Historical Timeline
1996
In the fall of 1995 Chris Chudada was playing tackle football with a group of friends without pads and equipment, during halftime when all the players were resting or drinking water he had a vision, an idea of a organized league with teams, uniforms, a stadium and the whole nine yards. He mentioned his idea to his friends as he thought out loud and told them he wanted to create the "working man's NFL" they all told him that it was a long shot at best and that something like that could not be done. Chris pondered the idea and told his father Joseph Chudada about his idea and that he was strongly considering forming the new league and needed his support. Joe being a loving father and knowing that football was his son's life agreed to help. The next day Chris put out flyers and advertisement all around his community, local colleges, grocery stores etc. Three weeks went by and the phone was ringing off the hook with players who were interested in the idea and wanted to play. Chris and a childhood friend, Jason Tomczyk, purchased helmets and shoulder pads and began playing at Brookfield Central High School on Sundays. They had two teams, the Navy-blue team and the White team and the Ironman Football League was born.
1997
In 1997 there were 6 teams in the league, being a young league and trying to keep the injuries down to a minimum special teams were prohibited, they also played nine man football with a three man offensive and defensive line. The league got by with volunteer referees. The leagues games were played at Mukwonago Middle School and Iron Bowl I was held at Saint Johns Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin. Joseph Chudada became the league's first commissioner while his son, Chris, owned a franchise in the league called the Pewaukee Warhawks. Other pioneer teams of that year were the Portage Hitmen, Milwaukee Thunder, Mukwonago Bulldogs, Milwaukee Panthers and Waukesha Beavers. Sadly during the 1997 season, tragedy struck as Joe Chudada passes away with lung cancer at the young age of 57. Chris took on the role as commissioner and named the most coveted trophy the league has to offer the Joseph Chudada Memorial Trophy in honor of his fathers support and dedication.
1998
This year marked the league's third year and held many challenges for its young commissioner and teams. The league had seven teams this year and played all its games at Jackson Park in Milwaukee. One of Chris' major objectives was to create stability and professionalism in the young league. With that idea in mind, he hired WIAA qualified referees to officiate every IFL game.
1999
The league had seven teams and Chris organized a board of directors to help govern the league and to gain insight. This year also marked the birth of the official IFL logo (pictured right) designed by Chris' brother, Ryan Chudada. The logo was originally drawn on a napkin while Ryan was brainstorming for ideas.
2000
The league still maintained seven teams and played its games at Jackson Park in Milwaukee. By this time, the league was gaining huge awareness in the area and Chris was meeting other league commissioners and owners to gather ideas and other perspectives on league advancement.
2001
The league expanded to ten teams and all of its games were played at First Base Bar and Grill in Germantown Wisconsin. This also was the year when the leagues very first merchandise was produced and sold at league games. This year was also very important for Chris because he met and hired a man that had over 61 years of experience at running professional league at a national level. His name was Pete Narrai, better known as "Pudgy." Chris told Pudgy about his idea and visions that he had just five years ago and they talked for hours about what needed to be done to get the league where Chris wanted it. The league also purchased its own goalposts and made custom IFL uniforms for its referees. This also marked the first time that the IFL All-Stars were announced. Chris also improved the Iron Bowl by upgrading to a more expensive and professional looking trophy.
2002
The league expanded to twelve teams and played all of its games at KP Classics in Big Bend, Wisconsin. This was a banner year for the IFL which included the first annual awards banquet, the birth of the league website, and also its first large newspaper write-up. With Chris' ambition for a professional league, each team was dressed in full matching uniform, and the league's first conference logos were designed and trademarked.
2003
This year, the IFL implemented special teams play and games were played under Saturday night lights. To maintain the quality of the league, the teams of the IFL held a fundraiser to sell Pizza Hut cards to their families and fans with the goal of purchasing the leagues first electronic scoreboard. This year also marked the leagues first highlight video and team logos were created and advertised. The league also went back to a ten-team format.
2004
This was a historic year for the Ironman Football League. It marked the birth of 11-man football with full NFL rules and produced the leagues first exclusive merchandising contract with Burghardt Sporting Goods located in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The league also made a deal with the Milwaukee County Parks to play its games at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex located in Franklin, Wisconsin. This venue includes locker rooms, concessions, 15-tier bleachers, a stadium atmosphere, and best of all, a professional playing field. With this midseason move, the league was able to charge admission and advertise in three major area newspapers. This year also marked the birth of the Ironman Football League Hall of Fame headed by Pat Mace. This addition gave the league a chance to give back to its dedicated players of the past. Every person who is inducted into the IFL Hall of Fame receives a Hall of Fame ring purchased by the IFL for their dedication and love for the game of football. The Ironbowl trophy was also upgraded. Chris was also recognized for his accomplishments by the Minor League Football News by electing him 2004 Commissioner of the year (Wisconsin).
2005
The Ironman Football League celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The IFL continued its committment to improve and strive to be the best semi-pro league in the Midwest. In this year, the IFL signed it first television contract with Wisconsin on Demand which was a huge step up as the Ironman Football League became the only semi-pro league in Wisconsin to have televised games. The teams of the IFL enjoyed another great season as the IFL was considered by the American Football Association (AFA) a class (AA) league. The league also signed a radio contract with Clear Channel as all of its games were advertised on the air all though out the season. There were 11 teams in the league and also some rule changes were made for competitive purposes. The Ironbowl trophy was also upgraded.
2006
In its eleventh season, the Ironman Football League went to a new format in which it began its season in June instead of late August. The move to become a summer league was strictly made to not interfere with college and professional football, as well as making the season more fan-friendly because of the beautiful weather conditions. The league expanded to 14 teams and saw a large increase in its fan base. In the seasons ninth week, the city of Franklin celebrated its 100th birthday and the festivities took place at the Milwaukee Sports Complex. Three thousand people came and celebrated all day long and into the night. Then they were treated to an IFL game which featured its home team, the Franklin Outlaws. The Mayor of Franklin sang the National Anthem and fans saw the game go into the league's first overtime of the season where Franklin's team eventually won a thriller. 2006 also marked the first time the league played games outside its flagship stadium, hosting games at Waukesha South High School, Muskego High School, Hartland Arrowhead High School, Fond du Lac Springs High School, Karcher Field in Burlington and some games in Roscoe, Illinois. The league saw a lot of success from its teams and also from its new format, and the future never looked so bright.
2007
The twelfth season of the Ironman Football League marked another successful year in which the league made multiple improvements and additions to its already prestigious list of accomplishments. The league line-up totaled 14 teams, and as competition continued to increase on the field, the league saw its ever-growing fan base continue to swell throughout the entire regular season. During the playoffs, attendance doubled as the IFL continued to draw interest from neighboring communities and beyond. 2007 also marked the birth of the league's first ever All-Star Game, courtesy of its first corporate sponsor, Nautilus. The All-Star game pitted the National Conference All-Stars against the American Conference All-Stars, and the American Conference prevailed by a score of 13-7. This special year also marked the induction of the league's owner and founder Chris Chudada into the American Football Associations Hall of Fame (AFA); he became one of the youngest executives ever to receive such an honor. IFL commissioner Pete Narrai also received a career award; he was inducted into the Minor League Football News Hall of Fame. These two prestigious inductions are a testament to the dedication of the two individuals, who continue to spend countless hours and endless effort on the game of football. The addition of Ameche Field was also an important step forward in the improvement of league venues. Overall, the league is continuing to strive for excellence as it eagerly looks toward an even brighter future.
2008
The Ironman Football League celebrated its thirteenth season this year. Such longevity is a attribute to the league’s overwhelming prestigious reputation and ever lasting professionalism. The long trend of acquiring professional stadium venues continued as the league was able to sign contracts with two newly developed field turf facilities in both Wisconsin Lutheran College and Carroll College. The competition of the league also improved as three franchise teams were nationally ranked in the top ten at one time or another. For the first time in league history, the IFL adopted full NFL rules with minor exceptions due to player safety. Another first in league history was the creation of a league combine. Its purpose was to advance player skills and technique; it also served as a recruiting tool as rookies showcased their talents in front of eager team owners looking for new recruits. League CEO Chris Chudada, was inducted into the American Football News Hall of Fame as he was recognized yet again for his relentless dedication and vast accomplishments in the world of semi-pro football. IFL Director of Officiating Ron Hart also was inducted into the AFN Hall of Fame for his career achievements as well. Madison, Wisconsin’s bid to host Ironbowl XII was approved and was followed with successful results. Ironbowl XII broke league attendance records as over 3,500 fans packed Middleton High School’s Breitenbach stadium to watch the leagues biggest game. 2008 also marked the birth of Smash Mouth magazine the leagues first official publication that offers fans information about everything there is to know about the IFL and their favorite teams. After another successful year in the books the IFL looks very energized to the future and the 2009 campaign.