About us

Built on the Westside, for the Westside

A place where nothing is handed to you. People here have worked hard for what they have, and there's a built-in toughness and competitiveness. We bring high-quality programs back inside the loop and keep them affordable.

Home: Wayne Sports Park, about 27 acres at 7550 W 21st Street, the same fields where Tamba and Lauren played for Ben Davis Spirit.

Our mission

To remove barriers to opportunity by providing affordable, high-quality sports, education, and workforce development programs for youth hosted on the Westside of Indianapolis.

Our vision

A community where a young person's potential, not their circumstances, determines how far they can go.

2023Launched our flagship soccer program with three competitive travel teams and secured a long-term lease at Wayne Sports Park.

2024–258 teams, 5 titles, our first all-girls team and first school visits.

2025–26118 players, 5 schools, NXT Grounds, our first STEM workshop, FC Cincinnati and summer camp.

2026–27New fields, girls' growth, a school pilot, full-day camps and regional competitions.

Founder & Executive Director

Tamba Samba

Born in Liberia and raised on Indianapolis' Westside, Tamba played for Ben Davis Spirit at Wayne Sports Park. When the club folded, he nearly lost his path in competitive soccer. An opportunity with a travel club in a neighboring community gave him the exposure that ultimately led to playing at the University of Notre Dame.

With a background in technology, startups and product design, Tamba most recently served as a UX Design Lead at Salesforce, working on enterprise software, AI agents and digital experiences. He leads Next Academy with a startup mindset: lean, tech-forward and focused.

University of Notre DamePlayed 4 years for the Irish

NBA · Indiana PacersRan Pacers.com & Feverbasketball.com

Angie's ListLed the design organization

SalesforceUX Design Lead · AI, bots and service agents

Tamba Samba coaching a young player at Wayne Sports Park

Governance

Our board of directors

Local leaders and national champions for equity in sport, all volunteering their time to the Westside.

Tamba SambaChair · Founder & Executive Director

Director of Coaching and former Notre Dame player who grew up on these fields. Leads Next Academy day to day.

Sia SambaSecretary

Strategic advisor and key local board representative, providing hands-on support across the organization.

Breeonna "Bree" ElliottTreasurer · Club Administrator

Manages player accounts, registration and the club's daily operations.

Lauren HolidayDirector · Founding Champion

Played for Ben Davis Spirit on the very fields Next 11 Academy now calls home, alongside Tamba. World Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and National Soccer Hall of Famer.

Justin MorrowDirector · Black Players for Change

12-year MLS veteran, co-founder and President of Black Players for Change, and 2021 MLS Humanitarian of the Year. Head of Sports Partnerships at the USC Race & Equity Center.

McKinley JonesDirector · Next 11 Academy Soccer Board only

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How we're governed

Board structure

Next Academy Inc. Board of Directors Nonprofit · 501(c)(3) · overall governance of every program

Chair Tamba Samba Secretary Sia Samba Treasurer Breeonna Elliott Directors Lauren Holiday, Justin Morrow

Next 11 Academy Program Board Soccer · reports to the nonprofit board All five nonprofit directors plus McKinley Jones. Oversees soccer's Sporting Operations (Technical Director, Boys & Girls DOCs, Referee Coordinator, coaches) and Business Operations (communications, social media, uniforms, team managers).

NXT Grounds · Next-Gen Innovators Overseen directly by the nonprofit board NXT Grounds: Head of Grounds and 4–6 student workers caring for Wayne Sports Park. Next-Gen Innovators: STEM and STEAM workshops, launched spring 2026.

Next Academy Inc.'s Board of Directors provides overall governance, while larger programs have dedicated boards. The Next 11 Academy Soccer Board oversees soccer operations and reports to the nonprofit board.

With gratitude

Jrue & Lauren Holiday and family

Jrue and Lauren have championed Next Academy from the beginning through generous donations, uniforms for our first families and invaluable strategic support. With Lauren's roots in Westside soccer, their support brings that commitment full circle.

$250K+ contributed over multiple years to help us expand access

Growing the team We're seeking a full-time groundskeeper, a social media manager and a program manager to strengthen daily operations and serve more families.

Get in touch

Give

Together, we make a way.

Your gift keeps a premier club experience affordable, funds scholarships, pays youth wages through NXT Grounds and brings free soccer and STEM into Westside schools.

Donate now Become a sponsor

Next Academy Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit · EIN 93-1634336 · Gifts are tax-deductible.

Sponsorship levels

$500SupporterWebsite logo, social shout-out, thank-you plaque

$1,000PartnerPlus event banner and all marketing materials

$2,500ChampionPlus dedicated banner and fundraiser tickets

$5,000VisionaryLogo on practice uniforms

Or sponsor a program: soccer uniforms and teams, Wayne Sports Park, NXT Grounds youth jobs, or STEM workshops. See program sponsorships.