NJ Youth Soccer makes major additions to New Jersey ODP Committee
East Windsor, N.J. (Via NJ Youth Soccer) – In an effort to further the success of the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (ODP), NJ Youth Soccer is proud to announce that Denise Reddy, Robert Turner, Scott Baker and Nick LaBrocca have joined its ODP Committee. Each individual is an incredibly accomplished soccer professional who has made substantial strides within the New Jersey soccer community.
“Our goal is to provide a pathway for our New Jersey ODP players to the National Youth Teams,” said James Galanis, New Jersey ODP Technical Director. “Having assembled a committee with some of New Jersey’s greatest soccer minds, we are able to meet and continuously improve New Jersey ODP. We are excited because we are putting together all of the right pieces to assure our program is providing first-class training and education for New Jersey’s best players.”
This committee is led by Galanis and Wayne Cordiner, NJ Youth Soccer 1st Vice President. The members look to drive the strategic direction of the elite player development pathway by using their vast soccer acumen. The mission of ODP is to identify players of the highest caliber on a continuing and consistent basis, which will lead to increased success for the U.S. National Teams in the international arena.
Denise Reddy, current Sky Blue FC head coach, is a New Jersey native who has coached professionally in Sweden, Denmark and the United States. Through her diverse coaching experience, she has developed an inclusive coaching philosophy that is comprehensive of a variety of cultures and playing styles. Sky Blue FC is the sixth professional team that Reddy has coached across Europe and the United States since concluding an 11-year playing career as a center back for Umeå IK and Malmö FF in Sweden. While playing for Malmö FF from 1995-2005, she served as team captain for seven consecutive seasons and helped them reach the UEFA Champions League Semifinals in 2004. Prior to playing professionally, she was a two-year captain and NSCAA All-American at Rutgers University.
Bob Turner, a Pennington, N.J. resident and NJ Youth Soccer Hall of Fame Inductee, has a deep-rooted influence in the New Jersey women’s soccer community. As a collegiate player, he was a two-sport athlete for the University of Miami where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration. After finishing his college studies, Turner assisted in the emergence of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)’s Women’s Soccer Program and has served them for the past 28 years as an assistant coach. During his tenure with TCNJ, he has helped lead the team to three national titles, 12 Final Four appearances and 504 overall wins. On the youth landscape, Turner has served the past 18 years with the New Jersey ODP Girls Program while also embracing the role of Girls ODP Administrator.
Scott Baker also provides a host of experience to the New Jersey ODP Committee. Throughout his career, he has served as a teacher, coach, trainer, advisor and director at the high school, club, collegiate and professional levels. Accumulating over 25 years of experience as a coach, Baker has led 14 different programs. He is currently in his fourth season as the head men’s soccer coach at Rowan University, holding an overall record of 43-18-1.
After a 10-year career in Major League Soccer, Howell native Nick LaBrocca returned home to a role as a New Jersey ODP Coach and now joins its ODP Committee. A seasoned MLS veteran, he appeared in 232 matches, scoring 18 goals. During his tenure in MLS, LaBrocca played with the Colorado Rapids, Toronto FC, Chivas USA and Chicago Fire. Throughout his youth career, he was a member of every U.S. Youth National Team from age 14 to 23 before receiving the call to participate in a U.S. Men’s National Team Camp in 2008. Prior to his professional career, LaBrocca played at Rutgers University, where he scored 10 goals and eight assists over a four-year span. He was also a three-time All-Big East Selection while guiding the Scarlet Knights to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.
“This group of professionals will be an invaluable resource as we look to refine the program’s success with player development,” said Cordiner. “Our goal is to provide quality instruction from nationally licensed coaches and exposure to regional and national team coaches, while also presenting the opportunity to represent the state, region or country in competition.”
