Curtis Simonson joined the Fighting Saints in July of 2004 and worked the 2004 season as an assistant coach for the football team to the running backs. He returned to the staff in August of 2022 to assist in the same position. The 2024-25 season will mark Simonson’s combined fourth year as assistant coach.
At St. Francis, Simonson assists the program in coordination of practice plans, individual player development, assisting in training sessions, and implementation of game strategies.
Prior to joining the Fighting Saints staff, Simonson spent one season (2018) as an assistant football coach at NCAA Division III Elmhurst University (Ill.) as the Blue Jays’ running backs coach.
From 1994-2017, Simonson served time as both the head coach and assistant coach at various high schools, including leading programs at Macy High School – NE (1994), Pleasanton High School – NE (1995), Rocky Mountain High Schools – WY (2003), and Argo Community High School (2006-2013), while assisting with programs as the Offensive Coordinator at Evergreen Park High School – IL (1996-2000), the Defensive Coordinator at Marist High School – IL (2001-2002), the Defensive Coordinator at Oak Lawn Community High School (2005), and the Defensive Coordinator at Erick Solorio Academy (2014-2016). During these years, Simonson also assisted with multiple varsity basketball, wrestling, and track programs.
Simonson graduated from Concordia University (Neb.) in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and earned his Master’s in Administrative Leadership from Concordia University Chicago in 2021. While at Concordia (Neb.) (1989-1993), Simonson was a four-year starter and All-Conference running back on the football team, and a two-year starter and All-Conference shortstop on the baseball team. He was ranked No. 3 in the United States in power lifting and was named “Mr. Nebraska” of the 1992 CU Power Lifting Team, before participating in the 1993 Chicago Bears NFL Rookie Training Camp. He was also selected to partake in the 1993 NFL and CFL Rookie Combines and Scout Camps.
Simonson is the published author of the 2018 book, Parables of a Pastor’s Kid.
