Luis Granados Named Athletic Club Boise Community Impact STAR
USL1 Athletic Club Boise

Luis Granados Named Athletic Club Boise Community Impact STAR

Published on May 23, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Athletic Club Boise News Release


At Athletic Club Boise, the Community Impact STAR - Service, Teamwork, Accountability, and Responsibility - is symbolized by a single purple chair inside our stadium.

That chair reflects both the eye of the falcon in our crest and the Idaho star garnet. More importantly, it represents the people and organizations who strengthen our community in lasting ways, those who show up for others, create opportunity, and help shape a stronger future for Idaho.

During our upcoming home match on Saturday, May 23, vs. Fort Wayne FC, Athletic Club Boise will recognize Luis Granados, Executive Director of Breaking Chains Academy of Development, as our latest Community Impact STAR honoree.

FROM THE COURTROOM TO COMMUNITY LEADER

At 19 years old, Luis Granados stood in a courtroom facing a possible 15-year prison sentence.

But instead of seeing only his mistakes, the judge saw something else: the education, work experience, and support system provided through Breaking Chains Academy that believed in his future.

That second chance changed the direction of Granados' life.

Today, as Executive Director of Breaking Chains Academy, he works to make sure other young people have someone willing to believe in them too.

BUILDING BELONGING

Breaking Chains Academy serves at-risk youth across Canyon County through education, mentoring, work skills training, and wraparound support. But according to Granados, the heart of the work is much simpler than that: helping young people feel valued.

"The young people we work with are often judged, overlooked and pushed aside," Granados says. "What we do here at Breaking Chains is that we let them know that they are loved."

That belief shapes how Breaking Chains defines success.

Sometimes it looks like graduation. In 2025, the organization graduated 69 students from a classroom designed for just 15 at a time. Other days, success is quieter, a student showing up for breakfast, passing a test, or simply spending time in a safe environment surrounded by mentors who care about them.

"We are whatever that kid needs that day," Granados says.

RELATIONSHIPS THAT CHANGE LIVES

Granados believes accountability only works when it's paired with trust, consistency, and support.

"One thing we do here at Breaking Chains is we provide high pressure with high support," he says.

That philosophy has helped create something that feels bigger than a nonprofit. Inside Breaking Chains, students find stability, belonging, and adults willing to stay beside them through both successes and setbacks.

"I always say it's easy to show up to a graduation," Granados says. "But can you show up to a courtroom?"

For Granados and his team, the answer is always yes.

At the center of that commitment is a belief that relationships are what truly create change.

"The most powerful medicine we have is love," he says. "And the only way that love gets transferred is through relationships."

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH SPORT

For Granados, Athletic Club Boise's partnership with Breaking Chains represents something much larger than soccer.

"This represents community," he says. "We belong to each other, and it is our obligation to take care of each other."

He believes sports can provide young people with positive role models, structure, and a sense of possibility, especially for students who may not have had many examples of stability in their lives.

"It's giving them trusted adults who can be positive role models," Granados says.

That connection matters deeply to the students Breaking Chains serves and reflects the same values Granados sees inside both organizations: teamwork, resilience, accountability, and community.

A GROWING NEED

As Breaking Chains continues to grow, so does the need for its services.

The organization currently operates at full capacity with a growing waitlist of students seeking support. One of the organization's biggest needs is a larger building that would allow them to expand their impact across the Treasure Valley.

But for Granados, the mission remains simple.

"These are our kids," he says. "They are the future leaders of our community."

RECOGNITION, IN CONTEXT

On Saturday night, Luis Granados will take his place in Athletic Club Boise's Purple Seat as the club's newest Community Impact STAR honoree.

The recognition honors someone who understands firsthand what it means to feel lost, and what can happen when a community refuses to give up on its young people.

Through every student welcomed through the doors of Breaking Chains, Granados continues to turn his own second chance into hope, stability, and opportunity for the next generation.

Check out the Athletic Club Boise Statistics

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United Soccer League One Stories from May 23, 2026


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