Petersen attended CSU East Bay where he played as goalkeeper on the men's soccer team.
[1] In 1990, Petersen became an assistant coach with the Stanford Cardinal soccer team.
On November 3, 1999, the El Paso Patriots offered Petersen the head coaching position, which he took for a season.
[4] In 2005 Petersen's Ajax Orlando Team became Champions of the Disney Showcase.
In May 2008, Rocket City United of the National Premier Soccer League hired Petersen.