Meet the Founders
Two Hearts. One Vision. A Place for Everyone.
Kim & Shamus Mease | Founders of Beyond the Boards Foundation
Every dream has a beginning. Ours began with a little boy, a pair of hockey skates, and two parents who wanted to give their son every opportunity to pursue something he loved.
We are Kim and Shamus Mease, a husband-and-wife team from North Idaho, and the founders of Beyond the Boards Foundation.
We are parents, community members, people of faith, and two ordinary people with a dream that has grown into something much bigger than we ever imagined.
But before there was a foundation, a vision for a multi-rink facility, or plans to create new opportunities for our community, there was simply our family and a love for the game of hockey.
Where Our Story Began
Our son's hockey journey began when he was just nine years old.
Like so many hockey families, our lives quickly became filled with early morning practices, late-night games, weekend tournaments, road trips, and countless hours spent in cold ice arenas.
We watched our son grow from a young boy learning the game into a dedicated athlete with dreams of continuing to play beyond high school.
Along the way, hockey became much more than a sport.
It taught him discipline, perseverance, teamwork, resilience, and the importance of working toward something he believed in.
It gave him friendships, memories, challenges, and opportunities that helped shape the person he would become.
And as his parents, we were there for all of it.
The victories. The disappointments. The sacrifices. The moments of pride. And the moments when we wondered how we were going to make everything work.
Because behind every young athlete is often a family doing everything they can to keep that dream alive.
The Challenges That Changed Our Perspective
As much as we loved watching our son play, we also experienced firsthand the challenges that families face in youth sports.
The financial commitments could be overwhelming. Equipment, registration fees, travel expenses, and tournament costs added up quickly.
Opportunities weren't always equally accessible, and as our son grew older, the pathways to continue playing became increasingly limited.
Eventually, pursuing hockey meant leaving home and traveling beyond our community to find opportunities to keep playing.
As parents, that was difficult.
We were proud of his determination, but we couldn't help wondering how many other young people faced similar circumstances.
How many dreams were being set aside because a family couldn't afford the cost?
How many children never discovered a passion for ice sports because they never had the opportunity to try?
How many athletes were forced to leave their families and communities simply to continue doing something they loved?
And how many people, regardless of age or ability, were missing out on the friendships, confidence, and sense of belonging that sports can provide?
Those questions stayed with us long after the games were over.
When a Family's Experience Became a Bigger Dream
Over time, our conversations began to change.
Instead of focusing only on the challenges we had experienced, we began talking about what we wished had existed.
What if North Idaho had more opportunities for athletes to learn, grow, and continue playing close to home?
What if scholarships and equipment assistance could help families who might otherwise be unable to participate?
What if individuals with physical disabilities or sensory needs had access to thoughtfully designed programs and welcoming spaces?
What if ice sports could bring together children, adults, seniors, military families, and people from every walk of life?
And what if we could create a place where the community could gather, learn, volunteer, build friendships, and support one another—even beyond the ice?
What began as a conversation between a husband and wife slowly became a vision.
And that vision became Beyond the Boards Foundation.
More Than Ice. A Place to Belong.
Our dream is to help create a year-round, multi-rink ice sports and community complex in North Idaho.
But our purpose has never been simply to build ice rinks.
We envision a place where children can discover new passions, athletes can pursue their goals, families can create lasting memories, and individuals of all ages and abilities can find opportunities to participate.
A place that offers hockey, figure skating, curling, adaptive ice sports, recreational skating, scholarships, educational programs, mentorship, and community connections.
A place where financial circumstances don't automatically close doors.
Where differences are welcomed.
Where character matters as much as competition.
And where people know they belong.
We want to help create the kind of opportunities we once wished existed—not only for our own family, but for generations of North Idaho families to come.
Rooted in Faith. Guided by Compassion.
Our Christian faith is an important part of who we are and why we feel called to pursue this mission.
One of the Scriptures that has guided us throughout this journey is:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)
We know that building something of this magnitude will take time, patience, resources, partnerships, and a tremendous amount of hard work.
There are still many unknowns.
But we believe that faith isn't about having every answer before taking the first step. Sometimes it's about trusting God enough to begin.
Our faith calls us to serve with compassion, to treat others with dignity, and to use our experiences to help make life a little better for someone else.
While faith is the foundation of our personal journey, Beyond the Boards Foundation is envisioned as a welcoming place for everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs.
We believe everyone deserves kindness, opportunity, and a place to belong.
Two Ordinary People. One Extraordinary Hope.
We don't have all the answers, and we certainly don't claim to have everything figured out.
We're simply two people who have experienced both the joys and the struggles of youth sports, who love our North Idaho community, and who believe those experiences can become something meaningful for others.
We know this dream is bigger than the two of us.
It will take people who believe in the mission, businesses willing to partner, volunteers ready to serve, and a community willing to imagine what could be possible.
And that's what makes this journey so special.
Beyond the Boards Foundation isn't meant to be just our dream.
It's meant to become something our entire community can be part of.
From Our Family to Yours
If you've ever sat in the stands cheering for someone you love, made sacrifices to help a child follow a dream, felt the frustration of limited opportunities, or simply wished there were more places where people could come together, we hope you'll see a little of yourself in our story.
Our journey may have begun with one young hockey player, but our hearts have grown to embrace something much bigger.
We want to help create a future where more people have opportunities, more families feel supported, and more individuals discover that they matter.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know us.
Thank you for believing that community can change lives.
And thank you for being part of a journey that we hope will make a difference for generations to come.
Our story began with one child's dream. Our hope is to help thousands more discover theirs.
With faith, hope, and heartfelt gratitude,
Kim & Shamus Mease
Founders, Beyond the Boards Foundation, Inc.
More Than Ice. A Place to Belong.
