TED SERAMA
Position: Head Coach
Seminole Seasons: First Year
Head Coaching Experience: 2

Ted Serama was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, IL. He attended Bloom Trail High School in Chicago Heights, IL where he excelled in many academic and athletic activities. Academically, Coach Serama graduated Salutatorian of the Class of 1992 (2 out of 321 students) and held the office of President for both the National Honor Society (1991-1992) and Student Council (1988 & 1991). Ted was a two-time recipient of the American Legion Award in 1998 and 1992. Athletically, Coach Serama was a two-year letterman and Team Captain for the Blazer football team. He earned SICA East All-Conference honors, All-Area honors, and was a pre-season Blue Chip All-American selection in 1991. In his senior year, Coach Serama was named Athlete of the Year for Bloom Trail High School and was awarded a Full Tuition Athletic Scholarship to attend the University of Iowa.

During his stay in Iowa City, IA, Coach Serama again excelled in the academic arena earning Dean's List honors in 1992 and Academic All-Big Ten honors in 1995 & 1996. Coach Serama graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Major in Marketing and a Minor in Psychology. Athletically, Coach Serama was a member of the University of Iowa football team from 1992 to 1997 where he was trained and played all five positions on the offensive line as well as special teams. He lettered two years (1995 & 1996) and was part of the offensive line unit coached by Frank Verducci which led the way for legendary running back Sedrick Shaw to become Iowa's all-time rushing leader setting the single-season and career rushing records with 4,156 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, 33 touchdowns, and averaging 199.8 rushing yards per game (1995 single-season record). Coach Serama enjoyed 3 post season bowl appearances with Iowa in the Alamo Bowl (1993 Runner-Up & 1996 Champions) and the Sun Bowl (1995 Champions). All of Coach Serama's teachings derive from his studies of legendary Iowa Head Coach Hayden Fry.

When Coach Serama first came to the Grand Rapids area in 1997, he met Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Vikings Head Coach Tim Carmody who asked him to join his squad as the Offensive & Defensive Line Coach and, eventually, as Assistant Head Coach. Coach Serama enjoyed a very successful 7 years with IHM posting a career record of 46 wins and 8 losses, winning percentage of .852, and a 21 game winning streak (2002-2005). The Vikings won 4 League Championships (1999, 2001, 2003, & 2004) and played in 3 All-Saints Bowl Championships (Runner Up in 1999, Champions in 2001 & 2004). The Vikings enjoyed 3 undefeated, untied seasons (2001, 2003, & 2004).

In January, 2005, Coach Serama joined the Semi-Pro Grand Rapids Thunder as the Offensive Line Coach. He accepted and started his semi-pro career in March of 2005. The Thunder enjoyed a 12 win and 1 loss season; winning the MLFA Great Lakes Division Championship, the MLFA Eastern Conference Championship, and coming up short as the Runner-Up in the MLFA National Championship game. Coach Serama, had great impact as a player coach, impressively earning, 1st Team 2005 MLFA East All-Conference honors and 3rd Team 2005 Minor League Football News Midwest Region All-American honors.

In February of 2005, Coach Serama was hired to help coach the offensive and defensive lines with Coach Joel Passinault for the Catholic Central Cougars. Coach Serama enjoyed an exciting 12 win 2 loss season under the guidance of Head Coach Tom Passinault, the team also posting an impressive 11 game winning streak. Catholic Central won the City League Championship, the MHSAA State Playoffs District Championship, the MHSAA State Playoffs Regional Championship, and were Runner-Up in the MHSAA State Championship game. Coach Serama had the pleasure of coaching 7 student-athletes who earned All-City honors, 4 who earned All-Area honors, and 1 who earned a Full Tuition Athletic Scholarship to the University of Michigan.

Ted's next move served as highlight career move toward his future coaching prowess in minor pro sports. It would prove to be a Cinderella season for Coach Serama's as he debut as the new Head Coach for the newly formed West Michigan Force. Under the guidance of Coach Serama, the West Michigan Force stunned the semi-pro world capturing the MCFL title - the premier semi-pro league in the nation - defeating the perennial national powerhouse Detroit Seminoles 38-28 to win the MCFL title and a trip to the USA Bowl National Championship in Miami's Orange Bowl Stadium. The Force made history by becoming the only team since the MCFL was founded to be a newly formed first year team to ever win the MCFL title in its inaugural year in the league. Coach Serama won MCFL “Coach of the Year honors and 1st Team All-Conference honors for his playing role at left tackle throughout the year.

On January 13, 2007, coach Serama capped off a dream season by defeating the Prince-William Monarchs in the American Football Rules USA Bowl National Championship at beautiful Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, FL to claim the National Championship. Coach Serama was further honored when he accepted to coach the MLFN Stars of Tomorrow All-American All-Star Game in Cleveland, OH and the MCFL All-Star Game in Cincinnati, OH. The games were split 1-1, losing to the Mason-Dixon Football League in Cleveland 39-16 and beating the American Football League 41-7 in Cincinnati.

The 2007 season was full of peaks and valleys for coach Serama, and the West Michigan Force - with them wearing the big, red target on their back. The Force started red hot defeating NAFL national powerhouse and 7-time National Champion Racine Raiders; NAFL stronghold Detroit Downriver Diesels; MLFA powerhouse, and Coach Serama's former team, Grand Rapids Thunder; and MFLA new comer and rising star Wayne County Wolverines. All four teams were ranked nationally in the MLFN Top 20 AAA teams, with Racine, Grand Rapids, and Wayne County ranked in the Top 10 in the Midwest when the Force defeated them. The MCFL season however proved to be a lot tougher. The Force stumbled losing to the Cleveland Lions 27-7. A few weeks later, the force faltered once again to MCFL rival Detroit Seminoles 38-16. With the two demoralizing defeats on the record books, the Force did rebound and beat top ranked MCFL leader Detroit Ravens who, at the time of their defeat to the Force 49-28, was ranked #1 in the Midwest and #2 nationally before succumbing to the Seminoles once again in the playoffs.

Though Coach Serama was released, before the end of the season and the Force would ultimately be handed a bitter defeat at the hands of the Seminoles and end their season. Ted Serama finished his tenure with the Force posting a 25-3 record and an impressive winning percentage of .893 including both an MCFL and National Championship.

The season serves as the first for Ted leading the great Detroit Seminoles Football Dynasty and all early forecast look to the Noles being one of the top ranked teams in the country and amongst the favorite to challenge for the MCFL title