Gabe Sanford

My name is Gabe Sanford and I am the Head of our Loop Programming as well as Head Coach for 4 teams. Additionally, I help to support our Mini City and Toddler programming for Chicago City.

I am originally from Urbandale, IA where I began playing and loving the game of soccer. I was blessed to have won two club soccer state championships while playing for my club team, JUSC, in high school. My soccer career then took me to Canton, Missouri where I played collegiate soccer for Culver-Stockton College. Following my graduation in 2016, I moved out to Chicago to begin a corporate sales career and unfortunately saw soccer somewhat fade into the background. 

As I was beginning my corporate career I was missing the game tremendously and decided to start volunteering as a soccer coach in 2017 with another Chicago based club/foundation, KICS and the Chicago Soccer Foundation. I fell back in love with the game through coaching and was lucky enough to join Chicago City in 2020 as a part-time coach to assist Coach Ben Galvez kick off our Loop Programming. I happily joined as a full-time coach in 2023 to continue to help grow this amazing club.

Chicago City and I share the same values and goals. City has allowed me to share those values, goals and passion for the game with kids of all skill levels and ages across Chicagoland.

I have now been in Chicago for over 7 years with my amazing wife, Justine and our dog, Eros. I am a HUGE fan of Chelsea FC and am an avid fisherman who is always trying to cross another fish off my never been caught list.