NJSA 04
Overview
NJSA 04 (New Jersey Soccer Academy) was founded in 2004 by Tab Ramos (Olympian, three-time U.S. World Cup veteran, later U-20 USMNT head coach), Jay Teitelbaum, Anna Reidy, and Joe Tetro. The mission was to give NJ/NY metro players access to a national showcase schedule and elite-level training. NJSA 04 was historically one of only four New Jersey clubs admitted to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program.
The program is based at 17 Blair Road, Aberdeen, NJ 07747 and draws players from Holmdel, Freehold, Wall, Jackson, and Toms River. (The earlier wiki entry’s “Wayne, NJ” location appears incorrect; Aberdeen / Monmouth County is the operating address per the program’s own website.)
NJSA 04 is closely linked with — and effectively the predecessor of — Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth (CSA Monmouth). Multiple sources describe NJSA 04 as having "morphed into" CSA Monmouth, with Tab Ramos serving as President of New Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA). Cedar Stars Academy USA Corp (EIN 47-4503685) is the relevant 501(c)(3) covering the Monmouth operation.
Financials
NJSA 04 does not appear as a standalone nonprofit in ProPublica. Operating financials roll up under Cedar Stars Academy USA Corp (EIN 47-4503685), which reported total revenue of $3,221,570 in FY 2024 across all CSA branches (Bergen, Newark, North, Monmouth). The NJSA 04 / CSA Monmouth slice of that figure is not separately broken out.
Teams & Players
Multi-age teams across boys and girls competitive sides; specific 2025–26 team count not publicly disclosed. NJSA 04 has historically targeted the elite competitive tier (U13 and up) rather than serving as a broad recreational base. Aberdeen-Matawan Soccer Club Inc. (a separate small 501(c)(3), EIN 27-3312206, ~$82K revenue) handles broader rec play in the same geography.
League Affiliations
- U.S. Soccer Development Academy (DA) — historical member (DA program was discontinued in 2020)
- Northeast Pre-Academy — historical
- NYCSL-NPL — competitive teams
- EDP — competitive pathway
- US Club Soccer — sanctioning
- Current MLS NEXT participation runs through the Cedar Stars Monmouth brand following the platform shift
Facilities
Operating address is 17 Blair Road, Aberdeen, NJ. Specific field arrangements and ownership not publicly documented.
Leadership
- Tab Ramos — Founder; Club President of New Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA) successor entity
- Marcelo Fracchia — historical Director of Coaching for the NJ Stallions alliance era (2012)
- Antonio Meza — historical NJSA 04 Director of Coaching (2012 alliance era)
Current 2025–26 staffing is published via the Cedar Stars Monmouth branch listings rather than a standalone NJSA 04 staff page.
Competitive Position
NJSA 04 helped define the elite Monmouth County competitive landscape from 2004 onward and was a national-pathway flag bearer (US Soccer DA membership) when very few NJ clubs held that status. The transition into Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth aligns the program with a multi-branch operator that holds MLS NEXT, Girls Academy, NAL, and USYS Elite 64 platform memberships across its New Jersey footprint.
Industry Context
NJSA 04’s evolution illustrates a recurring pattern in youth soccer: a founder-led, single-program academy (often anchored by a former pro/national-team figure) eventually rolling into a multi-branch operator as platform requirements (MLS NEXT, Girls Academy) push toward larger organizational footprints. The Tab Ramos founder credibility and the existing DA membership were the assets carried forward into the Cedar Stars structure. The Monmouth/Aberdeen catchment is a relatively affluent shore-corridor pool, with SURF and PSA Monmouth as the principal competitive peers.
Open Questions
- Exact date and structure of the NJSA 04 → Cedar Stars Monmouth transition
- Whether NJSA 04 retains any independent legal entity status
- Current head count and team list under the NJSA 04 / CSA Monmouth banner
- Tab Ramos’s day-to-day involvement vs. honorary/branding role