Ted Gradel- General Manager
Ted Gradel is the owner/general manager of the Chicago Red Eleven and a sportsman in the truest sense of the word. He also serves as a board member of the Chicago Fire Juniors and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Chicago Red Stars.
Gradel became involved in soccer as a coach for the Wheatland Athletic Association team that his daughter played for and his involvement in the sport has increased in the past six years. In addition to soccer, he coaches basketball for the Naperville Rockets, St. Raphael School and the Naperville YMCA.
Gradel is a native of Toledo, Ohio and attended the University of Notre Dame. He was a back up placekicker behind future NFL Pro-Bowl kicker John Carney, before getting the chance to start in his redshirt fifth year with the Irish.
Gradel made the most of the opportunity his senior collegiate campaign, connecting on 14 of 18 field goal attempts and was a perfect 32 for 32 in extra point kicks. He added one field goal and one PAT in the Cotton Bowl as the Irish finished the season 8-4. Gradel led Notre Dame in scoring in a year that featured Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown as a member of the team.
In addition to his on-field success, Gradel also scored big in the classroom as he earned prestigious First Team Academic All-American honors for the 1987 season. The annual awards – for which legendary sports broadcaster Dick Enberg is the spokesperson – are presented by the College Sports Information Directors of America, honoring collegiate athletes who demonstrate success in the classroom, on the field and in campus/community involvement.
In addition to his football career, Gradel was also a two-time Champion in the “Bengal Bouts,” Notre Dame’s annual boxing tournament.
Upon graduating from UND, Gradel moved to Chicago and began a career on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade. He has been a trading member of the Chicago Board of Trade since 1992, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange since 2001. He currently trades stock index futures for his personal trading account.
Gradel has been married to Toledo-native Sarah Anderson Gradel since 1990. The couple resides in Naperville, Ill., and has three daughters (ages 12, 10, and 6).
Bonnie Young - Assistant General Manager
Bonnie Young is in her first season as the Assistant General Manager and the Director of Camps for the Chicago Red Eleven.
Young was an assistant coach at Monmouth University as well as an assistant coach at the University of Rhode Island. Young helped coach the West Chester United Soccer Club, the Nether Providence Athletic Association and Villa Maria Academy in Pennsylvania. She coached the Under-18 and Under-12 West Chester United girl’s soccer teams in regional championships.
Young excelled on all levels as a player. She was a standout player and four-year starter at Penn State University from 1998-2001. She led the team to four NCAA Tournament quarterfinal round appearances including a trip to the NCAA College Cup semifinals in 1999.
While at Penn State, Young earned All-Conference honors, the Penn State Defensive MVP twice and First-Team All Mid-Atlantic Region on two different occasions. She was named SoccerBuzz Honorable Mention All-American in 2001 and was a Third Team freshman All-American in 1998. She was named First Team All-Big Ten in 2000 and 2001.Young also registered the first hat trick in Penn State women’s soccer history as a freshman in 1998.
Her playing career at Penn State led her to the WUSA, where she was drafted 14th overall in the 2002 draft by the New York Power. From 2004-2006, Young played for the New Jersey Wildcats where she helped lead the team to a W-League Championship in 2005. Young also played for the New Jersey Sky Blue in 2008 and the Pali Blues in Calif. last season.
Young currently works with the Naperville Soccer Association as the Senior Girls Director of Coaching. Working with girls teams U13 and up, Young helps girls get every opportunity they can to be seen by colleges.
Robyn Serge- Director of Personnel
Robyn Serge serves at the Director of Operations and assistant coach to the Chicago Red Eleven, the W-League affiliate to the Chicago Red Stars. Serge is concurrently, also the head women’s soccer coach for Benedictine University, where the Red Eleven will host its home games.
Serge will have an intricate role in the player development and operations of the team. Her duties run the gamut from working on all aspects of player personnel to game-day needs to promotions/marketing activities.
Serge brings to the Red Eleven over ten years of experience as a head coach at the collegiate level. She is in her third season as head women’s soccer coach at Benedictine, having served in similar positions at both Rockford College and Beloit College, previously.
The Benedictine University women’s soccer program took a major step forward under Serge, with improved won-lost records and numerous all conference players, as well as two prestigious Academic All-America awards during her tenure.
After graduating from college, Serge saw her first head coaching position at Beloit College while teaching high school biology and anatomy physiology in the Rockford Public School District. After a successful two years at Beloit, Serge took the position as the head women’s soccer coach at her Alma Mater, Rockford College. She was also involved as an academic advisor for incoming athletes and an assistant professor in the physical education department, teaching biomechanics.
While in Rockford, Serge gained head and assistant coaching experience with various youth programs and clubs in and around the Rockford area dating back to 1998. After graduating from Rockford College with her Bachelor of Science degree in biology and physical science she continued to advance with her Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis in secondary science education. During that time, Serge played semi-professional soccer for the United Systems Independent Women’s Soccer League (USIWSL) for three years.
Serge is a chaperone for USADA (United States Anti Doping Agency), which is responsible for managing both in and out-of-competition testing for athletes in the U.S. Olympic Movement including Olympic, Pan American, and Paralympic athletes. USADA is dedicated to preserving the well being of Olympic sport, the integrity of competition, and ensuring the health of athletes.
Serge also serves on the board for Chicago’s Women’s Sports Foundation “Go Girl Go!” Chicago’s Women’s Sports Foundation is a charitable, educational organization dedicated to promoting girls and women in sports and fitness.
Serge is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association and holds her National Diploma.
Lisa Carillo-Gunning - Media Intern
Kevin Conway - Director of Game Operations
