Mission Statement
Who We Are
Nations United Soccer is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to help refugee and immigrant children and teens overcome adversity through soccer.
Staff
Mary Karol Taylor
Founder & Director
Mary Karol has taught at South Jr. High in Boise, Idaho for 22 years, teaching English and Reading. She is currently South’s school librarian. Nations United FC was established in 2016 after conversations with two of her refugee students revealed their deep love of soccer and their lack of opportunities to play.
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Emma Ballantyne
Program Coordinator,
Goalie Coach
Emma joined Nations United as a Goalie Coach in 2024, working with goalies from each of our 6 teams to build skills and confidence in their goalkeeping abilities. Whether working on reflexes, positioning, or mindset, she aims to make goalkeeping fun and exciting.
Recently brought on as Nations United's Program Coordinator, Emma helps create a welcoming and organized environment where our players can connect with their teams, build life skills, and learn and grow on the field. She is committed to making soccer accessible and meaningful for all players.
Ignacio Mireles
Coach U11G
My name is Ignacio Mireles. I am planting a Spanish-speaking church near Whitney Elementary. I was born in Mexico and started playing soccer when I was about five years old. My family moved to Idaho when I was twelve years old. The different challenges of being an immigrant eventually led me to the wrong crowd, and I stopped playing soccer to hang out with these new friends. During my senior year in high school, a teacher changed my life by believing in me and convinced me to attend college. My wife (Meylin) and I worked as Christian Missionaries in Ecuador and Peru for over 10 years. Our work overseas focused on serving the underprivileged youth of forgotten and marginalized communities. In 2020, we moved back to Idaho and three years later our daughter Michaiah was invited to join the U-9 Nations United team. The coach was looking for help, so I volunteered as an assistant coach and have been helping ever since. Being part of Nations United is a blessing to our family.
Beth Gross
Coach U13G
Beth has been playing soccer since she was about 4 years old in New York, New Jersey and California and even played on a boys team in high school (they were NJ state champs her freshman year!). Playing on indoor and rec teams through college at UC Davis and while living in San Francisco, she was excited to coach both her son’s and daughter’s soccer teams for years. Beth recently moved to Boise 3 years ago and became involved with Nations United through her volunteer work with the International Rescue Committee and is thrilled to continue sharing her love of soccer with her U12 Girls team. Beth works for Yahoo in Business Development and lives with her husband, and 2 children who are studying at BSU.
Moses Muyumbe Mukengezi
Coach U15B
Moses Mukengezi was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and developed his passion for soccer by playing in the streets with his siblings and friends. In 2007, Moses and his family moved to Boise. One of the first things he did was find a soccer field and luckily enough Idaho Rush Soccer Club had teams playing at those fields. He played soccer for Idaho Rush and Boise High School until graduating and moving on to play at Treasure Valley Community College for 2 years, then came back to Boise to complete his bachelor’s degree in sociology at Boise State University, Nations United gives him the opportunity to combine his two passions of soccer and helping the refugee community while sharing his passion for soccer with kids that are just like he was.
Kian DeBord
Coach U115B
Kian was born and raised here in Boise, alongside the immigrant and refugee community. Coming from an immigrant family himself, Kian has always felt right at home around people from around the world. During Nation United’s first-ever season, Kian had the privilege to play against our team. Ever since then, Kian has been involved with our organization, whether it was directing a public relations campaign for us while he was in college, or coaching his own teams for multiple seasons.
Kevin Baxter
Coach U11B Competitive,
U15B
Kevin is a Boise native with four seasons of experience at Nations United Soccer. His coaching approach emphasizes skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship, aiming to provide young athletes with a positive and inclusive environment to grow both on and off the field. His passion for the outdoors influences his coaching philosophy, where he encourages players to embrace challenges and develop resilience
Kent F. Ivanoff
Coach U11B Competitive
Accomplished and professionally trained youth soccer coach focused on individual player technical development while using youth sports as a medium for teaching young people lifelong lessons on the rewards of teamwork, fair play, training to compete (grit) and competing to win (regardless of whether being ahead or behind when the final whistle blows).
Will Slattery
Coach U11B Competitive
Will grew up in the thick of Boise’s soccer scene, spending most of his childhood either running across a field trying to score a goal or icing some sore knees. Though his personal medals are now somewhere deep in his parent’s attic, his love for the game has never left. Soccer has shaped so much of his life from his closest friendships, his love for fitness, and lessons in teamwork, resilience, and the simple joy of playing. These days, he’s excited to share that same spark with the next generation, and with his kids at Nations United, one game, and one snack break, at a time.
Peter Kimani
Coach U13B Competitive
Hi, I'm 'Coach Peter' to many of the kids. I encourage them to be assertive and collaborative in their soccer journey. The kids remind me of my childhood in Nairobi where many kids met and played soccer. Those times were chaotic, electric, relentless, and unforgettable. It is very satisfying for me when the kids are excited to practice and play. I hope they establish and foster positive friendships and experiences around soccer.
Kenji Wright
Coach U13B Competitive,
U15B Competitive
Kenji is a local carpenter who owns his own remodeling business in Boise. He is married and has two sons. Since early childhood Kenji has enjoyed playing soccer. He was able to meet many people, visit interesting places, and learn life lessons that extended beyond the field. He wants all kids to have an equal opportunity to play organized soccer and develop their soccer skills, while learning to be part of a team and a community.
Ray Hohenleitner
Coach U13B Competitive,
U15B Competitive
Hello, I’m Ray. I’ve been helping coach with Nations United since 2021. I love working with kids to find a positive outlet for their energy and foster a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. I think of coaching as my way of giving back to a community that has given me so much. I am a Boise native, small business owner, husband, outdoor enthusiast, animal lover and overall positive thinker. You can see me on any given Saturday morning joking around with and cheering on the team, GO NATIONS UNITED!
TEAMS
U11
girls
U13
girls
U15
Boys
U11
Boys
Competitive
U13
Boys
Competitive
U15
Boys
Competitive
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