Sports Staff
Josh Merrill: Sports Pastor
Sports have always run
through Josh’s bones—from little league baseball, soccer, and swimming
as a child growing up in San Diego, to playing three sports in high
school. Josh went on to play college and professional basketball.
It wasn’t until his college career at University of California Santa
Barbara was over that he began to learn that life was more than a game.
It was then that he fully came to know Jesus Christ.
Josh spent six years playing professional basketball internationally. He calls it “missionary basketball,” because in countries like Portugal, Argentina, Australia, Italy, Lebanon, and China, he was able to share his faith in Christ on a personal level through the common bond of sports.
Josh and his wife Angie reside in Simi Valley with their baby boy Donovan and Ernie the GoldenDoodle. They hope to have a little basketball team of their own some day.
Josh's favorites include surfing, snowboarding and any sport with a ball.
Charles Bogray: Youth Sports Director
Charles spent over 15 years as a motivational speaker in the public school system, allowing him a platform in over 1200 schools nationwide reaching 1.3 million students with a message of hope and direction. Combining his love for kids and a passion for sports, Charles has used his motivational abilities to coach many different sports at the high school varsity level. Charles and his wife Rebecca reside with their three children in Porter Ranch, Ca, where he currently is very active in the community and desires to serve the Lord through sports. Charles loves staying active and enjoy's basketball, soccer, surfing and snowboarding.
Matt Ireton: Adult Sports Director
Matt grew up in
Washington State under the clouds and playing in the rain and mud. He
was raised in a Christian home by his loving parents along side his two
brothers. Playing sports was the biggest part of his childhood. Matt’s
mom says that from the time he was a baby if he wasn’t sleeping he was
playing with balls. Baseball and football were his biggest
passions and you would always find him doing one or the other.
When Matt was 19 he loaded up his Honda and moved to Los Angeles to start anew and begin an acting career. After some minor success in the land of Hollywood he met the girl of his dreams and decided to settle down and start a family. Now, with the love and support of his wife and two daughters, he is working for the Lord and using his passion for sports as a tool to seek and reach out to a lost world.
Emily North: Health & Fitness Coordinator
Born and raised in Minnesota, Emily North has been involved with sports and fitness her whole life. Emily attended Minnesota State University where she competed in Track & Field and graduated with an Exercise Science & Corporate Fitness degree. Soon thereafter she obtained her Health & Fitness Specialist certification through ACSM and started teaching group exercise classes.
After moving to California, she was invited to attend Shepherd of the Hills church and felt at home right away. With Emily's love of fitness, she was one of the first women to get involved with the Sports Ministry as she taught exercise classes and launched the current Hiking Ministry. Emily now uses her talents and gifts to grow and nurture others through exercise.
Emily lives with her husband Michael and loves basketball, running, singing, writing, animals, and will always be a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Alfonso Nunez: Basketball Coordinator
Alfonso is the
second oldest of six brothers and sisters. His mother and oldest
brother helped lead their entire family to know Chris. He's been
attending SOTH for the past five years. He loves the sport of
Basketball and has coached and officiated at the high school level. He
started officiating at SOTH two years ago. Since then, his relationship
with God has grown. He is truly blessed and humbled to be in this
position. He is excited to continue working for the Lord and using the
tools that He's given him to reach out to others. His hobbies include
mountain biking, cross-country running, basketball and playing the
acoustic guitar.
anunez@theshepherd.org
Ann Boettcher: Sports Assistant
Ann was born and raised
in Michigan where she was physically active through different venues
like riding her bike, playing tennis, skating (roller and ice), skiing,
playing racquetball and a little golf, horseback riding, and swimming.
She met Jesus as her Savior when she was 18 and has never looked
back. Her heart has been to help people, especially kids.
She was later involved as a volunteer in an organization that traveled
nationwide helping our youth “make right choices”. In June of last
year, she moved back here from North Carolina where she actively
volunteered helping in the effort to raise funds for the annual Golf
Tournament and Scholarship Fund.
aboettcher@theshepherd.org
