Who are we?
The IGNITE Foundation was founded in 2025 by Neil & Kyla Marshall.
Owners of a youth soccer academy & club since 2014, Neil & Kyla became increasingly aware of two significant contributors to the “pay to play” problem in youth sports & the barriers that exist for low income families.
Operating a youth soccer club is expensive, and
there are a significant number of low income families with highly talented children, unable to pay the program fees and need financial support from the club.
Neil has a 35+ year career in project, program & general management, managing budgets exceeding $300M, and Kyla has a similarly accomplished career in the aerospace industry, built upon an MSc in Systems Engineering. Both have a sports legacy in their own right; Neil having played soccer semi-professionally in England, and Kyla was a High School Basketball State Champion with Comanche, Texas.
Neil & Kyla are combining their passion for sports, with their business experience, and are building a legacy of help & hope for young athletes of low income families, that may one day change the landscape of US sports.
Our Board of Directors
Neil Marshall
BOARD CHAIR
Benja Lazcano
BOARD SECRETARY
To be filled
BOARD COUNSEL
To be filled
BOARD ADVISOR(S)
To be filled (Board Chair Acting)
TREASURER
Kyla Marshall
VICE CHAIR
Our Executive Team
Neil Marshall
President & CEO
Benja Lazcano
Chief of Staff
Kyla Marshall
Chief Program Officer
To be Hired
Director of Finance
To be Hired
Director of Legal & Compliance
To be Hired
Director of Marketing
To be Hired
Director of Human Resources
Join the team
Make a difference in a child’s life. Be the Spark that can IGNITE them to achieve their sporting goals & aspirations.
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!