Joe Cummings, president and general manager of the Boston Breakers franchise of Women’s Professional Soccer, has been named the new chief executive officer and executive director for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Cummings, who replaces recently retired Jim Sheldon, will assume his new duties in early September after the end of the WPS season.

NSCAA President Randy Waldrum, women’s soccer coach at Notre Dame, said Cummings will bring a unique perspective to the executive director role. “We couldn’t ask for someone more qualified to assume the responsibilities of leading the world’s largest coaches association,” Waldrum said.

An NSCAA member since 1981, Cummings served as the organization’s president in 2004. He has participated in soccer at every level of the game, from youth club teams to the men’s and women’s professional ranks. In addition to his current position, Cummings also severed two stints with the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer, first as its assistant general manager (1996-99), then as technical director (2004-05).

Cummings began his coaching career more than 30 years ago by founding the Northboro (Massachusetts) Youth Soccer Association. He also coached at the high school level and at Holy Cross.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Providence and a master’s in education from Springfield.