‘Global perspective’: Four international players highlight University boys soccer varsity roster | 2026 Spring High School Sports Preview

Soccer has been heralded as the world’s universal language. It is considered by most metrics to be the most popular sport in the world, boasting up to an estimated 4 billion fans.

So as the University Titans boys soccer team prepares for its spring season under third-year head coach Kara Sharpe, the worldwide attention to soccer is highlighted within her program.

Across varsity, JV and C squads, Sharpe has nine players born outside of the U.S. – with four of them playing on the varsity squad.

That connection was opened up through a unique pathway with the English Language Development class at the school. These classes are designed based off of student proficiency in the English language and is how students best succeed when it isn’t their first.

The program encourages students to be involved in all aspects of the high school experience including, in this case, sports.

“It brings together a whole global perspective on soccer,” Sharpe said. “The different IQs, terminology and the different technical flares of the game.”

The four boys are Colombian Andres McAllister, Kenyan Bernard Gichohi, Ukrainian Borys Yarosh and Jan Kaemmner a German foreign exchange student.

They each speak multiple languages and together bring a diversity to the pitch that isn’t possible at other programs across the league.

“It’s really neat,” Sharpe said.

With soccer being the most popular sport in each of their countries, it was an easy suggestion for ELD teacher Svetlana Kushnerchuk to recommend each take up soccer under Sharpe.

Between Kushnerchuk and Sharpe, the teachers figured the best spot for these student-athletes to acclimate to a new country was on the soccer pitch.

All four were so thankful for the chance to continue playing in America.

Sharpe gave a lot of credit to Kushnerchuk for helping facilitate the paperwork needed for the students and the families to sign up for soccer. The administrative stuff was the hard part. Getting the boys to participate and work hard – that was easy.

“They all grew up playing soccer in the native countries, so once we started winter conditioning, I got to meet them and they all came out and wanted to be a part of it,” Sharpe said.

Each player has their own unique personality that shines through, especially as their upbringings are vastly different than the other players on the roster.

McAllister, who has been in the United States since he was eight years old, worked his way onto the varsity team this season as a freshman.

Kaemmner, a senior, is very outspoken about tactics and he wants to be heard. That is different than most players, even upperclassman. At a professional level, Germans are known for their tactical prowess.

When asked about what he is looking forward to most, he wants to win games.

Yarosh, a senior, speaks five languages and has been playing soccer his entire life. He was the only one whose favorite player was a pro from his home country.

He also wants to win, specifically a lot of games, as this is his final year as well.

Gichohi, a junior, who has only been in Spokane for two months, previously attended a British-English school, so he is fluent in the language. His comfort shows when he dances and brings out his comedic side.

Transitioning to primarily turf fields has been an adjustment, especially considering most of the world outside of the U.S. plays on natural grass fields.

This isn’t the first U-Hi squad to feature international players – last season, two brothers from Mexico were featured on the varsity team. The school worked to help translate some documents into Spanish to help them understand the team and the situation a bit better.

Sharpe has accepted and implemented playing styles based off of the players on her squad. She appreciates the perspectives from her international players and works to incorporate them into the team without making them sacrifice the styles they’re accustomed to.

“That is the biggest thing as a coach is to embrace their style of play and where they are from and what they bring to the game,” Sharpe said. “Also building the system around our players to focus on their strengths.”

As a freshman, McAllister is thankful for the opportunity to be a Titan, get out onto the field and make some plays.

All four have been speaking English for some time before they came to Spokane, but other Titans were still fascinated with their backgrounds and wanted to introduce them to some of what is considered normal in their every day lives. It has allowed them to assimilate easier.

The Titans finished 2-7, good for fifth place in Greater Spokane League 4A/3A division, last season. But Sharpe believes that her eight returning starters and an overall veteran core will make them more competitive consistently.

They will be led by junior goalkeepers Josh Guill – who led the league in saves a season ago, three-year starting centerback Brett Bixby and junior midfielders Cole Hubble and Karter Downey will be the focal points.