Meet Our Coaching Staff

At the heart of the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (NJ ODP) is a team of highly qualified, experienced, and dedicated professionals who are committed to the development and success of young soccer players across the state. Our technical staff, comprised of coaching directors and senior-level coaches, embodies the NJ ODP coaching philosophy: fostering a challenging and rewarding environment that emphasizes player-centric development, technical excellence, tactical awareness, and mental resilience.

Each member of our technical staff brings decades of coaching experience, advanced certifications, and a deep passion for the game. Together, they ensure that NJ ODP players receive the highest level of training and mentorship, aligning with our mission to identify and nurture top talent while providing a pathway to the regional, national, and collegiate levels.

From leading advanced training sessions to inspiring young athletes with innovative curriculums, our technical staff is united by their commitment to excellence and their shared goal of elevating youth soccer in New Jersey.

Lou Mignone, Coaching Education

Lou Mignone is a highly qualified and experienced soccer coach with a range of credentials and expertise. He holds a U.S. Soccer A-License, a National Youth License, a Director of Coaching License and a United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma, and he has been coaching for the past 30 years. Coach Lou is involved in various coaching education and development programs, including serving as a Coaching School Instructor, a TOPSoccer Director for New Jersey Youth Soccer, and a Coach Educator for U.S. Soccer. Coach Lou has a strong background in soccer as a former player at Rutgers-Newark, and he has also earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees. He is also a retired police detective.

Auke Wiersma, Training Director

Coach Auke is a highly qualified and experienced soccer coach with a range of credentials and expertise. He holds the U.S. Soccer A-License and is a New Jersey Youth Soccer Coaching School Instructor and a U.S. Soccer Grassroots Instructor. In addition to his coaching duties at Morris Elite Soccer Club in Madison, Coach Auke has been involved with the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (NJ ODP) since 1999, serving as a head coach for boys and girls teams. He is also a physical education teacher for students with special needs, which further enhances his skills and understanding of the game. Coach Auke is committed to providing high-quality instruction and guidance to players and helping them develop their skills and understanding of the game.

Alex Lalaoui, Onsite Director

Alex Lalaoui is a USSF “A” licensed coach and instructor, NJ Youth Soccer coaching instructor and USYS/NJ ODP coach who has focused over two decades of his professional career providing professional soccer instruction to his North Jersey community.  In 2002, he began a small soccer class for young athletes in a church gym in Hoboken.  Since then, The Soccer Learning Center has grown to serve hundreds of children and adults annually with classes, summer camps, leagues, tournaments, special events, and teaching soccer to children with Autism .  In addition, Lalaoui serves as the founder and chairman of The U.S. Soccer Heroes, a 501c3 charity dedicated to effecting positive social change through soccer.  Since its inception, the USSH has raised tens of thousands of dollars for first responders and their families during times of catastrophic need. 

Homere Breton, Teams Director

Coach Homere “Coach O” Breton is a highly qualified and experienced soccer coach with more than 25 years of coaching, training, and player development experience across youth, elite, collegiate, professional, semi-professional, and pre-professional environments. He holds a U.S. Soccer National B License and has been a steadfast contributor to the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (NJ ODP) since 2002, serving as a Head Coach for multiple NJ ODP boys’ and girls’ age groups, and currently as NJ ODP Director of Teams and Director of the Young Olympians Program.  His work has also extended to the US Youth Soccer East Region in coaching, training, scouting, and evaluation roles, including international travel and player evaluation responsibilities.

As a player, Coach O competed at Syracuse University, where he was honored as Rookie of the Year, served as team captain, was an all-time letter winner, and was selected to and played in the NCAA Division I Senior Bowl, recognizing him among the nation’s top collegiate players; he was later drafted for professional play by the Houston Dynamos of the ASL and also competed at the semi-professional level.

Coach O is committed to elite instruction, player-centered development, and helping young athletes grow in their technical ability, tactical understanding, confidence, and readiness for higher levels of competition.

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