Back in 1973, when USSF Staff Coach and Ukrainian native Dr. Leonard Lucenko mesmerized 53 young players with his soccer wit and wisdom for a week-long soccer camp in Denton, Texas, little did he know that his dream camp would still be reality at the turn of the century. Back then, directors Randy Noll and JD Cochran were barely thinking of attending the camp as campers, much less, staff members.

Over 40 years and one name change later, the Texas Soccer Academy camp program is celebrating its fourth decade as the most inclusive week-long soccer camp in the Southwest. In the early days, the camp went by the name of the Texas All-Star Soccer Camp and was the Southern version of its sister camp in New Jersey, the All-American Soccer Camp. Both Noll and Cochran attended the camp as campers and claim much of their success as both players and coaches to what they learned from Lucenko, his excellent staff, and his unique teaching system. Robert Lopez, joined the staff in 2000 and has continued the traditions and development of TSA into the current years.

Fast forward and Texas Soccer Academy is still going strong in current teaching methods for technique and tactics, while never losing site of the most important thing - keeping the environment fun and challenging for all the campers that attend.

Looking at Texas Soccer Academy today, it is easy to see why the camps, coaches clinics, personal training and committment to the game have created the longevity that is seen at every location they are part of.

Robert Lopez

Robert is responsible for setting up all training curriculum based off years of experience as a youth and adult trainer and with his experience with Lonestar as a staff trainer, location director, camps director. Robert also is the “NEW LOCATIONS & PROGRAMS” Director for Lonestar, responsible for starting and building locations such as - Steiner Ranch, Jr. Academy (2006 to 2015), Lonestar Round Rock, Lonestar Taylor and Lonestar Manor, as well as being an intregal part in the partnership that was established with Round Rock Soccer Association in 2017 as the clubs Director increasing their player base in recreational, Junior Academy and select soccer pathways. Robert applies every bit of his expertise in training, managing and mentoring into getting the best out of players and expects the same from his staff.

Robert started his training career at the age of 20 and continues to utilize the latest training and coaching methods in everything he does with TSA - building off his base of experience. Robert is a club director for Lonestar Soccer Club as well as owner/director IMF sports performance camps since 1999. The importance of making sure the full player, athlete or parent is completely educated is not lost in all that is accomplished with both TSA and IMF training sessions.

Training and Coaching credentials (1992- current):

  • National Federation of Professional Trainers - license.
  • Training in Overspeed.
  • NSCAA goalkeeper level one.
  • NSCAA goalkeeper level two Regional.
  • NSCAA advanced regional Diploma “D”.
  • USSF National “D” license.
  • NSCAA National Diploma “C”.
  • NSCAA National youth diploma.
  • USSF coaches module - ODP regionals.
  • NSCAA Advanced National Diploma “B”.
  • NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma.
  • NSCAA Special Topics Diplomas.
  • NSCAA Premier Diploma.

Chinedu "Chewie" Okoro

Coach Okoro was born in Round Rock, TX and grew up playing for the Austin Flyer and CCU Longhorns who merged to become what is now Lonestar Soccer Club. At the age of 17 Chewie began playing for the Austin Lighting USL-PDL and was also recruited to play at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where he played from 2004-2008 and received ASC Defensive MVP in 2008 and named to the ASC Conference 1st Team. After college he was invited to a number of professional trials but was plagued by recurring injuries and then entered into coaching.

Chewie began coaching in 2008 at Hardin-Simmons University as the Men’s Soccer fitness coach and was later a GK coach for the Cisco Junior College Men’s and Women’s Soccer programs. After moving back to Austin in 2010, Chewie worked with the Concordia University Men’s Soccer Program as a Fitness Coach and after a reorganization of that program came to Lonestar Soccer Club to continue his coaching career, until he left the club to focus other training opportunities, while still training and coaching for Texas Soccer Academy and Intregity in Motion Fitness.

Training and Coaching credentials (2007- current):

  • B.S. Sports, Fitness and Recreational Management.
  • U.S.S.F. National D license.
  • NSCAA Advanced National Diploma.
  • NSCAA goalkeeper level one and two.
  • NASM CPT (2009).
  • Abilene Soccer Club.
  • Hardin-Simmons University (Intern).
  • Cisco Junior College - coaching.
  • Concordia University - coaching.
  • Lonestar Soccer Club, Austin ( 2011 - 2017).