Mascot Talon President Glenn Clark Head coach Chris Thompson | Owner(s) Glenn Clark General manager Michael Clark Founded 2011 | |
 | ||
Team colors Black, Vegas Gold, White | ||
The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks are a professional indoor football team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania and are members of the National Arena League (NAL). The Steelhawks began play as an expansion team in the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2011. The Steelhawks moved to the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2013, where they made their only championship game appearance to date, losing PIFL Cup III to the Nashville Venom. The team joined American Indoor Football for the 2016 season after the PIFL folded. The Steelhawks are the Lehigh Valley's second indoor football team, following the defunct Lehigh Valley Outlawz of the Continental Indoor Football League (2005–2008). Both teams played their home games at Stabler Arena. The owner of the Steelhawks is Glenn Clark. The Steelhawks play their home games at the newly opened PPL Center.
Contents
Sectv lehigh valley steelhawks first practice
2011
In July, 2010, the Indoor Football League (IFL) announced that there would be an expansion franchise placed in Lehigh Valley for the 2011 season. It was also announced that the team would be owned by Glenn W. Clark, a Wilmington, Delaware businessman. Later in July the team announced that they had named Dan Kuhn as the team's general manager and would be holding a "Name The Team" contest was held to choose a name for the organization. Over 700 names were submitted and the top five were chosen by management. These names were Vipers, Ironmen, Blast, Gamblers, and Steelhawks. Fans were then asked to vote on the name they thought would be best for the team with over 70% of the votes being cast for Steelhawks. Brooke Trautwein, the fan who submitted the Steelhawks name, was given a prize package that included season tickets and Steelhawks' merchandise.
2013
In August 2013, Clark announced that the Steelhawks would be leaving the IFL for the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL).
2014
The Steelhawks finished the season with a 6-6 record, good enough to finish 2nd in the National Conference. The Steelhawks defeated the Trenton Freedom by a score of 49-38 in the National Conference Championship Game to advance to PIFL Cup III. The Steelhawks were defeated 43-64 by the Nashville Venom in PIFL Cup III.
2015
In 2015, the Steelhawks announced that they would be moving to the newly constructed PPL Center.
2016
With the PIFL not having enough teams to remain viable, the Steelhawks moved to American Indoor Football (AIF) for the 2016 season. The Steelhawks would finish third in the North Division and would make it to the division championship game before losing to the West Michigan Ironmen. After the season ended, the team announced it would not be returning to the AIF for the 2017 season.
2017
On July 19, 2016, the Steelhawks announced they had joined the Arena Developmental League (which became the National Arena League) as a charter member of the new league.
Season-by-season results
Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.
*– Season currently in progress
Awards and honors
The following is a list of all Steelhawks players who have won league awards: