Key Takeaways
- Chris Curd, founder of Pittsburgh Flag Football League and Pa. Flag Football Foundation, received two Super Bowl LX tickets from the Steelers
- Pennsylvania became a flag football sanctioning state, with Curd’s grassroots efforts playing a key role in the milestone
- The Steelers launched high school girls flag football in 2022 and expanded to the collegiate level in 2025
- Curd’s organizations provide site management, officiating coordination, and scheduling support for local districts and colleges
Recognition Tied to Flag Football Expansion
The Pittsburgh Steelers presented Chris Curd with two tickets to Super Bowl LX during youth flag football games at Montour Sports Complex on Sunday. Former Steelers tight end and Super Bowl XLIII champion Matt Spaeth delivered the surprise.
Dan Rooney, Steelers vice president of business development and strategy, said the team wanted to “celebrate Chris and his longstanding commitment to expanding access to flag football, especially girls flag football.” He noted that Pennsylvania’s sanctioning of the sport by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association marked a significant achievement, with Curd’s grassroots work contributing to that outcome.
Building Infrastructure for Youth Flag Football
Curd founded the Pittsburgh Flag Football League and the Pa. Flag Football Foundation, both of which have partnered with the Steelers, local school districts, and colleges. His organizations handle operational elements including site management, scheduling officials, and creating game schedules for boys and girls youth football programs.
Beyond administrative work, Curd has coached girls flag football at The Ellis School, demonstrating hands-on involvement in program development.
Steelers’ Growing Investment in Girls Flag Football
The Steelers launched a girls flag football program at the high school level in 2022. Three years later, the organization expanded the initiative to the collegiate level in 2025.
The growth of girls flag football programming has accelerated as states add sanctioning and as professional teams increase their involvement in youth development pathways. Pennsylvania’s decision to sanction the sport creates new infrastructure for school-based competition and potential scholarship opportunities.
Grassroots Leaders Driving State-Level Change
Curd’s recognition reflects a broader pattern in youth sports where individual organizers build foundational systems that eventually gain institutional support. His operational expertise in coordinating officials, managing facilities, and structuring schedules provided schools and districts with turnkey solutions as they considered adding flag football programs.
The combination of grassroots infrastructure and professional team investment has helped Pennsylvania join other states in formalizing flag football as a sanctioned interscholastic sport.
via: Steelers / CBS
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