David McCollum, FC Westchester Director of Coaching

David McCollum was named Director of Coaching for FC Westchester in 2008. A former professional player in Germany, thce Ireland native has been coaching in the Westchester County area since the early 1990s, working with a variety of clubs and teams. He was head coach of the Yorktown Spirit from 1999-2004, during which time the team won four consecutive State Cup Championships and was consistently ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation. Many of the players on that Yorktown Spirit team went on to major Division 1 college programs, including UConn, University of Maryland, Princeton, Michigan State, Brown, Albany, Binghamton, Sacred Heart, Marist and so on. Four of those players were drafted recently by the MLS: Kevin Reiman (Salt Lake Real); Dane Murphy (DC United); Ryan Cordiero (DC United) and Laurant Manuel (Red Bull NY) .

From 1999 to 2006, he was a member of the ODP State Coaching staff, serving as Head Coach for the Boys program in almost every age group from those players starting their State ODP careers to the oldest boys preparing to move on to play in college. In 2007, he began coaching the FC Westchester ’93 Boys, leading the team to the ENYYSA U16 State Cup championship, making him five for five in state cup finals. For the past few years, he has also been the Director of Coaching of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League and Director of Coaching of the league’s East Hudson Academy Program.

Contact Dave at david.mccollum@mbia.com

Lonny Unger, Assistant Director of Coaching and U.S. Soccer Development Academy Team Staff

Coach Unger has been a Division 1 and Division 3 collegiate coach for more than a decade and has also served as one of the directors of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association ODP program. He has been a Division 1 assistant coach at both Iona College and Manhattan College and was the men’s soccer head coach at Purchase College, SUNY. While at Purchase College, he won Hudson Valley Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year honors. He has also been a staff coach for the ENYYSA ODP program and a Super Y League ODP regional staff coach. He is an USSF licensed coach and holds a KNVB coaching certificate from the Netherlands.  He was inducted into the Westchester Youth Soccer Hall of Fame in December of 2011.

Contact Lonny at lonnyu@optonline.net

Jim McElderry, Head Coach, FC Westchester U.S. Soccer Development Academy Staff

Jim McElderry is the head men’s coach at Fordham University, which plays in the Atlantic 10 conference. He has led Fordham to the Atlantic 10 Championships twice in the past three years.Prior to Fordham, he served as an assistant coach at Fairfield University. McElderry joins FC Westchester after having been a National Scout with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program. He has also been a coach with the Region I Olympic Development Program As a player, McElderry was a four-year letterman at Fairfield, earning several post-season honors including the 1992 MAAC Player of the Year award. McElderry was inducted into the Fairfield Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998. Following graduation, McElderry played professionally for the New York Fever of the A-League from 1994-97 and then for the Long Island Rough Riders (A-League) from 1997-98. He also played for the New York Freedoms, a Division 3 team, for four seasons.

Contact Coach McElderry at McElderry@fordham.edu

Boris Bandov, Coach, FC Westchester U.S. Soccer Development Academy Team Staff

Boris Bandov is a former star player with the world-famous New York Cosmos (where he played with Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Johann Neeskans, Carlos Alberto and others) and a former long-time US National Team player. Bandov spent 10 seasons in the North American Soccer League, plus two in the Major Indoor Soccer League, and as a U.S. National Team performer he earned 33 caps between 1976 and 1983. At one time, he had the most caps out of any player during his era. Bandov has also been a professional coach and an assistant coach at Manhattan College.

Contact Boris at avilakb674@optonline.net

Edgar Quiroga is formerly the head coach at Iona Prep and a long-time successful youth coach who has been to several State Cup Finals and has won the last two state cups with his 1991 team.

Contact Coach Ed Quiroga at edgar.f.quiroga@gmail.com

James Quiroga, Head Coach FC Westchester Pre-Academy Team Staff

Coach Quiroga is  currently the head men’s coach at Mount St. Vincent College and had been an assistant men’s coach at Iona College.  He has worked over the years with a number of FC Westchester teams, including five teams that have won State Cup championships.

Contact Coach James Quiroga at j.s.quiroga@gmail.com

Carlos Casas, Head Coach FC Westchester Pre-Academy Team Staff

Carlos Casas is a former star at Boston College and a long-time successful youth coach. He grew up playing at FC Westchester and as a FCW player won numerous State Cup titles and prestigious tournament crowns.

Contact Coach Casas at carlos.casas@ubs.com

Gaylord is also an assistant coach at Manhattan College. Previously, he was a top player at Dominican College where he received All-Conference honors. Working with Coach Gaylord is Keith Stetler, who also coaches with the East Hudson Academy program.

Contact Coach Gaylord at b4rent14@yahoo.com

Matt McGuire:  Pre-Academy Teams Staff

McGuire has been a long-time successful youth coach who is a former player at D1 Fairfield University.

Jay Riordan:  Pre-Academy Teams Staff

Riordan has coached with FC Westchester for more than a decade and has been on the coaching staff of more than a half-dozen state cup championship teams.

Nick Vertucci, U.S. Soccer Development Academy and Pre-Academy Goalkeeper Coach:

Nick Vertucci is an assistant coach at Marist College, a Division 1 program that plays in the MAAC Conference. Previously, he was the goalkeeping coach at fellow MAAC Conference member Manhattan. He has also worked on a scholastic level as the assistant and goalkeepers coach at King and Low Heywood Thomas School in Stamford, Conn. As a player, he played collegiately at both Villanova of the BIG EAST and Iona.  He holds an NSCAA Goalkeeping Institute National Goalkeeping and USSF Licenses.

Contact Coach Vertucci at vertuccin@aol.com

Brian Robinson:  Head Coach, Pre-Academy, Premier Team and Training Group Staff

Robinson has a USSF "C" License, an NSCAA Advanced Natonal License and National Youth License, as well as an KNVB Advanced Coaching Diploma and an KNVB Youth Coaching Diploma. He also holds the International Youth Conditioning Association Certification.

Contact Brian at: brobinson41@gmail.com

Jack Gigli:  Head Coach, Premier Team Staff:

Jack Gigli has been coaching youth soccer in New York for over 25 years. He has a USSF "B" license and is currently Head Coach, White Plains Men’s Junior Varsity Team. He also serves as a trainer for WYSL Select Program. He has won 3 state championships, 1 regional and 1 one national final.

 Contact Jack at:  ogigli@aol.com

Massimo Gargiulo, Head Coach, Pre-Academy and Premier Team Staff:

Massimo Gargiulo has been dedicated to developing youth soccer in various Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL) clubs for past 15 years. A holder of a USSF National "B" License, he has an M.S. in Athletic Administration and Supervision, a B.S. in Physical Education and has taught health and physical education on a high school level for almost two decades. He was captain for NCAA Division I St. Francis College and has played semi-professionally for 20 years in both Italy and the USA. Massimo was an assistant coach at St. Francis College, head Coach at NY Tech, head coach at Columbus High School in the Bronx and a head coach in the WYSL Select program.

Contact Massimo at: massimo24@optonline.net

Luis Arenas, Head Coach, Premier Team Staff:

Luis Arenas has been coaching youth soccer for more than 15 years. A coach of the men’s soccer team at Mt. Saint Vincent College in Riverdale, NY, he has worked with FC Westchester more over 10 years and has had teams that have won the New York State Championship four times. Coach Arenas has worked with Westchester Youth Soccer League Select Program and has trained various teams in the White Plains Youth Soccer Club. He currently has a USSF National “D” License and is in the process of obtaining with USSF National “C” License over the next few months.

Julian Grajales: Pre-Academy Teams, Premier Teams, Pre-Academy Training Group Staff:

Grajales, who served as captain at D1 Iona College, was one of the top midfielders in the MAAC and played for FC Westchester’s very successful 1989 team, which won multiple State Cup and tournament titles.

Mario Aceto, Pre-Academy Teams and Pre-Academy Training Group Staff:

Aceto was a top defender at D1 Iona College where he was a member of the MAAC All-Academic team.

Alek Haxhari, Premier Team Staff:

Haxhari was a top defender for the D1 Iona College Gaels and while there was named to the MAAC All-Academic team.