Team Staff

Sean Nahas is heading into his third season as head coach in 2024. Nahas led the Courage to a second straight NWSL Challenge Cup title in 2023, while securing third place and a home playoff game in the regular season.

Nahas holds his ‘PRO’ license from the United States Soccer Federation, which is the highest accreditation possible in the United States. 

Nahas brings nearly two decades of experience with Capital Area Soccer League (now North Carolina FC Youth) to the NC Courage. Nahas has held several leadership positions with CASL including Director of Girls Classic Soccer, ECNL Director, and Director of CASL Player Development. As ECNL Director, he helped CASL reach its highest ranking in USYS of No.7 nationally in 2010-2011. Nahas also has valuable US National Team coaching experience including assistant coaching positions with the U20 USWNT and U14 Youth National Team and serving as a US National Team Youth Scout. Nahas was a member of the coaching staff that lead the NC Courage to their first NWSL Championship in 2018 and another 2019.

Nathan Thackeray is heading into his seventh season as an assistant coach with the North Carolina Courage in 2024.

Thackeray started his coaching career in 2011 after playing with England’s Bradford City from 2003-2006 and William Woods University from 2006-2010. He worked with Young Harris College in Georgia, and then became the Head of Goalkeeping at the Houston Dynamo Academy in 2012. Thackeray is a USSF licensed coach. He was a member of the 2018 and 2019 NWSL Championship coaching staff.

Emma Thomson is heading into her third season as a full-time assistant coach with the North Carolina Courage in 2024.

Originally from Nottinghamshire, England, Thomson grew up playing for Doncaster Belles in the FA Women’s Premier league. She represented England at the youth levels before attending university in the states. A four-year starter and two-year captain for Penn State women’s soccer, Thomson helped the Nittany Lions to four NCAA Tournament appearances, collecting four Big Ten Championships and one Big Ten Tournament Championship as well as the 2011 PSU Defender of the Year. Thomson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from Penn State in 2012, before her Masters in Sports Management from St. John’s (NY) in 2015 where she served as a graduate assistant with the women’s soccer team. Thomson spent 6 years coaching in college with George Mason University, while also coaching with FC Virginia in the Development Academy.  Emma holds her A license and is currently on staff with the NC Courage Girls Academy.

Thomson is also a network coach with the US women’s youth national teams most recently serving the U17s and U15s.

Fabrice Guatrat is heading into his second season as an assistant coach with the North Carolina Courage in 2024.

Gautrat spent the last three seasons on staff with the Chicago Red Stars, including a full-time capacity in 2022. He also worked with youth club Chicago FC United from 2018-22, taking over as academy director in 2020 to lead the program through a transition to the highly competitive Girls Academy. He coached in the United States Youth National Team camp in June of 2019.

The Santa Clarita, California native was a defender for the University of San Diego Toreros from 2006-07 before playing professional soccer in both France and the United States through 2015. He also spent time as an assistant coach with French club Olympique Lyonnais’ academy. Gautrat speaks four languages (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish) and holds a United States Soccer Federation A License.

Victoria Boardman is heading into her second season as an assistant coach with the North Carolina Courage in 2024.

Boardman was on staff with the San Diego Wave in 2022 and has been a U.S. Youth National Team network scout since 2020.

Boardman helped the Wave to a playoff berth in their first season of competition in 2022. Prior to joining the Wave, she was a head coach for BEACH Futbol Club in California for over four years. She earned her USSF A license in 2018 and achieved her UEFA B license in 2021. She graduated from Long Beach State in May 2020 with a degree in kinesiology and exercise science.

Mike has served as the Performance Director for the North Carolina Courage since the teams inception. Young directs all athletic development and sports science initiatives for the club. Mike is the owner of Athletic Lab sports performance training center and has previously served as the Performance Director or Strength & Conditioning coach for four other professional soccer clubs. Young has a PhD in biomechanics, an MS in Coaching Science and a BS in Exercise Physiology. He is recognized as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach with distinction, a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach with distinction, a Level 2 Weightlifting Coach and a Level 3 Certified High Performance Coach. Mike regularly consults for some of the top sports teams in the world including the US Women’s National Team, 4 World Cup Rugby teams and 4 Premier League Soccer clubs

Luigi is the Director of Rehab for the Courage. Luigi has dual masters degrees. He has an MS in Exercise Physiology from São Paulo School of Medicine and an MS in Sports Training Methodology from São Paulo State University. Additionally, Luigi earned his BS in Physical Education from the University of Ribeirão Preto. He is also recognized as a Level 3 Certified High Performance Coach, a and Level 4 EXOS Performance Specialist. Luigi has over 25 years of experience working in elite sports performance. In team sport, he was the Physical Preparation Coordinator for the Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (aka Palmeiras FC) Academy and was a performance consultant for São Paulo FC. 

Craig is a Data Scientist for the Courage. In this role, he assists with sports science and performance data management. Craig has an MA in Exercise Physiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Craig is recognized as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach, a Level 3 Certified High Performance Coach, and a Functional Range Conditioning Coach.

As Chief Soccer Officer for North Carolina FC and the North Carolina Courage, Johnson’s responsibilities will include oversight of team performance, player and coach development, player experience, and enhancing the youth to professional pipeline.

Johnson will continue to serve on the NWSL and USL Board of Governors, North Carolina FC Youth Board and the club’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce, in addition to other community focused boards. Johnson has been with the club as President and GM since 2011, and his role expanded to also oversee the NC Courage in 2017 when the team relocated from Western New York.  Previously, he served as the General Manager of the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City) of Major League Soccer and the Richmond Kickers (USL).

Johnson is entering his 13th season with the North Carolina Football Club, previously serving as General Manager (GM) and now Chief Soccer Officer (CSO). Johnson’s previous experience includes time with the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC in the MLS) from 2000-2006, as well as the Richmond Kickers in the USL from 1998 – 1999. Johnson is one of winningest GM/CSO’s in American Soccer History and the only GM/CSO to win trophies in MLS, NWSL and NASL. His accolades include the 2000 MLS Cup Championship, 2000 MLS Supporter Shield, 2004 US Open Cup Championship, 2018 ICC Championship, 2017, 2018 and 2019 NWSL Shield and 2018 and 2019 NWSL Championships.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Shawn Moody earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY in 2011 following earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Wellness Management and Health Science from State University of New York- Oswego. Shawn has 10 years of orthopedic and sports performance Physical Therapy experience and has gone on to achieve his American Board of Physical Therapy Specialist Certification in both Orthopedics and Sports in 2017 and 2020, respectively.

Robin earned her bachelor’s degree in physiology with a minor in chemistry and received her doctorate degree in physical therapy from East Carolina University.