Curtis Ivan Goddard, President & CEO - Biography

Curtis Goddard is both a business leader in the cybersecurity and SaaS sector and a lifelong multi-sport athlete who has dedicated his career to helping create opportunities for American rugby league with the Copperheads Rugby League Football Club.

Professionally, Curtis currently serves as a Channel Sales Leader at Check Point (formerly Avanan, pre-acquisition), where he has helped build and scale a global partner program, drive revenue growth, and strengthen ecosystems across the IT channel. His nearly 15+ year background in marketing, sales, customer experience, and community building has made him a recognized voice in the Managed Service Provider community.

In Rugby League, Curtis was part of the Boston 13s squad that reached the 2014 USARL National Semi-Final and went on to win the 2015 USARL National Championship.

That success with Boston opened the door to the U.S. National Team player pool and a cap against Canada.

Immediately leading to opportunities abroad, including time with the Yass Magpies (Canberra Raiders Cup) and then Tweed Heads Seagulls (Queensland Cup) in 2016-17 after a strong showing in the North American versus South American All-star game. All possible thanks to the support of a dedicated family, competitive teammates, caring coaches, and a strong rugby community.

After returning from Australia in 2018 Curtis helped establish the Copperheads RLFC. The club has since grown into a proven pipeline: 22 players have earned USARL All-Star honors, 12 have capped for the National Team, and another 12 have signed professional contracts, keeping the international connections Curtis made alive.

In Rugby Union, Curtis played Division 1 with Boston RFC, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds, and Dallas RFC. Earlier in his career, he was part of the Naples Hammerheads’ Florida State and South Region Championship side, which led to his first International Representative honors with USA Rugby South. While with Dallas RFC, he even featured in one of the first-ever MLR showcase matches against the Austin Huns, who went on to become one of the founding Major League Rugby clubs.

Curtis’s athletic foundation proudly began in Football, where he started 33 consecutive games on scholarship at Upper Iowa University (NCAA Division II) and was honored to be named a team captain his senior year.

Surrounded by great coaches and teammates, he helped anchor an Offensive Line that helped set team records on the offensive side of the ball, placing in the top 25 in nearly every positive offensive statistic tracked Division II, while building the resiliency, coachability, and work ethic that would carry him into rugby.

His journey from college football, NFL combine prep, not getting that life-changing call, then finding joy in Rugby Union, then excelling in Rugby League in the U.S. and Australia, reflects the pathway he now champions for others.

He believes that American athletes with elite measurables, great coaching, and the right support can not only find opportunities in Rugby League but thrive in the game in a short amount of time just as he and many Copperheads players have shown.

Now, with the Copperheads’ relocation to Atlanta, Curtis is pursuing a moonshot project called The Last Lateral, a docuseries concept that follows American athletes making the same transition he did, from football to rugby league. If ultimately produced, the project has the potential to grow the sport’s popularity and reinvigorate a grassroots movement for rugby league across the United States.