Blog

Meet Coach Mimi Nartey, a remarkable woman whose journey through soccer and education has left an indelible mark on both fields.

Coach Mimi’s passion for soccer was ignited at a young age.  She played competitive club soccer for multiple national championship teams and participated in the U.S. Olympic Development Program at the regional level.  She played in several international youth soccer tournaments across Europe and received several distinctive accolades and a scholarship from Gatorade.  She was a top recruit at dozens of NCAA Division I programs and earned an “All-Ivy” distinction as a player at Columbia University, where she did her undergraduate and graduate education.

As a teenager, she earned a spot on the Ghana National Women’s Soccer Team and eventually earned a silver medal in the 2002 FIFA African Cup of Nations.  Her dedication and skill contributed to the team’s strong showing in the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup.  She also played for the Portland Rain in the W-League that preceded the NWSL.

Beyond her prowess on the field, Coach Mimi is an accomplished academic. She transitioned seamlessly from the soccer field to the classroom, becoming an award-winning college professor of environmental sciences and public health at prestigious institutions such as UCLA, LMU, and Occidental.  She taught a course entitled “Women’s Sports and Empowerment” at Occidental College, and she has a TEDx talk on that subject.

With a heart dedicated to nurturing young talents, Mimi embarked on a coaching journey spanning over 25 years, focusing on youth soccer. Coach Mimi’s leadership has guided numerous youth teams to victory, capturing the Cal South State Cup championship and securing a spot in the finals of the same esteemed tournament in consecutive years. 

A testament to her international coaching expertise, Coach Mimi proudly led a youth girls’ team to the playoffs of the Gothia World Youth Cup in Sweden, a feat that reflects her ability to empower and inspire young players to excel on the global stage. Several of the players she has trained and mentored have gone on to play at completive college soccer programs and have represented multiple nations in youth and senior FIFA Women’s World Cups, and she was named Honorary Head Coach at LMU.    Her impact extends far beyond the field, shaping the lives of countless individuals through the beautiful game of soccer and academic mentorship.

Coach Mimi currently coaches a girls’ team at Beach FC and is a parent educator to her middle school son, Lincoln, and high school daughter, Liya, in the Da Vinci Connect program.  Liya played on the Wiseburn-Da Vinci varsity soccer team as a freshman last year.

Coach Mimi aims to continue to weave her legacy as a pioneering force in both soccer and education, leaving an imprint on the sport, her students, and the aspiring athletes she guides toward excellence.  She is looking forward to a memorable season with the Wiseburn-Da Vinci Wolves!

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” – Oscar Wilde

Coach Faust will be hosting a Meet and Greet during lunch times on September 5th and September 6th in front of the Crossfit Box. Coach Faust will be there to answer any questions the students may want to ask him in regards to the WDV Girls Basketball Program.

Try-outs for the WDV Girls Basketball team will be held on September 7th in the gym from 4:15pm-6:15pm and September 11th from 4:15pm-6:15pm. If interested, feel free to speak with Coach Faust at the Meet and Greet or bring your shoes and your “A game” to try-outs!

On September 13th, Coach Faust will be announcing who made the program. A week later on September 20th, Coach Faust will be hosting a parent meeting for those who made the program at 6:30pm in the Skybox. 

GO WOLVES!!

On September 20th, there will be an Archery Informational Night at 6:30pm in the Black Box.

There will be a Mandatory Safety Meeting for any  interested Archers on either 10/3 or 10/4 at 4:15pm to 5:30pm at the Blacktop Basketball courts – You cannot practice or try out without attending

Archery Training: 10/10 through 11/1 (Tuesday or Wednesday) 4:15pm.-6:00 p.m. Blacktop Basketball courts – Must have attended a safety training

• • • • Tuesdays – Da Vinci Science and Da Vinci Connect Students
      •  Wednesday – Da Vinci Communications and Da Vinci Design Students

Try Outs to Make the Team: 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM Blacktop Basketball courts

• November 7th Round 1 and November 14th round 2: DVS and DV Connect Students
• November 8th Round 1 and November 15th round 2:  DVC and DVD Students

    Important Info about Try Outs:

• Two rounds of tryouts will be held using Olympic ranking criteria.
• Archers will be ranked based on their highest scores from both rounds.
• The top 20 archers will secure a spot on the team.
• The remaining participants will be invited to try out again next year.
• We will inform all students about team status on the Friday before Thanksgiving break

Try-outs for incoming students and transfers are on July 10th, 11th and 12th.