Below is an editorial submitted to us as part of the Oliphant Street Stories series here on the website.

I have been reading the various stories submitted about the wonderful high school stadium known as Oliphant Street Field, AKA Butch Pedersen Field. Now at Oliphant Street Field AKA the Little Rose Bowl, I thought hey this is a cool idea to have members of the community tell stories.

I lived in West Branch from 1984-1998 and I remember going to school in West Branch in the mid-'80s when a young high school coach named Butch Pedersen was in his first couple of years coaching. Being a student at West Branch, the thing to do was to go to Oliphant Street Field. That seemed to be a community hang out whether it be a Friday Night Football game under the lights, the elementary track and field competition, the sledding that took place on Oliphant Street Field, or when I would go with friends to the field to toss the ball around. Oliphant Street Field is a special place and West Branch Football is truly a community tradition. I could talk for hours on end about the great times had at the Little Rose Bowl but I wanted to take some time and talk about the naming of the field to a special coach and mentor Butch Pedersen.

Let me preface this by saying I never played football for the Bears, I would have loved too but it did not work out. I know Butch wanted me to play football as it would have benefited me personally however it didn't work out. Coach Pedersen, instead of chastising me for not playing, encouraged me to continue to support the team as he always felt the fans were a special part of the team. I still go to the games at Oliphant Field and will continue to support the team as I always have and just wanted to thank Coach Pedersen for believing in me as a person and even though I never played he encouraged me to be a great person and give 110% in everything I have done in life; I try to stick by that in everything I do.

When I found out that Butch was going to win his 300th game I had to be there to support the man who has done so much for me in my life and mentored me to be the man I am today. Butch always says it is not just about him or the coaches but the team, managers, cheerleaders and fans. It truly is a community tradition which I feel blessed to be a fan of the team and school that will forever have a special place in my heart.

-- Nathan Anderson, Class of 1998 West Branch High School