Building a diverse and inclusive community through soccer and cultural programming.
Kick2Build is a 501c3 Colorado non-profit organization focused on building inclusive communities and affirming diversity through sports, cultural arts, music and dance programming. Led by BIPOC coaches, artists and professionals, participants develop cross-cultural competencies and gain a sense of belonging and acceptance in an environment where people of all backgrounds, gender and ability level can come together to learn, grow and have fun.
Meet The Team
NANA K. BOAKYE
CEO, FOUNDER & HEAD COACH
Nana started playing soccer as a little kid in Ghana, West Africa. There, in the streets turned make-shift soccer fields, he found happiness and community. Nana excelled in the sport and went on to play in professional clubs in Ghana, Germany and the United States. He loved being a pro soccer player, but knew his calling was more than this.
After moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2012, Nana wanted to recreate the sense of community he had on the soccer field. He started hosting vibrant soccer meetups with warmups to African drumming. In 2019 Kick2Build was born to create a connection between countries and cultures and affirm diversity and belonging through soccer. The love and excitement Nana has both on and off the field is contagious.
Connect with Nana at email Nana.Boakye@Kick2Build.org
JOHN WELSCH
DIRECTOR, COMPETITIVE SOCCER CLUB
John grew up in The Netherlands where soccer was the main sport and he started playing soccer on the streets as soon as he could stand and joined a club at 9. John has been coaching in the boulder area since 1989 and started the Competitive Soccer Club with Nana in 2021.
“When I think about youth soccer, I think about friends, great memories, fun and learning at an affordable price. Youth soccer in the US has become too expensive, too exclusive and it has taken away the opportunity for kids to explore other activities. My number 1 goal is that the players are having fun in practice. When they have fun, they want to come back for more. When they come back for more, they improve. And when they improve, the sky's the limit.“
Connect with John at Email John.Welsch@Kick2Build.org
SENAN MERVEIL KOTTIN
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & COACH
I started playing soccer very young, like around 4, 5 years old.
I love coaching at K2B because through K2B I can impact kids at a very young age. I believe there is nothing like being a mentor for a kid because their future reflects that. The combination of the beautiful sport of football along with the cultural aspect of it just makes it all the best. It brings me back to my roots of my childhood and now getting to pass the baton to the kids makes me the happiest.
I have been coaching at K2B for the better part of 4 years. My favorite part about coaching at K2B is the connection you get with the kids. My favorite soccer position is right back/right winger.
I like defensive positions because the game of football is all about the build up when you have possession of the ball and defenders are the roots of that. I also like the responsibility of being the last line between the other teams and the goal.
SELASEE ATIASE
COACH
I started playing soccer from childhood just for fun, I never planned to develop skills to play professionally.
I like coaching at K2B because of the unique combination of the arts and sports which are my two favorite activities in the world!
I have been with K2B since it's beginning in 2019 helping develop the arts side of activities.
I enjoy facilitating the music for warm ups, facilitating the parent games and running the music workshop activities during the summer camps.
I like playing defense because I find it exciting having the ability to slow down the game and frustrating the strikers/attackers of the opponent.
KEDER JOSEPH
COACH
I started playing soccer at the age of 10 in my hometown park.
I enjoy coaching at K2B because of the supportive community and the opportunity to mentor young players.
I have been coaching at K2B for 1 year now.
My favorite part of coaching is seeing the improvement and growth of my players both on and off the field.
My favorite soccer position is midfielder because I enjoy being involved in both attacking and defending plays.
KIKA TUFF - COACH
1) I’ve played soccer as long as I can remember. My mom signed me up for a local church team in St. Louis when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I never missed a season. I have so many fond memories of being drenched playing soccer in the rain while my mom watched from our car in the parking lot. I continued playing all through high school and college — I was never very good, I just never wanted to stop. Once I had kids, I dreamed of finding a community where we could all enjoy soccer together. Kick-2-Build offered everything I was hoping for!
2) I love coaching because it allows me to play soccer, share soccer, and join a community of soccer enthusiasts. My fellow coaches inspire me to keep playing, as much as the kids on the team. I feel like I’m learning and growing, while helping others learn and grow as well. It is such a win-win-win.
3) I have been coaching at K2B for one year.
4) One of my favorite parts of coaching is hearing the kids call me “Coach Kika.” It just means so much! I feel like I’m really living the dream! Some soccer communities are quite exclusive — if you didn’t go pro, you don’t deserve to be coaching. I am so grateful for a community that lets me share what I know and love. Everyone here is invited to come as they are and encouraged to contribute what they can. I love that about Kick-2-Build.
5) Left midfield all. day. long. Love the running; love the passing; love the strategic view of the field. I was never much of a scorer, but I love to facilitate goals. It was the perfect position for me.
SARAH CORONNA
COACH
I played soccer from 5 years old to 16 years old in New York I was on a travel team from 4th grade until 11th grade, and also played on my Junior high school and High school team, plus on select teams in HS. My travel team were NY state champions and won our games played in England and Belgium and won the tournament we played in Holland.
I enjoy coaching at K2B because it allows me to have fun with kids that love the game. It is also wonderful to have the chance to play/listen to live drumming from the Ghanaian culture before practice.
Spring 2024 is my first season with K2B.
My favorite part of coaching is getting to know each of the players, to be able to guide them towards becoming better players. I really enjoy seeing how much fun the kids are having on the field, without the pressure of being competitive.
My favorite soccer position is right fullback, on defense. I like defense because I help to prevent goals being made on my team, and I can set up plays from the back to move the ball up the field.
Board of Directors
RICHMOND BOAKYE
Chairman / IT
JON SAINTS
Treasurer
CASIE ZALUD
Marketing
SELASEE ATIASE
Arts & Culture
DANA ROMANOFF
Media
KATIE TODOROFF
Outreach & Engagement
SHAZIA KIKIA
Development Coordinator
Competitive Soccer Committee
CHECHO SANTANDER
President (Youth Club)
JEREMY GEER
Vice President (YouthClub)
BART GEERTS
Treasurer (Youth Club)
CHRISTINA GARDNER-SHIFLETT
Board Member (Youth Club)
SARAH DUTTON-SWAIN
Competitive &
Grassroots Liaison
JOHN WELSCH
Director of Soccer (Youth Club)
We have aligned our sustainability efforts and initiatives with the way we structure and think about our programing, which is a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability. These pillars drive our hearts to contribute to the betterment of our global world. We also align our efforts with five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
GOAL 1 : Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. While the number of people living in extreme poverty dropped by more than half between 1990 and 2015, too many are still struggling for the most basic human needs. Kick2Build is committed to nurturing our ‘‘Light Up A Dream ‘‘ to support youth and women who are looking for a new path to sustainable trade & jobs to contribute to the SDG goals.
GOAL 3: Emerging global health priorities not explicitly included in the SDGs, including antimicrobial resistance, also demand action.
But the world is off-track to achieve the health-related SDGs. Progress has been uneven, both between and within countries. There’s a 31-year gap between the countries with the shortest and longest life expectancies. And while some countries have made impressive gains, national averages hide that many are being left behind.
GOAL 4 : Since 2000, there has been enormous progress in achieving the target of universal primary education. The total enrollment rate in developing regions reached 91 percent in 2015, and the worldwide number of children out of school has dropped by almost half. There has also been a dramatic increase in literacy rates, and many more girls are in school than ever before. These are all remarkable successes. Kick2Build ‘‘Academic Aid Africa’’ outreach program empowers education by providing essential materials to schools in rural areas in Ghana and beyond.
GOAL 6 : Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of people, an alarming figure that is projected to rise as temperatures do. Although 2.1 billion people have improved water sanitation since 1990, dwindling drinking water supplies are affecting every continent.
More and more countries are experiencing water stress, and increasing drought and desertification is already worsening these trends. By 2050, it is projected that at least one in four people will suffer recurring water shortages. Kick2Build Anidaso clean drinking water project ‘‘ drills sustainable mechanized borehole water wells in rural communities areas in Ghana and beyond facing severer water challenges.
GOAL 5 :Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development.
UNDP has made gender equality central to its work and we’ve seen remarkable progress in the past 20 years. There are more girls in school now compared to 15 years ago, and most regions have reached gender parity in primary education.
TOGETHER WE BUILD A STRONGER GLOBAL VILLAGE THROUGH SPORTS & SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
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TOGETHER WE BUILD A STRONGER GLOBAL VILLAGE THROUGH SPORTS & SOCIAL ACTIVITIES 〰️
Partners
We believe in the power of collaboration and the strength that comes from working together. Our success is built on a foundation of meaningful partnerships that enrich our offerings and drive innovation.
