Our Team


  • Co-founder and Club Director

    Alex Gara is the co-founder and club director of Chicago Bocce Club and a driving force behind the growing U.S. bocce community. As a longtime bocce evangelist and co-founder of American Bocce Co., Gara has dedicated more than a decade of his personal and professional life to expanding access to and perception of one of the world’s oldest sports. He has partnered with community groups, hospitality venues and league organizers across the U.S. and abroad to make the game more inclusive and engaging. Gara’s background in restaurant management under award-winning chefs continues to shape the vibrant culture and high standards for both play and hospitality at Chicago Bocce Club and American Bocce Co.


  • Co-founder and Events Manager

    Alicia Harvey is the co-founder of Chicago Bocce Club, where she leads event programming and brings more than a decade of award-winning hospitality experience. She previously managed weddings and private events at Bridge 410, which has now been reimagined as the home of Chicago Bocce Club. A founding partner of American Bocce, Harvey has helped evolve the sport into a modern, inclusive experience—producing leagues, private events and community activations that are equal parts competitive and celebratory. Her background in event planning and venue management informs every detail of the club’s operations and guest experience. Accolades for her work include WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice Award (2021, 2022 and 2023) and Crain’s Chicago Business Best New Event Space (2018).

  • Business Strategy and Guest Experience Partner

    Brigid Reidy is a key partner at Chicago Bocce Club, where she oversees business strategy and guest experience. A seasoned operator with an MBA and a background in finance, Reidy has played a pivotal role in shaping the club’s growth and operational infrastructure. Building on her expertise as a strategic lead at American Bocce Co., she has helped streamline events and create joyful, community-driven activations that feel as seamless as they are memorable.

  • National Bocce Trainer and Community Development Lead

    Andy Zimmerman leads player development and community programming for Chicago Bocce Club, where he is known for his upbeat energy and passion for the game. A six-time U.S. Bocce Federation medalist, including a gold in Men’s Precision Shooting, Zimmerman has played competitively for more than 15 years. Through his American Bocce Core Development training program, he has introduced hundreds of new players to the sport across the country. He joined American Bocce Co. in 2021 following a 25-year career as an award-winning florist, blending artistry, community and coaching into everything he does.

Our Courts

Not every city can say it has bocce courts built by the best in the world, but now Chicago can.

In August of 2025, we had the honor of flying in Daniele Colleoni and his crew all the way from Gorgonzola, Italy to hand lay our new courts. His family has been perfecting the art of bocce court construction for generations and over the course of their time here, we got to see first hand how special that process is. Daniele, Andrei, and Giorgio worked tirelessly, hand-laying every inch of these courts with the same care and expertise that has earned them international recognition. The result? Surfaces so straight, true, and consistent that they’ll change the way you think about the game.

Our Vision

An excerpt from Creating The Hum: The Story Behind The Chicago Bocce Club

It’s tough trying to find the right words to accurately describe our excitement, our vision, and our plans in a way that everyone can relate to. I’ve been working on this for almost two years now, and I still don’t know exactly what to compare it to. Somebody recently said ‘Highwood meets Soho House meets Royal Palms’. Not bad. Kind of, sort of. But perhaps more accurately, it’s the end result of over a decade of “popping up” at other venues, bars, and clubs, and taking a little inspiration here, and a little inspiration there.

It’s especially tricky when you’re trying to cram a few words into a tiny little Instagram story, or a minimalist splash page. So I figured I’d step out of our marketing conventions a little, and approach it more conversationally. Letter-From-The-Editor style.

To start, I’ve detailed it a thousand different ways, and the only thing that I really like hearing myself say is it’s about more than just five bocce courts.

What really excites me about our very own third-space, is the opportunity to create a hum. Before bocce, I was in restaurant management. The very first (legit) chef I worked for said it was his responsibility to create the food, and my responsibility to create a hum. The hum is the perfect noise that you hear at a buzzing restaurant when all of the conversations, and pan sizzles, and plate clanging join forces to create one non-distinguishable sound that hums throughout the restaurant.

I want that at my club.

I want neighbors to bring their laptops in during the day, and take their meetings from our banquettes, with a Publican pastry and good cup of coffee.

I want Scottie teaching our younger members how to sip and savor a baller bottle of scotch in one corner, while Andy demonstrates the art of the soft raffa in the other.

I want backyard tailgates for Bears games and CBL games. I want a CBL game to feel like a Bears game.

I want the Club to be a must-stop on the way to every dinner reservation in the West Loop and every Bulls and Hawks game. I want you to tell yourself you’re not stopping on the way home too, but you end up here anyways.

I want our suburbanites to feel like they have a home base in Chicago again and our locals to forget what their actual home looks like.

I want all of that to come together, and when it does, I want to hear that hum.