Franchise ResourcesHistory of the Ironman Football League
The Ironman Football League was created by Chris Chudada of Pewaukee, Wisconsin with help from his father Joseph Chudada in 1996 with the idea of forming and maintaining a thriving and profitable semi-pro football league that will continue to advance and be successful for a long, long time.
With the foundation set in place that both Chris and Joe built, they were ready to put their plan into action until tragedy struck when Joe who was suffering from Lung cancer pasted away in the middle of the 1996 season.
Forging ahead and expanding the league, Chris resumed the role of Commissioner and started the 1997 season with 6 full uniformed teams and the Ironman Football League was born.
Chris was only 20 years of age at the time, but already had the knowledge and maturity that was needed to put his and his fathers plan in to action.He researched and studied other leagues, the ones that succeeded and the ones that folded.
He put together a list of objectives and strengthened the structure that he and has father thought was a strong foundation to build a successful league on.
From the beginning, Chris vowed to never settle for the backyard football mentality that in his opinion damaged the Semi-professional football reputation.
He knew that for in order for a league to be successful and have longevity, the league must have more then just adults playing football, it needed a business like approach, a professional product and a strong dedication to the sport and to its local communities.
One of its purposes is to give young adults who are coming out of High school or College, the opportunity to play organized competitive football in a professional atmosphere. The IFL is just not for players alone, but for any individual who would like to coach, own a team or pursue league employment opportunities.
Between 1996 and 2000, Chris was finding it difficult to do what he wanted. The league had great potential but was at that time playing games at county parks and softball diamonds that were converted to football fields.
But not only did he lack the experience with only being twenty three years of age, but he also needed help and knew at that point in time the league was growing bigger and he could no longer run the league alone.
So In 2001, Chris sought help from Pete Narrai who has been running professional sports organizations on a national level.Pete Narrai ran USSSA tournaments and was a part of a variety of different sports.
He was first brought on the IFL staff as a consultant of football operations. Pete brought 35 years of operating experience to the young league. Together Chris and Pete bought stability and excellence to a rapidly growing league. With the kind of experience that Pete brought, Chris was finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The two men formed a great team; together they made huge strides in just 3 years time.
In 2004, Ron Hart who is known and respected throughout the Semi-pro community was hired as the leagues Director of Officiating to ensure quality among the leagues referees.
Also in 2004 the IFL Hall of Fame was created to honor former IFL greats for their past accomplishments. In 2005, Chris and Pete successfully moved all the league games to the Milwaukee Sports Complex in Franklin. This was a huge step in the right direction at that time as it offered the IFL and its fans a quality and professional sports environment.
In 2006, Chris and Pete again improved the quality of the league by contracting games at 7 different local High School & College stadiums. Today the number of High School Stadiums has reached 16, with 7 of the stadiums featuring the state of the art playing surface called Field Turf.
The Ironman Football League currently has the finest playing facilities of all the semi-professional leagues in Wisconsin and the Midwest. In 2007 the IFL held its first All-Star game where the National Conference All-stars went head to head with the American Conference All-stars. Everything that Chris and Pete have accomplished was done with the professionalism and quality of the league in mind.
In 2009, Jordan Kopac joined the IFL administrative staff as a minority owner. Kopac is highly educated and has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Business with a concentration in Strategic and Organizational Management. Kopac is also equally accomplished in the sport of semi-pro football as he has been inducted into the American Football Association Class of 2003 and into the Minor League Football Association Class of 2007.
After 15 years in this business, the IFL is stable, professional and on solid ground, having been endorsed as the premier semi-professional football organization in the Midwest. The IFL has earned a great deal of respect nationally; in 2005 the IFL was certified with an AA ranking by the American Football Association (AFA) and Minor League Football News.
Just two years later, the IFL was certified and recognized by the AFA as a (AAA) League. In 2006 and 2008, IFL games were televised through Time Warner cable channel 32 and on Wisconsin on Demand channel 1111.
The leagues administrative staff members have all received national awards for their outstanding service and countless accomplishments made during their semi-professional football tenure. Chris Chudada, Jordan Kopac and Pete Narrai have all been inducted into both the AFA Hall of Fame and the Minor League Football News Hall of Fame for their many and great contributions to the game.
The IFL is always looking for professional and dedicated individuals to join, whether you're joining as a player or pursuing to own a franchise in the league. For questions or concerns about the IFL please contact the league office at (262) 309-0159 or (414) 281-7903.
Mailing address:
Ironman Football League
N14 W27509 Silvernail Rd.
Pewaukee, Wisconsin 53072
Feel free to browse through our website and enjoy what the Ironman Football League has to offer.
