Julio Velasquez —Director of Soccer Operations

Julio Velasquez is the Director of Soccer Operations after joining the Columbus Crew as Team Coordinator in 2016. In his current role, he coordinates the Club's preseason training camps, team travel, and team scheduling while working closely with the technical staff and players in the day-to-day operation of the team.

Velasquez graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in Sports Management. While there, he played on the school's soccer team and also interned with the coaching staff, learning operations and day-to-day logistics surrounding the successful operation of the team. After graduation, he took a full-time position as an assistant coach at Neosho County Community College in Kansas.

Velasquez was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. At the age of 16, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He began his college career at the University of New Mexico, where he red-shirted during his first year of soccer before transferring to Valparaiso.