Raper, who was named head coach of The Montclair Kimberley Academy’s boys soccer team this past May, hopes his coaching skills and keen sense of program development will carry over to the Cougars.

"MKA gives me a chance to come in and put together an entire program starting from the middle school up through the high school," says Raper, a native of England who first came to the United States to teach soccer in 1996. He returned in 1999 and has remained here since, living with his wife, Michelle, in West Orange.

Raper has a very specific goal this year: "To recognize the skilled players in the school at a young age and build an environment where they want to stay here with the opportunity of developing to the best of their ability."

That Raper’s interview and hiring process took just about a week proved that administration at the Lloyd Road school had Raper on a short list to replace Huey Ferguson. After a successful two-year stint, Ferguson left MKA in April for a job on Wall Street and to spend more time with his wife and young daughter.

MKA athletic director Todd Smith was impressed by Raper’s strategy for his initial period of time on the job, and his vision for the future.

"Jordan isn’t just concerned about what to do for MKA soccer in 2008, but also 2010 and 2012 and beyond," Smith says. "Through his work at Ashley’s he also understands the Montclair soccer community, which is very strong and a group he has a great relationship with. In terms of his knowledge and what works in this area, Jordan was a perfect fit."

After brief playing stints on the professional and semipro pitch and a four-year collegiate career at Leeds Metropolitan University in England, Raper’s coaching career started as an assistant for a U14 team in Leeds in 1998. However, Raper was bit by the teaching/coaching bug during a 1996 trip to Long Island where he saw the opportunities available at the youth level for soccer in the U.S.

"Training facilities for developing young players were just getting off the ground that first time I was here, and I actually came back in ’99 to teach physical education at the Montclair Cooperative School with the idea that I could get involved with something in the area," says Raper. "I got into teaching and coaching first and then the [Soccer Domain] opened, and I’ve been here since. Ashley’s has gone from a few kids that first year to a bunch of elite travel teams and over 600 kids training with us today.

"My time at Ashley’s has been a great experience and a big reason why I’m so confident heading into this new role at MKA."

Raper will remain in his director of staff development position at Ashley’s and continue coaching elite travel teams at different age levels for both boys and girls.

"Jordan is 100 percent committed to establishing himself as a great coach on the high school level. It’s also great that he can keep, and build, his relationships with families that may choose MKA as an educational opportunity for their children as students and soccer players," Smith says. "We’re hoping families can see that Jordan is looking to build a great team environment here and everything that goes along with it."

Raper’s first autumn on Van Brunt Field will likely be a challenging one. Only six players from last year’s 12-9 team return, and Raper told The Times that the program - from freshman to varsity - is without a goalie at this time. Regardless of how well MKA does this season, the preseason will be its most important stretch of the year, according to Raper.

"We are going to be young, so I’m going to be learning about the newer guys just as they learn about the high school game," says Raper, who takes over a team that has won the last five Prep B titles (four outright) and a Non-Public B State title in 2006. "One important thing is that we fight from the opening whistle to the end of the game. The boys are going to have to compete and make their best effort to win every ball and every header.

"The technical game will come later, but you can’t even think about getting to that point unless you give your all."

In the Colonial Hills Conference, the power brokers each year are Pingry and Morris Catholic, with Morristown-Beard, Newark Academy and MKA producing solid sides somewhat regularly. Several public schools also challenge each year, making the CHC one of the top small-school soccer conferences in New Jersey.

As someone who has his finger on the pulse of club soccer, Raper is familiar with the elite players who dot the rosters of the Pingrys and Morris Catholics. But he admits he has a lot of research to do between now and the Cougars’ Sept. 12 opener, incidentally against Morris Catholic.

"I’m hoping to get some film on the early teams we are playing," Raper says. "The season is so short, we are going to keep things simple but make sure we are prepared. Of course you would always like to have success, but this season will also be about building something long term here.

"I’m ready to get going."