Steelers Looking Into Building a Youth Sports Complex

According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the early stages of scouting locations for a potential youth sports complex. For years, the Steelers have been involved in WPIAL football and youth camps. And just recently they’ve been active in promoting girls high school football in the area.

Team spokesman Burt Lauten confirmed to the Pittsburgh Business Times that they are looking for a building to host youth activities. Lauten said they are looking in and around Pittsburgh but declined to provide further details. The project is in such early stages that there’s no word whether or when the Steelers could even go forward with the project.

If the project goes through, a new complex would further promote the Steelers brand and give the organization extra space for youth sports. All of the team’s youth camps are conducted at local colleges, high schools or sports complexes. This summer, the club will have four two-day camps around the Pittsburgh area — at Saint Vincent College, West Allegheny High School, Slippery Rock University and the Highlands Sports Complex in Triadelphia, West Virginia. These events will be run by past and current Steelers players and coaches.

A new complex could also be used for players camps. Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth held his first youth football camp at North Allegheny High School in May. Around 100 kids from ages 7-12 participated in the camp. High school 7-on-7 tournaments are another potential avenue if the Steelers go through on a youth sports complex.

The UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side of Pittsburgh is used by the Steelers for most of the year and Pitt is on the other side of the building and shares the indoor practice facility there, so time and space is an issue when it comes to hosting youth camps.