Andy graduated from Northwestern in 1998. He was named All Big-Ten 3 years, Team Captain 3 years, all-time assist record holder and NSCAA All Midwest Region. While playing seven seasons of professional soccer in Germany, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, Andy trained in the martial arts, earning his Third-Degree Black Belt and was the head instructor of a tae kwon do school. After 9/11, he served on the Tactical Response Unit of the Phoenix Police Department for 9 years. Besides tac ops and pro-active community policing, he also served as a certified translator in Spanish and in French, a Peer Counselor for PTSD/Trauma, and Subject Matter Expert and Physical Training Instructor for all Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies. While there, he competed in the World Police and Fire Games and in 2012 won the Gold Medal at the National Championships in the event called Toughest Competitor Alive. He became known as a Sports Performance and Fitness Expert- with over 100 published articles and videos for national media including Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, and USA Today. His training/nutrition content on YouTube has been viewed by 4.5 million people. He was discovered as an actor when he was cast in a movie with Will Ferrell called Everything Must Go. In 2012, he moved to LA and has appeared in over 40 Films and TV shows and many more commercials and photo campaigns. Andy relocated to the San Francisco area in 2017 when he was recruited to create and lead a $50MM Sports Technology and Entertainment startup called COPA Soccer Training Center. There, Andy also served as Director of Coaching for Solano United Soccer Club where he was responsible for the development of roughly 1500 student-athletes, four of whom were his two sons and two daughters. He has been coaching soccer at all levels for 25 years, and in 2019/2020 passed a year-long exam process to earn US Soccer’s National A-Youth License; the highest youth coaching badge in the country. In 2020, Andy also consulted on several sports training facilities, specializing in design and business development.

He and his wife Julie were married in Chicago in 1999, and along with their four kids and bulldog George Best, they returned to the Chicago area in Fall of 2020 after 20 years of adventures to create and lead Intentional Sports.

Email: andy@intentionalsports.org

Austin Carr is President at Intentional Sports following a 12 month stretch as the organization’s Vice-President, Sporting Director. Mr. Carr came to Intentional Sports having just retired from the National Football League, where he played wide receiver for four seasons with the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots. While playing in 2020, he also served his Saints teammates as the unanimously team-elected NFL Players Association representative, handling responsibilities in league governance with the newly signed CBA. Mr. Carr holds a B.A. from Northwestern University in Philosophy (Minor in Business) and a M.S. from the Kellogg School of Management. As a student athlete, he was Team Captain of the Northwestern football team and earned many accolades, including being named the 2016 Big-Ten Receiver of the Year, 2nd Team Sports Illustrated All-American, 1st team All Big-Ten, Academic All Big Ten and a finalist for both the Biletnikoff and Burlsworth trophies; awarded to the top receiver and top walk-on in the country respectively. In 2015 he was honored with the Big Ten Medal of Honor for outstanding athletic and academic achievement. Austin lives in Chicago with his wife and two sons.

Email: carr@intentionalsports.org

Tommy Christian is one of the top sports performance coaches in the country. He started his sports performance career at Northwestern University as the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning (2000-2002). His role expanded to take over all the speed development duties for the football program and under his first season in this role, the team saw an average decrease in 40 yd times of .15 seconds. Tommy broke off from NU to begin the process of growing TCBOOST in 2002, although he has continued to aid as a contract coach and/or consultant for NU ever since. Over the past 20 years, Tommy has trained more than 600 Division 1 athletes, 150 players for the NFL Draft, 4 NFL Pro-Bowl players and over 40 other professional athletes ranging from the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and Rugby Union. Tommy is the former starting inside linebacker for the Wildcats under Coach Gary Barnett (1992). During his playing career at Northwestern, he was the top Iron Cat point winner for his combination of speed, strength, explosiveness, and stamina.  Pairing an extensive athletic background and coaching experience with a degree in engineering, Tommy has a unique analytical approach to developing performance in athletes of all ages.

Email: info@intentionalsports.org

Born and raised in Chicago as one of seven kids to immigrant parents, where the rich diversity and warmth of a big family instilled in me a deep sense of community. My six years with the Marine Corps Community Services honed my passion for helping others, particularly in understanding the nuances of military life, an experience that complements my 13-year marriage to a military spouse. I’m passionate about sports and the outdoors, and I find great fulfillment in both participating and watching these activities. At home, life is even more joyful with our dog, Kevin. Traveling is a passion that expands my understanding of the world, enhancing my commitment to community service and helping others.

Email: cardos@intentionalsports.org

Jack Pio is Director of Operations at Intentional Sports. Jack started playing sports at the age of 5 with a tee and a bat and has played a multitude of sports over the years. He specializes in tennis where he finished his high school career as the #1 varsity player, leading the team to 4 straight conference championships, 1 undefeated season and over 100 varsity wins while graduated top of his class. He went on to play Division III tennis at Illinois Tech helping the team win three conference championships and the first berth to the Division III National Tournament in Illinois Tech history. Jack also holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Illinois Tech and had the privilege of studying abroad in Melbourne, Australia while at Illinois Tech! In addition to his sports experience, Jack also has experience in business analytics in the distribution and insurance industries and brings a drive for entrepreneurship that started helping support and train startups in college! Jack currently lives in Chicago with three amazing roommates and loves to continue playing tennis (and any other racquet sports), along with more ultimate frisbee and golf!

Email: pio@intentionalsports.org

Jason Heyward (‘J-Hey’) was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He has spent time with the Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers. During his time with the Cubs, he led the club to its first World Series championship in over 100 years. Husband to Vedrana and father to Messi, Jason has partnered with Intentional Sports to host the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy on site where youth of all ages will be able to learn, train and have fun in the sport of baseball.

Email: info@intentionalsports.org

After four years of playing basketball at Northwestern, where Tre was named a team captain and selected to the All-Big Ten team his junior and senior season, he went on to play four years professionally in Europe. While in Europe, Tre was top 5 in points and minutes in three of the four seasons he played abroad. In October of 2021, Tre retired from playing professionally following a hip injury and began working as a broadcaster and now serves as a color analyst for NBC and CBS Sports. Tre has a passion for serving and developing the youth through comprehensive basketball training and is excited to serve as the Basketball Director of Intentional Sports.

Email: demps@intentionalsports.org

Sam Incandela grew up on the north side of Chicago. He graduated from Fenwick High School in Oak Park. He was a recruited walk on, middle infielder, at Indiana University. He was part of a Big Ten Championship team; his senior year, he earned a scholarship, was named Team Captain, and Team MVP.  He graduated with The Varsity Club Scholastic Achievement Award for exemplary academic achievement while pursuing athletic endeavors. After his playing days, Sam was an assistant baseball coach at both Indiana University and Northwestern Univerity.  Sam also owned a Baseball and Softball training facility for 15 years, where he trained players of all ages and skill levels, ranging from beginners to professional players. He also started a travel team where he helped over 60 players go on to play college baseball. Sam is married to Lyndsey and has two boys, Vince and Charlie.

Email: incandela@intentionalsports.org

Born and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina. Earned a Bachelor Degree from Belmont Abbey College in Sport Management. Earned a Master of Business Administration from King University. Four-year collegiate soccer player at Belmont Abbey College, former Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at King University, former Club Head Coach and Director of Grassroots at Tri-Cities United, holds a USSF D License.

Gabe Garcia, a Wheeling IL native, has dedicated the past 10 years of his life to the youth soccer space. Currently, he holds his USSF B License and is Head Men’s Soccer Coach at College of Lake County. Gabe is excited to lead soccer operations at Intentional Sports. Fun Fact about Gabe: he is a Chicago Fire Fan and has attended 3 World Cups.

Email: garcia@intentionalsports.org

BK was born in Tehran, Iran, raised in Northern VA, and recently graduated with his Bachelor’s in Learning & Organizational Change and Master’s in Sports Administration from Northwestern University while captaining the Men’s Soccer team, racking up over 5,000 minutes of game time and 27 goal contributions. Throughout his time at Northwestern, he served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, received Academic All-American honors, and was named as a Big Ten Medal of Honor finalist. A former US Youth Soccer National Champion & Golden Ball Winner, and current semiprofessional player here in Chicago, he has always been passionate about using sport as a vehicle for change through his affiliation with Charity Ball and the several youth teams he coaches on top of his Sporting Director duties at Intentional Sports. Fun facts about BK: he grew his first mustache in fourth grade and has yet to meet someone who can beat him at Mario Kart.

Email: kimiavi@intentionalsports.org

Nelson Schneider was born in Berlin Germany. He is an accomplished game designer, specializing in systems, mechanics, and art. A driven and enthusiastic individual, his passion for Game Design originated in his childhood, inspired by the talented individuals responsible for creating the positive gaming experiences he enjoyed. This ignited his determination to pursue a career in Game Design, collaborating with exceptional teams to develop groundbreaking games that captivate players worldwide.
Nelson’s journey into the competitive gaming world began in high school, where he actively engaged in eSports, focusing particularly on Super Smash Bros. This passion for competitive gaming continued as he pursued higher education in college, where he not only honed his Game Design skills but also continued to play eSports, contributing to his well-rounded experience in the gaming industry.
Nelson embarked on an educational journey to refine his Game Design skills, culminating in a degree from DePaul University. During his studies, he gained practical experience working with leading engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity, and Game Maker, participating in numerous projects that provided valuable exposure to the industry. Since then, he has continued to develop his skills and stay up to date with the latest gaming trends, with a particular focus on Unreal Engine 5.
Beyond his passion for Game Design, Nelson enjoys creating digital illustrations. During his time in school, he joined clubs that afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with professionals and contribute to the creation of breathtaking murals across Chicago.

Email: schneider@intentionalsports.org

Tony is the Founder and Owner of Rebel Sport and Fitness, as well as Ambush BJJ, where he holds a 3rd-degree black belt under Carlson Gracie Jr., has built a remarkable career centered around sports and athletic development. In addition to being a Partner Owner of Elite Sports Performance, Tony played football for the University of Wisconsin and later transitioned into coaching as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Iowa football team. His professional journey expanded into the NFL, where he worked as a Scouting Assistant for the Chicago Bears. Tony also served as the Director of Training and Evaluation for multiple sports management agencies, applying his expertise to foster athlete growth and performance at the elite level.

Hello everyone, my name is Niyah Gomez, and I am the Volleyball Director at Intentional Sports! With a passion for developing young athletes, I’m excited to bring my experience and love for the game to elevate this program. I look forward to helping each player sharpen their skills, build confidence, and achieve their volleyball goals. 

From marketing to content creation, social media promotion, commercials, or documentary work, Drake is here to use his Marketing Degree from University of Illinois to help bring the Intentional Sport’s vision to life from behind the camera. When he’s not creating digital content, Chicago-native Drake like’s to go for long runs, try new foods, spend time with family, and discover new music artists.

Email: white@intentionalsports.org

Lexi Herrera is the Special Events Coordinator at Intentional Sports. Her passion for athletics began during her elementary school years when she played soccer and volleyball. However, basketball soon became her real passion.

During high school Lexi dedicated herself to basketball aside from being an all-academic honors student, Special Olympics basketball and track coach, and student association ambassador before graduating high school early. Shortly after Lexi began basketball at Morton College, the pandemic brought all athletic activities to a halt.

Lexi later earned her AA from MC in late 2023 while she served as the Campus Activities Board President, Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society Vice President, Student Government Association President, and Student Leader while also working in the college’s Presidents Office.

Lexi aspires to attain a bachelor’s degree with the major of marketing by soon transferring to Elmhurst University to achieve this goal. Currently, Lexi resides in Elmhurst with her family, which includes two siblings, her parents, and three dogs. Her enthusiasm for organizing community events and making meaningful contributions to Intentional Sports’ mission is evident.

Email: events@intentionalsports.org

Stephanie Gomez is a recent college graduate from DePaul University, of hispanic descent, who majored in Animation. She is outstandingly crafty at making flyers and has an eye for design! She works Front Desk and is a Coach for Esports. Ask her what her latest art project is the next time you see her.

media@intentionalsports.org

Luke is a 16 year old soccer and tennis player from Phoenix Arizona. He is currently taking classes at Harper college and enjoys playing chess and watching live sports.