Brad Van Pelt...A Spartan ICON!

Brad Van Pelt was more than a football player. He was an ICON. He played the game of football with reckless abandon. He was a warrior who never shied from

Brad Van Pelt was more than a football player. He was an ICON. He played the game of football with reckless abandon. He was a warrior who never shied from contact and never ran from being a Spartan. People from all over the nation knew that no matter what team he played on or who he was with that he was a Spartan.

 

I remember the first time that I met him. I was in awe. He was a great football player and was a great Spartan and he signed a football for a young brat. He asked me who my favorite Spartan was and I am sure he was expecting this young brat to say him, but I responded with, “Jay Vincent.”Â

 

He got a big laugh and told me that I had made a, “Good choice.”

 

We can look back with great memories of Brad, but we can also look back and remember that although he was such a good player, with accolades that are more numerous than I have excess pounds, that he was humble. We joked the last time I saw him at Spartan Stadium for a camp session about that first time I met him. He looked at me and said, “My best memories are right here in this stadium.” It came out of left field. We were joking and he immediately stopped and scanned the Sacred Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, and uttered those words.

 

With awards, accolades and reverence he still looked back to his time as a warrior and a player wearing green and white as his best times.

 

I leave you with a great story about Brad and his time being recruited by Duffy Daugherty as a high school star in Owosso. Duffy arranged for a golf outing in Owosso and insisted that some of the high school boys be the caddies. He also arranged for Brad to be his caddie. When the round was done, Duffy gave him a very large tip. Now Van Pelt was already going to be a Spartan, but Duffy wanted to make a good impression…and he did. That tip was not a violation, but it was one of many great stories Brad had with such a great career.

 

Sadly we won’t get to hear him tell any of them anymore, and we won’t get to make new ones with him. We still have so many that each of us need to make sure we pass them on to our kids and that his memory never passes. Brad was a great player and a better guy. The Spartan Nation is sad about the loss, and we pray for his family. We also remember him fondly and at the same time we mourn his passing, we smile at the memories.Â

 

RIP Brad!