FORMER GRIZZLY READY FOR NEW ADVENTURE

Max Frazier will pull on his Fort Smith Sportsman baseball jersey tonight knowing he’s doing something he couldn’t imagine not doing. The former Northside infielder isn’t sure where he’ll play when the Sportsmen face Cape Cape Girardeau at 7 p.m. at Clarksville High School. Honestly, that doesn’t matter. Max Frazier will be playing baseball. “Baseball’s always been a big thing in our family,” Frazier said. “It’s obviously my dad’s (Chad) favorite sport. He played in high school (Northside) and held the home run record at (Arkansas) Tech for a long time. My little brother (Jett) is starting to get into it more; he understands it more. My mom (Theresa) is really into it. “There’s not really a word how to describe it.” The son of a coach, the UAFS-bound Max Frazier grew up in dugouts, on football practice fields and in the shadow of Northside High School. He bleeds Grizzly red. In fact, shedding his Grizzlies’ uniform earlier this month was one of the hardest things he’s ever done. “It was absolutely devastating, and I had to go through it twice with football and baseball,” Frazier said. Like his dad, Frazier played quarterback for the Grizzlies. He was one of Northside baseball coach Brian Fry’s key players the past two seasons as well. “The first thing that comes to my mind at Northside is all the tradition,” Frazier said. “Generation after generation pour into that place. It’s really unbelievable. “It’s really weird, because my grandpa (Steve) went to Southside and my dad went to Northside.” Chad Frazier initially had intended to attend follow in his dad’s footsteps, but went to Northside in part because Southside had a young quarterback named Barry Lunney Jr. “Barry Lunney was already there, so he went to Northside,” Frazier said. Even though he’s since graduated and painfully pulled his Grizzlies’ uniform off the last time, Frazier will still have some connection with his past with Sportsman coach Trey Prieur. A 2002 Northside grad, Prieur has known Frazier since the latter was a toddler. “My first high school coaching job was actually with his father,” Prieur said. “I helped coach Frazier out as a volunteer for a while until I transferred over to Southside my first year.” A decade later, Prieur — an assistant middle school principal at Paris — is looking forward to coaching Max Frazier with the Sportsmen. “We’ve had our eye on Max for a long time,” Prieur said. “I’m glad it worked out for him t play us; it means a lot to his family, too.” “I’ve known these coaches most of my life,” Frazier said. “I know the majority of the guys. I think our chemistry is already really good. Nobody is really down on a player; we all know we can play, so I’m excited to see what we can do.” Frazier doesn’t have a set position. Which he’s perfectly fine with. Because he’s been swinging a hot bat at practice, Prieur knows he’ll contribute somewhere. “He is going to be the ultimate utility player time at second, third, short or in the outfield,” Prieur said. “He might fall into one of those spots. Right now he’s really swinging it, so he’ll be in there somewhere.” “I think I’ll end up somewhere in the infield,” Frazier said. “Probably second base is best for me until I get bigger and stronger.”

FORMER GRIZZLY READY FOR NEW ADVENTURE

KEVIN TAYLOR

Times Record | 5/25/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Northside Athletics