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Suiting up for the NAFL's Racine Raiders have brought brothers Chad and Dusty Svendsen closer than ever before.

Todd Mishler
MinorLeagueNews.com

09.21.04 - Racine, WI. - Despite being 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, Dusty Svendsen will always wear the tag of little brother, and apparently he doesn't mind following in his big brother's footsteps.

The easy-going, 25-year-old offensive lineman is playing in his fourth season with the Racine Raiders, on the same minor league gridiron team that his brother, Chad, has suited up for since 1997.

Chad, 28, has already seen plenty of action along the Raiders' defensive front wall, while Dusty is trying to make a name for himself in the North American Football League, an organization whose goal is to be recognized as a farm system for the various professional leagues.

Dusty, like his older sibling, was a starter in the trenches at Union Grove High School, 15 minutes west of Racine.

The itch for competition is what drew him to trying out for the storied Raiders franchise, one that has won five national championships in various hybrid leagues since the current edition was resurrected as a nonprofit and community owned team in 1986.

"I just wanted to play football again," said Dusty. "I love the competition and the sport, and I don't know what else I'd do. We've got a bunch of really neat guys, and the fans have been great."

The fact that he is on the same sideline as his brother again has only made those feelings stronger. After all, Chad has provided Dusty with a good sounding board while he has learned the ropes and survived the rigors of playing for a topnotch squad.

"We were Army brats, and we've had a strong relationship ever since we were kids," Dusty said. "He's helped me get adjusted and calms me down sometimes."

That's because the younger Svendsen occasionally gets overly excited. According to Dusty, this is one attribute he has been able to pass along to his brother.

"Don't you know that the younger brother always has a little more attitude," Dusty said with a chuckle. "I've helped him get more fired up."

The 6-5, 300-pound Chad, who is married and became a father for the first time several months ago, wouldn't disagree with that assessment.

"He's pretty independent and can be boisterous, but it's been a lot of fun having Dusty on the team," Chad said. "We've always been pretty close, it's just that now we go to practice, the gym and everywhere together."

However, like any other new guy, Dusty's had to work for every inch he has earned on the field.

"He's learned a lot about how much faster of a pace it is and how much better the athletes are from what we saw in high school," Chad said. "The main thing is that he can learn from some great veterans on this team. He hasn't started yet, but if he keeps learning and listening, he'll get his chance."

The brothers, who are real estate appraisers during the week, know they've been blessed with a great opportunity to play for a classy and successful program, which plays its home contests at venerable Horlick Field.

"I've had the luxury of winning one championship and playing for another one," Chad said. "(NFL defensive lineman) Sam Adams is the commissioner, so the league has much more recognition now. Quite a few guys have gone on to the Arena leagues and I believe a few have made it to the big show. The Raiders have been very successful and expect to play for it all every year."

This season's journey began with exhibition outings in late June and early July, both victories. Racine then won nine of its first 10 regular-season showdowns, with its only loss coming by six points to defending national champion Kane County, Ill.

The Raiders have already qualified for the NAFL postseason, which begins on Oct. 2.

Chad said he's not sure how much longer he'll continue to take the pounding, but he's not ready to retire yet.

"My plan is to go until I'm about 35, which means my daughter will be old enough to do a lot of things, and so I can watch her," Chad said. "But for now, I love to strap it on and punch somebody in the mouth."

While that may sound an awful lot like Dusty, when it comes to football, the Svendsens are indeed cut from the same cloth.