sean has been with the Knights for the past 12 years as a trainer and coach of various teams. He is Head Trainer for Bulldog Soccer School at their summer camps. Sean is a graduate of Villanova University.  He teaches in the Bridgewater School System. Sean’s experience includes being Coaching Director for the Metuchen Soccer Club, Varsity soccer coach of the Somerville High School girls team, varsity coach for Highland Park High School boys program, and head coach for various traveling soccer teams in Metuchen. His camp resume includes work at Tab Ramos SoccerAcademy, Rovers Soccer Camp,  and Goodsports Soccer. He has experience working with all ages in the Jersey Knights Program. Sean is has national level licences from the NSCAA and USSF.

Mike Kizoulas - Coach/Trainer U23W Dark Knights, U18G Rage, U17G Mystic

Mike is employed as an educator by the Woodbridge School System at Colonia High School. He is the Head Coach for the Colonia High School boys team. He is entering his 10th year as a coach/trainer for the Jersey Knights. He is also a lead trainer for  Bulldog Soccer School, the Tab Ramos Soccer Academy and the Rutgers Elite Camp. Mike is active as player currently playing for the Jersey Knights Men’s Team in the Garden State Soccer League. He is USSF licensed and is a member of the NSCAA.

Jeff Maroccia - Staff Trainer, Head Trainer - Little Kickers Soccer

Jeff  is in his 15th year with the Jersey Knights. He is an investigator for the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Jeff’s experience includes serving as assistant coach of the boys varsity program at North Brunswick High School. During his tenure North Brunswick won the Group 3 State title in 1993, the Middlesex County title in 1991 and 1994, and the GMC White Division title in 1991. Jeff  is a former player and graduate of Jersey City State College. He is a Head Trainer for the Bulldog Soccer School and the Little Kickers Soccer Program.  In addition, he works with all Jersey Knights U 16-U 18 women’s teams. Jeff  is USSF licensed and a member of the NSCAA.

Amanda Buyes - Coach/Trainer U18G Rage, Staff Trainer U16/17G

Amanda is entering her 1st season with the Jersey Knights. She is a teacher in the South River School System. Amanda is a 4 year varsity player for the Fairleigh Dickinson University Women's Soccer Team. Her coaching experience includes coaching and training with the Colonia Soccer Club. She is also a coach for the women's team at JFK (Iselin) High School. Amanda wil be working with older Knight's women in the U16 - U18 age groups.  She is USSF licensed.

Tom Hurd - Staff Trainer, Goalkeeper Coach

Tom has just completed his 1st season with the Knights. He is a Edison resident who has a wealth of soccer experience. Tom played for many years in the MESC as a goalkeeper and has been a volunteer coach in the Edison Soccer Club. Tom will be working with Goalkeeper Director, Jim Casey providing Knights keepers with regular goalkeeping training. In addition, he will be working with players in the Knights Little Kickers Program and The Training Club Programs. Tom is USSF licensed.

Keri Lages -   Staff Trainer 

Keri is in her 5th year with the Knights. She is a graduate of Rutgers University where she was a starter for 3 years on the women’s team. Keri’s experience as a player includes playing for PDA’s National Championship Team and with the New Jersey Stallions and South Jersey Banshees in the W-League.  Keri has extensive camp experience with players of all ages and recently was a coach with the New Jersey ODP U14 girls team. She is USSF licensed.

Lissette Brandao -  Staff Trainer

Lissette is in her 5th year with the Jersey Knights. She is a teacher in the Clark School System. Lissette is graduate of Rutgers University where she was a varsity starter/captain on the Scarlet Knights Women’s Team. Lissette is a member of the Portuguese Women’s National Soccer Team. She is USSF licensed. 

Danielle Brabston - Staff Trainer,  Head Trainer - Little Kickers Soccer

Danielle is in her 7th year with the Knights. She works with the younger teams at our School of Excellence and is a regular trainer for the Little Kickers Program. Danielle is a teacher in the Metuchen School System. She is also the assistant Coach for the Metuchen High school girl’s team.Danielle is USSF Licensed.

Patric Santo Pietro- Staff Trainer

Patric has been involved with soccer on all levels. He currently serves as the General Manager for the New Jersey Wildcats of the W-League. Since joining the Wildcats in 2004, he has guided the team to the 2004 Regular Season Championship and the 2005 W-League Championship. The Wildcats were also recognized by the United Soccer Leagues with the 2004 Progress Award and the 2005 W-League Organization of the Year Award. Previous to joining the Wildcats, Patric served as the Director of Soccer Operations and as an assistant coach with the Central Jersey Riptide (PDL) and Splash (W-League) in 1998 and 1999 and with the New Brunswick Brigade (PDL) and Power (W-League) in 2000. He has also been the head coach of the boy’s varsity team at Roselle Park High School since 2001 and he was named the Star-Ledger Union County Coach of the Year in 2002. He has also worked as a coach and trainer with teams in the East Brunswick Soccer Club and the Metuchen Soccer Association. An All-County and All-State goalkeeper at St. Joseph’s High School in Metuchen, he played on the collegiate level at Washington University in St. Louis . Patric is also a long-time member of the Jersey Knights men’s team. He is USSF licensed.

Ed Albanese - Staff Trainer

Ed is entering his 3rd year with the Jersey Knights. He brings a wealth of soccer experience. He is currently employed by the Metuchen School System as a middle school math teacher and is an assistant coach with the Metuchen Boys Varsity Soccer Team. In addition, Ed’s coaching experience includes coaching at Middletown North High School prior to his moving to Metuchen. Ed has extensive experience working with yoouth players of all ages. He has trained and coached numerous youth teams for the Middletown Soccer Club and the Ocean Township Soccer Club. His camp experieince includes training and coaching at Premier Soccer Camps and Goodsports Camps. Ed is USSF licensed and member of the NSCAA

Paul Johnson - Staff Trainer

Paul is entering is his 1st year with the Knights. He currently coaches at Drew University on the men’s side.  Paul has an impressive soccer background that includes playing for the US National team as a youth player from U14 through U20. In addition, he participated in the 1999 U17 FIFA World Championships and was twice named a Parade All American. Paul also was a 4 year player for the Universtiy of Virginia. He is a native of Princeton, New Jersey, and has extensive camp experience. Paul is USSF licensed.