Bill Ajram ~ Executive Director / Staff Coach
[email protected]
Bill has over 25 years of professional coaching experience. He founded FC United and has transformed the organization into one of the most recognized and competitive clubs in our state and within our region. Player development and promoting technically sound and tactically proficient players is his top priority.
Bill was born in Colombia, South America and moved to Cedar Rapids at the age of 12. After successfully helping pioneer the high school varsity programs in Cedar Rapids as student at Washington High School, he went on to attend the University of Iowa and then the University of Calgary (Canada), where he was a member of the University of Calgary Men's Soccer team, a member of the University of Calgary spirit and stunt team, and played soccer in the Alberta Canada Premier League and Premier Division.
Bill has also held positions at several FIFA Wold Cups. He was delegated as an official ambassador and became the official interpreter for the Bolivian National Team at the 1994 Men's FIFA World Cup. At the Women’s FIFA World Cup he worked as an official World Cup Ambassador at the 1999 and the 2003 World Cup.
2003 FIFA World Cup - Ambassador
1999 FIFA World Cup - Ambassador
1994 FIFA World Cup - Ambassador & Interpreter
Licenses:
National 'C' License
NSCAA Goal Keeping License (I)
NSCAA Goal Keeping License (II)
NSCAA National Youth License
7v7 & 9v9 Grassroots
NSCAA Professional Development Certification.
Professional:
Bill earned a BA with a concentration in economics and completed the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. Bill became a community banker for 25 years in Illinois and Iowa, becoming the President & CEO of Linn County State Bank and actively participated in community banking initiatives as a Director for the Community Bankers of Iowa.
Personal:
Married to Michelle and together have 3 children. All 3 of their children have participated in the FC United program as players and subsequently as youth coaches.
Amber Matthews ~ Director of Operations / Staff Coach
Amber@fcunitedcr.com
Personal / Career
Amber was born in England, and then moved to Spain at the age of 1. She lived in Spain for 12 years , before moving back to England. She started playing soccer at the age of six, and had the opportunity to play for both Chelsea FC, and West Ham United FC at the professional level. Matthews also had the honor of representing her home country of England in the Gothia Youth World Cup in 2008.
Amber has played for 3 different WPSL teams throughout the United States, and reached the WPSL semi-final with Atlanta United in 2016.
Collegiate Career -
A 2017 graduate (with honors) of Young Harris College with a degree in psychology, Amber was a four-time letter-winner, claiming captain duties from her sophomore year through her senior year.
Licenses -
National 'C' License
National 'D' License
Football Association (FA) Level 1 coaching
Football Association (FA) Level 2 coaching
11v11 & 9v9 Grassroots
Professional -
She completed her Masters of Business Leadership at William Penn University, where she also served as the Graduate Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at William Penn Univ.
Amber has also coached at the youth level for various club including Sporting KC and Atlanta United.
In addition to coaching duties at FC United, she is the Director of Operations and club Registrar.
Gabriel Akpalo ~ U8-U12 Academy Director / Staff Coach
[email protected]
Gabriel was born and raised in Togo (West Africa) where he played his youth soccer. He went on to play for several teams in Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Iran, and the United States.
While Gabriel has extensive experience and played soccer at a very high level, including national team experience in Togo; he also has the unique ability to motivate players and demonstrate a passion for teaching and mentoring. Gabriel is focusing his passion into coaching and is working on his US coaching licenses.
Licenses -
USSF 9v9 Grassroots
Monueir Moodie ~ Staff Coach
[email protected]
Monueir was born and raised in Jamaica where he played his youth soccer.
He accepted and pursued an opportunity to compete and study at Mount Mercy University where graduated with a degree in Finance and Marketing.
While at Mount Mercy, he earned Conference Defensive Player awards, became a team Captain on their national qualifier team and a 2-year Academic All-American in 2015 and 2016.
Upon his graduation from Mount Mercy, he became a Risk Advisor at TrueNorth Companies.
Licenses -
National 'C' License
National 'D' License
11v11 & 9v9 Grassroots
Brandon Besong ~ Staff Coach
[email protected]
Brandon, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, comes from an experienced background in playing club soccer for Heartland and Eastern Iowa United, and was a member of one of the most decorated youth soccer teams in Iowa, helping lead them to multiple State Cup championships. Brandon played his high school soccer locally at Washington High School.
He continued his soccer career at Missouri State University (D1) where he earned a starting spot as a freshman. During his time at MSU they won 3 out of 4 MVC regular-season titles and he was an MVC All-Conference and All-Region standout his last two years at MSU.
Brandon earned his bachelors in Accounting and his Masters in Business Administration. Following his graduation, he decided to return to Cedar Rapids and accepted a position at TrueNorth where he is a Risk Management Specialist.
Brandon is currently completing his Coach Development Program and his USSF Age Group Licensing
Jason Carlson ~ Staff Coach
Outside of FC United. Jason Carlson is currently the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Upper Iowa University, following five years between Florida and North Carolina at NCAA Division II institutions.
Jason led the Peacocks to 39 wins over four seasons (2013-16) and a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship and a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division II Central Regional in 2015.
Jason also has extensive experience at the club level and with the Olympic Development Program and currently plans to continue coaching the team heading into next season.
Josh Davis ~ Staff Coach
Outside of FC United, Josh is currently the Upper Iowa University’s new head women’s soccer coach. Davis joins the Peacocks after a year and a half at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, a NAIA institution in Goodwell, Oklahoma.
Davis led the Aggie women’s soccer program, which played in 2019 for the first time in university history, through the spring of 2021 before serving all of the 2021-22 year with the team.
Prior to his time at OPSU, Davis was the associate head coach at the University of North Dakota for the 2018 season. The University of North Dakota finished the season 9-6-2, which marked the program’s best record since moving to NCAA Division I. The Fighting Hawks only surrendered 10 goals to their opponents, while scoring 41 to lead the Summit League in both categories.
Jessica Gilbert ~ Staff Coach
[email protected]
Jessica, a native of Louisiana, now calls Iowa home with her husband and children.
Jessica has extensive playing experience, having played at a high level in Virginia and Louisiana, where she helped her teams win several state championships and advance to a Regional Finals. She participated in the Olympic Development Program in both Virginia and Louisiana.
She later accepted a full Division 1 scholarship to the University of South Alabama, ultimately choosing South Alabama over LSU, her eventual alma mater. She earned a role as a starter and became a regular 4 year starter in her collegiate program, winning multiple Sun Belt Conference Championships and advancing to the NCAA tournament.
Jessica juggles her time working as a full-time physical therapist, coaching soccer, and watching her 5 children play the game. She enjoys helping kids grow in their love of the sport, as it was such a huge part of her life.
Montana Staab ~ Staff Coach
Montana graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Elementary Education.Currently a 4th and 5th grade teacher at Garfield Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.
Montana hails from North Carolina where she played soccer competitively, was a member of her ODP team and excelled at goalkeeping.
Her love and training as an educator, combined with her love for soccer, gives her a unique perspective and ability to work with youth. She currently focuses on coaching academy aged teams (U9-12).
Shelby Williams ~ Staff Coach
Shelby grew up in Cedar Rapids graduating from Kennedy High School in 2017. She played soccer for 14 years for Heartland Soccer Club and F.C United. Shelby was a part of the 1999 girls team at FC United, winning a state cup title, advancing to US Club Nationals. Her team is the first team from Iowa to ever qualify and win a US Club National Championship (2014). To date, this is the only Iowa team (girls) that has won the US Club National Cup.
Shelby graduated from Cornell College in 2021 with a major in Elementary Education and psychology minor.
Collegiate Athletics
While at Cornell College, competed in track and played one year of soccer.
Dane Lee ~ Staff Coach / Goalkeeper Coach
[email protected]
Dane is a native of Jamaica. Dane is a graduate of Mount Mercy University, where he was a member of their Varsity Men's Soccer team.
Dane graduated with a degree in Engineering and is currently a Software Engineer at TransAmerica. One of his objectives is to instill a passion for soccer, in particular to young goalkeepers, while focusing on technical development, decision making, and a strong work ethic.
Antoine Perez-Vernon - Staff Coach
Antoine is originally from France, where he began to play soccer at age 9.
Experience:
France: Massy (PH), Palaiseau (DHR), Versailles (DH).
Won the Paris Cup with Versailles in 1997.
In addition to his role as an Engineer, he still continues to play with local league and has found a passion to coach and share his love for the game and focuses on the 7v7 and 9v9 game.
Has been on the FC United coaching staff since 2021.
Brock Karloff ~ Staff Coach
[email protected]
Brock, a native of Omaha, NE, now resides in the Cedar Rapids area with his spouse.
In addition to his role at FC United, Brock is also the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Cornell College.
He has extensive experience, both as a player and a coach, at Gretna Soccer Club and has actively coached and developed Gretna players from 2012 - 2018. During that time, he was also on the staff at Gretna High School where he helped them qualify for the Nebraska State Tournament six of the seven years during his tenure. He then accepted a position as the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Cornell College.
As a player, Brock played for Arsenal (now Sporting Omaha FC) and was a four-year starter for Gretna High School, where he earned First Team All-State Nebraska three years (sophomore, junior, senior). He was a member of the Nebraska State Championship team for Gretna High in 2002. Played one year at Dana College where he earned All-Conference honors as a freshman.