about us
Our mission
Red Star is dedicated to developing the best soccer players and teams and also the finest young adults. Red Star tries to teach all players to maximize their talent and creativity while working with other players in a sport where the team concept is crucial. Attitude, character, passion, and heart are just as important on the soccer field as they are in life. Players are taught to approach practice, games, and life with honesty, integrity, and fairness. Red Star endeavors to help all players become the best players they can be in both soccer and life. Real world lessons are learned on the soccer field every day
Our Numbers
About Us
Organized youth soccer was first played in Columbus in the early 1970’s as part of the Columbus Youth Soccer Association (CYSA). In the 1990s, CFC Red Star became the Select Division of Columbus Youth Soccer Association, in order to compete in the Georgia Soccer Association’s youth select team divisions, known as Classic for boys and Athena for girls. Red Star became the Columbus Futbol Club, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, in 2004. All Select and Academy teams in Columbus play under the club name “Red Star”. In 2005 Georgia Youth Soccer created the Academy program, separating from the Select, allowing clubs to create their own playing schedule.
Club Leadership
Tony Frankovich
Executive Director
(706) 577-7866
tony.frankovich@redstarsoccer.org
Playing career (youth & pro):
FK Sarajevo, FK Igman Konjic, FK Pofalicki, NK Vrbanjusa,
St.Louis Steamers, Tampa Bay Rowdies
Coaching Career:
DOC CYSA CFC Red Star 1999-present
DOC Sparta United SC, Salt Lake City Utah 1996-1999
Director of player development at Clearwater Chargers, Florida 1988-1996
ODP Utah State Assoc. head coach various teams 1996-1999
ODP Region IV Far West Staff Coach 1996-1999
Utah/GA coaching license teaching staff
Many outstanding National and international players played for Tony such as:
Gus Kartes Olympiakos, Greece/Tampa Bay Mutiny/US U17 World Cup
Sergio Flores, USA U15/u17/U18 Chacarita Juniors Arg./Real Salt lake/Crystal Palace
Zack Flores, Strongest and Bolivar, Bolivia; Crystal Palace
Neven Subotic, Borussia Dortmund, Germany Bundesliga, US U17s world cup, Serbia World Cup S. Africa 2010
Harold Urquijo, Deportivo Cali,Academia FC Colombia, U17/U20/U23 Colombia Mens National team
Teddy Pamplona USA U17 Parade All American/U17 World Cup
Rivers Guthrie USA U17s Parade All American/U17 World Cup (Clemson)
Joey Worthen US U20 World Cup, Parade All American (Pro & Univ of S.Carolina)
Scott Bower MLS San Jose & Clemson
Jeremy Greber-Parade All American USC
Adrian Bush (US Nat’l B team, Nat’l Champion U of Tampa)
Best coaching achievement:
Winning Boston Freedom Cup 1990 with U 17 Clearwater Chargers, beating Glasgow Celtic of Scotland in the final. That was at the very first time in US youth soccer history that one American youth club team has beaten any European pro youth team.
Tony has two children – Jacqueline and John.
Seyo Gruda
Director of Coaching
(706) 615-5348
seyo.gruda@redstarsoccer.org
Playing career (youth & pro):
Coach Gruda is possibly the one of the famous goalkeepers in former Yugoslavia, having a year career as lead goalkeeper in the country. He has coached/played in every aspect up to World Cup and played with the likes of Pele, Amancio, Piri, Susic, Dzajic, Pasic, Bogicevic, Vito Dimitrijevic, Zungul Baralic (last four were celebrities here in USA back in 1980s).
Teams he played vs are: Real Madrid, West Bromwich, Albion, Santos (Brasil), Palmeiras (Brasil), Once Caldas & Independiente Medelin (Colombia), Olimpia & Motagua (Honduras), Sarprissa & Herediano (Costa Rica)… of course numerous time vs Crvena Zvezda (Red Star), who became European and World Champions in 1991.
His name was used in many national advertising campaigns such as television, print, collectible sports cards, bubble gum cards etc.
Seyo began playing soccer at age of 12 for FC Sarajevo. He signed first profesional contract at age of 17 with FC Sarajevo – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1969-1981
FC Unis – Vogosca, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1970
FC Neretva – Metkovic, Croatia1983
Bosnian Junior National Team
Yugoslav U-21 National Team
Yugoslavia national team pool
National Veterans (+35) all Star Team of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1997
Mvp of the game, Mvp of the week, Mvp of the month. Second best keeper of the year. Record holder of 720 consecutive min (eight games) with no score allowed, A&B team of the week, month…
Coaching Career:
Coaching Diploma of the Yugoslavia Football Federation in 1976
Bosnian Diploma of Higher Trainer for Football of University of Sarajevo Bosnia and
Herzegovina (equivalent to FIFA “A”)
FC Igman – Ilidza, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1983 -1984
1992-1997 Head Coach in private football school “Bubamara” (Owner Mr. Predrag Pasic played in Stutgart with Jurgen Klinsmann)
1997 -1998 FC Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
1998 -1999 FC Betaclub – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
1999-FC Unis – Vogosca, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Head Coach in Al-Ahli Sports Club – Doha, Qatar 1999 – 2000
Staff Coach in National Team of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World cup 1998 qualification games (vs Denmark, Greece, Slovenia & Croatia)
Coach evaluator in ODP program of Georgia soccer
CFC Red Star 2001 – present
Super Cup Winner in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997
Players he coached and trained though the years: Baljic (Real Madrid), Kodro (Barcelona),
Bolic (Rayo Valecano), Salihanmidzic (Bayern, Juventus), Konjic (Coventry), Hibic (Sevilla),
Muharemovic(Belgium), Ortas (Cipar), Dzeko (Manchester City)
Eric Steinhauser
Academy Coordinator
(706) 326-3644
steinhauser_eric@yahoo.com
Coaching Career:
Coach Eric Steinhauser has been coaching with Red Star since 2011, serving as Academy Director since
2016. Coach Eric holds a USSF National “C” License, a Coerver Coaching Youth Diploma 1 and 2, an Atlanta United Coaching Education Program Certificate, and a National Youth License. Coach Eric is a Georgia Southern University graduate with a BBA in Finance. In addition to the multiple collegiate soccer players Coach Eric has coached, he has had multiple players selected for US Soccer National Training Centers, US Youth Soccer National ODP teams, Regional ODP teams, and State ODP teams. His teams have qualified for USYS National Championships, USYS Regional Championships, USYS National League, USYS National League Conferences program, Southern Regional Premier League, and SRPL 1 st Division. His teams have won the USYS National League, been USYS Regional Finalist, and multiple State
Cup Finalists and Final fours. His teams have competed and won the top divisions of many of the country’s most prestigious events such as the Jefferson Cup, Disney Showcase, Disney Jr Showcase, NCFC/ CASL Showcase, and Orlando City Jr Pro. Coach Eric’s duties include running the Academy program, the Jr Academy program, setting tournament reciprocals, and managing partner club relations.