STANWOOD — Twin brothers Karl and Trygve DeBoer grew up tossing the football with each other in the backyard and dreaming of one day playing for their hometown Stanwood Spartans.
Now the quarterback-receiver duo is living out those childhood aspirations, with both players entering their senior seasons as returning starters on the Stanwood football team.
“We’ve been dreaming about this ever since we’ve been little kids,” Trygve said. “Since we’ve been able to throw the ball and catch, we’ve been pretending we were playing varsity football for the Stanwood Spartans.
“We’ve just been fortunate enough to grow up in such a cool football town and have that experience. And now it’s finally our turn to go out and play on Friday nights.”
Both players are coming off their first seasons as varsity starters, with Karl at quarterback and Trygve at slot receiver. Karl threw for 1,585 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, while Trygve was Stanwood’s second-leading receiver with 43 catches for 350 yards and a team-high eight touchdown receptions.
“They’ve got a good feel for each other, obviously (with them) living together,” Spartans coach Eric Keizer said. “And being able to talk about football (with each other) more than any other combo out there is a benefit to them.”
The DeBoer twins, who also were members of the Stanwood varsity basketball team last winter, have been playing sports together for nearly their entire lives.
They began playing flag football in kindergarten and transitioned to tackle football in fourth grade. They also played other sports in their early years — such as baseball, soccer and gymnastics — before eventually focusing on football and basketball.
“Whenever we needed someone to throw with or play catch with or do whatever, we always had each other,” Trygve said. “And I think that’s pretty unique and cool.”
“Wherever we’d go on vacation or camping,” Karl added, “we’d always be throwing the football and stuff like that.”
After both twins began at quarterback during their flag football days, Trygve moved to receiver in fourth grade when they took up tackle football.
That marked the beginning of the Karl-to-Trygve gridiron connection. And over the years, the twins have furthered their passing rapport while playing and training together.
“During the summer, we always make a point of going out in the yard, playing catch and running routes,” Trygve said. “We go over routes all the time.”
As brothers, there also is a competitive side to their relationship — such as when they square off in one-on-one basketball.
“We’ve always been competitive between us, and I think it’s helped for the good,” Trygve said. “We’ve always had each other to push ourselves and try to out-do the other. I think it’s helped in the long run.”
Neither player is physically imposing, with Karl listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, and Trygve at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. But Keizer said what they lack in size, the twins make up for with their competitiveness.
“You look at the size of the kids and you’re just like, ‘Uh, yeah, they’ll be OK,’” Keizer said. “But oh man, they battle. They compete like nobody (else). It’s fun to watch.”
Keizer also praised the DeBoer twins for their strong work ethic and the example they set.
“They put in the work during the offseason — the weight lifting and the conditioning,” Keizer said. “They work hard … and they don’t waste any time.
“And what’s great about it is the younger kids see it, so I think they know that, ‘Hey, that’s what I want to be like.’ They set a great example.”
Teammates aren’t the only ones who look up to the twins. Karl and Trygve also have a 9-year-old sister, Sylvi, who cheers them on from the stands.
“Biggest fan,” Trygve said. “She’s at all the games. (It’s) pretty nice.”
The DeBoer twins were once like her, cheering on the Spartans at home football and basketball games throughout their childhood.
Now it’s their turn to play for the hometown team. And they get to do so as part of a close-knit senior class that includes many of their longtime friends and teammates.
“They’re a tight-knit group,” Keizer said. “And Karl and Trygve are definitely kind of the leaders of that group. They’re great kids and great leaders.”
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