Every Tuesday at 6:50 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. during the high school year, we feature a team or athlete with our TRIA Prep Salute.

This week’s salute recognizes the family tradition with the Rostbergs and football in Hutchinson.

***Click the video box above to watch the feature story our Alec Ausmus put together***

On a fall Friday night in Hutchinson, Rostberg Stadium is a popular place to be.

The Rostberg family has been involved with Hutchinson football for over 50 years.

Grady Rostberg was the Tigers’ head coach for 28 seasons, and stepped down in 1998. His son Andy took over the following season and has been the head coach ever since.

Grady is 85-years-old and is still involved with coaching the Tigers with his son.

“It’s a really special, cool thing that you take with you for the rest of your life,” Andy said.

This season, the Rostberg bloodline has a third rung in the Tiger’s huddle.

“You have a freshman quarterback?” KSTP sports reporter Alec Ausmus asked Andy, We do, it’s my son Graydon,” Andy replied.

Three Rostbergs at Rostberg Stadium, Graydon, his dad Andy, and grandpa Graydon.

It’s cool having my dad there, my grandpa, and three generations of football,” said Graydon with a smile on his face.
“In the first game when he threw a 44 yard touchdown pass, I kind of got excited a bit about that,” said Grady about his grandson.

“Time does fly, because I remember when he was 5 years old, sitting on the down marker there and that was the perfect chair for him only two feet off the ground, said Andy. “Now he’s playing quarterback for us.”

Andy played quarterback for the Tigers in the early 1980s, and won two state titles. Four decades later, it’s Graydon’s turn and he is playing for his own trophies.

Being the starting quarterback can be tough enough, let alone when your coach is also your dad.

“Some stuff we don’t agree on, but I guess I just got to go with it,” Graydon said. “He’s the boss most of the time.”

“There’s some great stuff, then there is some oh boy, well, next play,” Andy said.

The next play, next Rostberg, is a formula that has worked for half a century.