Former Heritage coach Matt Peterson takes over Dow football program - MLive.com

Matt Peterson’s vacation from coaching lasted less than three months.

Peterson, who resigned as the Saginaw Heritage football coach in January, took over as the new Midland Dow football coach in March, moving closer to home and to school.

“I left Heritage because of my family, because of my daughter,” Peterson said. “But I live two miles from (Dow) school. It’s a drive that’s less than five minutes. I may even ride my bike. Heritage was 30 minutes each way.

“It makes a huge difference. I teach in the building. It’s a much more family-friendly job being so close, rather than traveling back and forth between different cities.”

Matt and his wife, Midland Dow graduate Rachel Peterson, have a daughter, Olivia, who was born Sept. 21, the final week of the 2019 football season.

Peterson replaces Jason Watkins, who resigned after the 2019 season. Watkins coached 11 seasons, posting a 79-36 record with seven consecutive playoff appearances.

“If I put myself in the shoes of Heritage fans, I might be upset too,” Peterson said. “The fact is I did what was right for my family and what I think was right for Heritage. It allows them to have someone who is 100-percent vested in a way I couldn’t be with the drive and my family.”

Peterson, who teaches world history at Midland Dow, starred at quarterback at Bullock Creek before graduating in 2008. He was a defensive back at Saginaw Valley State University from 2008 through 2011 and joined the Dow coaching staff as an assistant from 2014-17 before taking the Heritage job.

“The Dow job opened two or three weeks after I left Heritage,” Peterson said. “I was going to coach again no matter what. The question was when I was going to apply to be a head coach again.

“When the Dow job opened, it felt like a good opportunity for my family. I didn’t know when the next opportunity was going to be if I didn’t apply now. My wife is a Dow graduate, and she wanted me to be a part of this. She is very supportive and excited about being a part of the Dow program.”

Despite going 9-9 at Heritage in two seasons, Peterson believes the experience will help him at Dow.

“I’m definitely more prepared now,” Peterson said. “The biggest thing is how to connect with those kids when I’m the one running the show and the leader of the program. I learned how to hire a staff, how to work with those staff members, keep everyone on the same page, be organized, work with parents and involve them in the program.

“It’s a scary thing going from assistant coach to managing all of that. I don’t think I’d be this prepared for the Dow program if I hadn’t fallen on my face a few times at Heritage.”

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