ALLENDALE, Mich. — “In the end, you just couldn’t pass this opportunity up,” said Drew Peterson.
Grand Valley football has not one, not two, but all three Peterson brothers on their roster this year.
“I didn’t really think about it to be honest. I thought about it a little with Drew just because we’re close in age, but the best-case scenario happened and all three of us are here,” said Cade Peterson.
Cade is the oldest and plays quarterback. Drew, the middle, a sophomore tight end, and Brett is the youngest, a red-shirt freshman this season.
“It’s pretty special. It reminds me of the days growing up, playing football in the backyard. I really never played with Drew either. I was a freshman, he was a senior. But coming out here with my brothers every day, it’s a sense of home here with my brothers, said Brett Peterson.
The Peterson boys grew up in Northern Michigan. All three now creating their own paths with the Lakers.
“When I first got here people didn’t even know Cade and I were brothers. We kind of kept our lives separate. I didn’t want people thinking I was entitled because of him,” said Drew.
“All three of us have built independent relationships here with different coaches in different ways, and kind of all found out connection here differently, but it worked out,” said Cade.
For Brett, he says there was never pressure from his family to come to Grand Valley, but rather to make this experience his own.
“Obviously people are going to know who I am, but that’s not really the goal of this. Taking care of myself on the field, taking care of myself in the classroom, so that’s a bigger thing than just being related to someone on the team. It’s making your own path and doing the right thing,” said Brett.
There’s nothing but blue and white in the Peterson house. Their parents Michelle and Tim root for the Lakers each week and the guys couldn’t be more grateful.
“They don’t have to worry about anything on a Saturday except coming down here to watching the three of us. I know it means the world to them, and they couldn’t ask for any better, and we couldn’t ask for any better parents and the support that they give us,” said Cade.
Cade and Drew play in games often. And hope to continue making memories now with Brett on the team too.
“The first catch I had last year against Wisconsin-Lacrosse, that was the first action I got in a game and he happened to be out there, and he threw me the ball and I just went up and got it, and that really just happened. So I know our parents were up in the stands, really proud of us, and hopefully we can continue that stuff with Brett as well,” said Drew.
Grand Valley will travel to Big Rapids this Saturday to take on Ferris State in the Anchor/Bone Classic. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
