by Manuel Pereira 

The Memorial High School soccer program has become one of the more premier programs in Hudson County. They started the 2022 season with an 11-0 record, and this year they’ve made the county semi-finals. In the season prior, the Tigers went 1-14-1 and held the third worst winning percentage in the H.C.I.A.L. conference. How did this drastic change happen so quickly?

After an abysmal 2021 season, Athletic Director John Faraccio decided to make a change in the head coaching position. He used an unusual approach in his hiring process. Instead of hiring an in-house assistant, or a soccer coach at a different school, he handed the keys to Dominique Ocello, a former softball coach at Watchung Hills Regional High School. She wasn’t any softball coach, she was one of the best in the state. Ocello led the Warriors to a 27-2 record and a Group IV state title in her last season. Although she came with an impressive resume, Ocello was stepping into an entirely different environment. She was no longer leading a pristine program, she was coaching a different sport, and was now coaching boys rather than girls. 

Fast forward to the summer leading up to her Memorial debut season; Ocello made sure to stay true to her principles and set a championship tone from the beginning. “When I started with the MHS boys soccer team in July 2022 I had to implement my coaching philosophy that the athletes were not used to. I had to start from the ground up to build a foundation… ‘Championship Mindset’ and playing as a ‘family’.... The Championship Mindset is to give 110% with everything you do, starting with the little things then working your way to the bigger priorities.” Ocello also understands that it isn’t just about player and team performance, instead she aims to impact these boys' lives off the field as well, and to create an environment that feels like a big family. “The biggest adjustment was me holding them accountable for everything that they did. To be a well-rounded student-athlete you are expected to uphold a certain level of commitment. Being on time, doing your school work, taking care of equipment, respecting everyone that is a part of the story. It takes a village to run a team with many aspects that go with it. Any coach can run a practice, but do they know the ins and outs of a program? It is a 365 day job and there is no time for days off.”- Ocello. Senior defender Gerson Ventura was a starter in his sophomore year under the former coach, and has spent his junior and senior years playing for Ocello. When asked about the change of culture, he echoes his coach by saying, “There was definitely a drastic change in energy…. The old coach felt burnt out. He would just watch and supervise us in a way. But our new coach, she definitely cares about us, our well being, our mental health, our physical health, and what we do to improve.” He then goes on to say, “She cares about our futures, and has shown us the ways to be able to play at the college level.” 

The outside expectations for the Tigers was minimal, but Ocello knew that with the buy-in of her players, championship level soccer was inevitable. They ended 2022 with a 15-5-1 record, good for first in the National division of the H.C.I.A.L. conference. Kevin Moreno (SR) and Jesus Garcia (JR) emerged as elite players, providing a combined 31 goals. They came up short though in the county and state playoffs, but the season was nothing to scoff at. They looked to build off of it in 2023 against better competition. The Tigers got moved up to the American division, which is the better division in the H.C.I.A.L. conference. Not only that but Memorial also scheduled their independent games against some of the top teams in the state. They held their ground with an 8-8-3 record in the regular season, a Hudson County tournament semi-final appearance where they lost to the 11th best team in the state, and an elite West Orange team in round one of the Section 1 Group 4 state playoffs. It wasn’t the best season and the players were hungry for more. “We try to work as hard as possible, be united as possible to maximize our chances of accomplishing a common goal which is to win hardware for the school we all attend.”- Gerson Ventura when asked about the 2023 season before the State Playoffs. Although they couldn’t deliver the hardware they were striving for, there is no denying the incredible leap these young men made. High Tech’s very own, senior midfielder Davis Diaz, also played a big role in the transformation of the program. When I asked Coach Ocello about her thoughts on the 2023 season she said, “Even though we went .500 in the regular season, it was still a successful one. We accomplished so much in two years, more than anyone ever thought we would. I am very hopeful we will continue to get stronger, better and faster and be able to beat the power house teams in the state in the future.” Emilson Erazo stepped up big this season as a junior and they had promising performances from underclassmen. With the incredible culture that has been set, stars like Jesus Garcia and Emilson Erazo returning, it’s safe to say that these Tigers aren’t done. They believe they will continue to be a problem for other teams in the county for years to come.