There's a certain energy that fills a room when the Bratton brothers sit down together—equal parts confidence, humor, and the kinship that comes from growing up side by side, sprinting through the same phases of life at almost the same time. KyMariyon and KaiVeric are seniors at Centralia High School, Kenny is a sophomore, and all three carry themselves with the ease of young men who know exactly where they come from and who helped them get there.

Sports have been the defining thread. KyMariyon played football, ran track, and spent time on the basketball court, though football and track now hold most of his attention. College is on his horizon—two years at Kaskaskia College to start, then a transfer to a university where he intends to study criminal justice. "Hopefully be successful," he said, and there's little doubt that he will.

KaiVeric shares that vision. Football and track have shaped his high school experience, but track is the path he expects will carry him forward. He runs the 100 and 200 meters—and runs them well enough to sit in the school's top five all-time for both. Getting to that next level in Centralia, where sprinting talent runs deep, demands everything. "I'm trying to get there," he said, knowing full well that a single second in the 100 is a mountain to climb. Criminal justice is also his intended major, and law enforcement is his goal. Becoming a lawyer feels like "I think that's too much work," he admitted with a smile.

Kenny, the younger brother but certainly not the quieter one, lights up when he talks about football. Basketball, too. Track? "I don't really like it," he said plainly. What he loves is the idea of playing D1 football. He's a wide receiver, and he doesn't shy away from saying college ball is something he plans to chase, not merely hope for. His confidence isn't arrogance—it's ambition, built from a lifetime spent competing with and learning from the older brothers seated beside him.

Competition has been the family soundtrack. "Yeah," all three agreed when asked if theirs was a competitive household. Sports, school, even little things—there was always a race, always something at stake. But behind the competitive fire is something stronger: the community that raised them and the role models who shaped their character.

Centralia, they said, is a place that shows up. "The fans show up, and they support within. That's any and everything," KyMariyon said. Girls teams, boys teams—no difference. "This community comes together as a whole, and there's something special going on," Kenny added that Centralia doesn't just support athletes; it honors leaders and role models, rewarding both performance and character. "They really love that," he said. "And they'll support you even more and respect you more."

The brothers credit much of their growth to the adults who poured into them—especially track coach Reuben Hill and football coach Brad Goewey. "He's been a big factor in my life," KaiVeric said of Hill, whom he's known since junior high. And Goewey, often misunderstood by those outside the program, is someone they admire deeply. "To the outside world, it may look like he's mean, but he has heart," KaiVeric said. "Everything he says has a big meaning behind it."

Teachers have played a similar role. In welding and building trades, KaiVeric found two mentors—Ryan Marco and Chris Tyberendt—whose mix of humor, boundaries, and genuine care made their classrooms feel like a second home. "He cares for literally everyone," he said of Mr. Marco. Mrs. Lockwood, one of their English teachers, made the list as well.

That awareness of being watched, being admired, being imitated has made them deliberate young men. "Say you go out and do something stupid, and that other kid sees you do it," Kenny explained. "Then they think it's okay to do it because you did it." He paused. "You've got to be mature about all the things you do. Make the right choices."

The foundation for that maturity, they all agreed, is their mother. Described as loving but tough, warm but uncompromising, she raised them with fierce protection and unwavering expectations. "She keeps us in check," KyMariyon said. "She's a loving woman, but at the same time, don't push her buttons." Even the gentle teasing among the brothers carried unmistakable respect for her strength and wisdom.

Their family extends far beyond the three of them, and gatherings are loud, joyful, chaotic—full of dancing and singing. "It's just amazing to be a part of such a great family," Kenny said, and it's clear that the energy of those celebrations parallels the energy they bring into their school, their teams, and their futures.

The Bratton brothers have grown into leaders, into athletes, into young men who understand the weight of example and the value of community. Centralia High School is woven through their stories—but so are the many people who saw something in them long before they saw it in themselves.