A native of Cambridge, England, Coach Dave joined Boulder County United after a successful coaching career in both the club and collegiate levels in Michigan. He was head coach at the highly regarded Michigan Jaguars and in 2013 was named the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association Boys Competitive Coach of the Year for his hard work and dedication to soccer within the state.

At the same time, he was building Schoolcraft College Women’s Soccer into a nationally ranked program within the NJCAA as the head coach, taking the team to back-to-back National Tournament appearances in his first two years at the school.

He arrived in Colorado in 2017 and was named the Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach at NCAA Division II Metropolitan State University of Denver for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, whilst coaching at FC Boulder.

In January, 2020 Dave stepped into the role of Technical Director at FC Boulder. He brings creative training sessions, exceptional knowledge, and a sense of humor to the club environment. He led FC Boulder 03 Boys to a CSA State Championship in 2019.

In 2019 Dave earned his USSF A License. He graduated from the University of Lincoln, England in 2007 with a  Bachelor’s degree in Sports Development and Coaching (BSc).

Dave and his wife Melissa live in Lafayette with their golden retriever, Samson.

Maribelia Avalos founded CASA FC in 2008 with only a laptop and a vision for a brighter future for Latino youth throughout Colorado. She recruited eight players who formed the initial team. Today, more than 5,000 youth from the Denver Metro Area and surrounding areas have been enrolled in what has become a hard-driving competitive program known statewide as an emerging elite club.

Maribelia believes in empowering youth to come into their own, fulfill their greatest potential and become successful leaders. As an athlete herself, playing every sport she could when she arrived in this country, she knows how sports can alter someone’s life course in powerful ways. After all, through her high school sports program, she received several full-ride scholarships to attend college.

Of course, her sport of choice has always been soccer. But, after college, she wanted to create the same opportunities for young people in her community. Therefore, she created CASA FC with two guiding principles: that it would be affordable to the community and where talent from often overlooked communities can come and thrive. She was right. CASA FC has quickly become one of the most competitive clubs in the state and country, and CASA FC players are often recruited to play at the highest level for their age group, like MLS Next.

Maribelia didn’t just create CASA FC from scratch; she served in all the roles for the organization - coach, director, manager, volunteer, driver, mentor, field coordinator, scheduler, and cleaner. She knows the club like the back of her hand. This also means she knows the story and lives behind every player, the strengths and opportunities each coach and team manager brings, and the challenges parents from the community must overcome to ensure their child gets the best opportunities in life. For Maribelia, it’s about centering quality over quantity.

Maribelia is also a business owner. She is the founder and owner of Masfit. MasFit is an independent lifestyle, fitness, and well-being facility in the heart of The Highlands neighborhood in Northwest Denver. Masfit was founded by Maribelia Avalos Shisslak, a personal fitness and group fitness instructor with more than 22 years in the industry.

Maribelia and CASA FC have been featured in 9News, Colorado Public Radio, VoyageDenver, La Voz, The Denver Post, Viva Colorado, Univision, and Telemundo, among other notable media. In 2013, Maribelia received a “Woman Who Has Changed the Heart of the City” Award from the Denver Rescue Mission.

Going into the 2024/25 Season, CASA FC will now become ALBION SC Denver to further the mission and provide additional opportunities for players throughout the Denver area.

Maribelia is from Michoacán, Mexico. She graduated from Adam’s State University in 2008, having received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Economics, and Business Management. She also received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Mathematics.