program info:

Team Iowa is a nonprofit youth select football program for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade athletes who want to practice and compete at a high level. Our mission is to identify, develop, and showcase Iowa’s top middle school talent while building a championship-level experience for athletes, coaches, and families.

Team Iowa is designed to complement—not replace—school and league football. We intentionally schedule team events before and after the regular season to avoid conflicts and allow athletes to continue to represent their hometown and school teams.

Athletes are selected through a tryout process, including both non-padded and padded evaluations. Practices are coordinated by our directors and coaches and held in West Des Moines, and teams typically compete in 2-4 tournaments per season, facing top competition from across the region and beyond.

Executive Director | Karter Schult

My name is Karter Schult, and I’m honored to serve as the Executive Director of Team Iowa Football.

I currently lead operations at D1 Des Moines and D1 Apex Academy, where I work daily with athletes across Iowa on speed development, strength training, football skill work, and long-term player development. Football has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember—as a player, coach, and mentor—and I’ve built my career around helping athletes reach their potential through consistent development, high standards, and the right environment.

Before my work in athlete development, I competed at the highest levels of the game. I played collegiately at the University of Northern Iowa, where I was a 3-year starter and earned recognition as one of the most accomplished players in UNI football history—including being named Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) Player of the Year, FCS Defensive Player of the Year, and becoming the first player in UNI history to win the Buck Buchanan Award. I later went on to play professionally in the NFL, spending time with the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings.

Taking over Team Iowa is something I don’t take lightly. This program has a deep history in our state, and my goal is to continue building on that legacy by providing an elite experience for middle school athletes—one that focuses on development, competition, and representing Iowa the right way.

A young man stands on a football field, holding a trophy for first place in an 8th grade all-star game. He is wearing a black and gold sports jacket, a black cap with Iowa and football logos, and a backpack. The sky is cloudy, and there are people and equipment in the background.
Close-up of a football player with black eye makeup on his face, wearing a white football jersey with blue and black accents, sitting on a bench in a locker room.
A man in black athletic clothing holding a trophy and a young child on his arm, standing on a football field. Other football players are in the background, and the scoreboard reads 'Noblesville Millers' with a score of 8-0, under a clear blue sky.
A football player in purple and white uniform crouching on the field, preparing for the play.

Program History:

Team Iowa Football was founded in the fall of 2011 with a mission to bring together the top middle school football talent in the state and provide a high-level, competitive experience. The program was co-founded by Tony Lombardi, Dion Cobb, and Mike Thomas, and quickly established itself as one of the premier youth football programs in Iowa.

In the early years, Team Iowa made an immediate impact on the national stage by competing in the Football University (FBU) National Championships. Similar to the structure of the Little League World Series, FBU featured large national brackets—often 50–64 teams per division—with teams advancing through multiple regional rounds to reach the final stages of the tournament.

From the beginning, Team Iowa set a high standard. The Class of 2019 became one of the program’s most successful groups, reaching three straight Final Fours at the FBU National Championships—finishing 2nd in 6th grade, 2nd in 7th grade, and 4th in 8th grade. In 2013, Team Iowa earned the opportunity to compete in the FBU National Championship in the Alamodome, appearing on ESPN3, and narrowly fell 28–21.

During that dominant stretch, the team compiled an impressive 79–4 overall record, including games played outside of FBU competition.

The tradition of excellence has continued through multiple generations of athletes. The Class of 2024 added to the legacy by winning the Rocky Top National Championship, reinforcing Team Iowa’s reputation as a program built to compete with the best.

Throughout the years, Team Iowa has been shaped by dedicated coaches, committed athletes, and supportive families who share the same goal: to compete, develop, and represent Iowa with pride at the highest level. No matter the tournament or opponent, Team Iowa is consistently recognized as a top contender and one of the best-organized football programs in the region.