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Kari Frazier
August 2003 Celebrity

Kari Frazier has no fear when she steps inside the crease; she is all heart and has lots of guts. Her passion for the goalie position has not only gained the respect of her coaches, but she also was the MVP of her high school lacrosse team -- the boys' team. Weber High School lacrosse coach, David Dirks, recalls when Kari first started playing for the boys' team:

“ When Kari first contacted me about competing with our boys team I had a few reservations about it but I wanted to give her the opportunity. It wasn't too far into our first practice before I realized that I had nothing to be concerned about. There was an immediate rapport between her and the rest of the team. She was never intimidated and stepped right up to her role as a leader on the team. She is extremely driven, dedicated, and fearless when she steps on the field. We were a first year team this year and we managed to make it to the first round of the playoffs. We were matched against a more established team that beat us pretty good at the beginning of the year. While warming Kari up for the game the ball hit her thumb in just the wrong spot and, as we found out after the game, shattered it. She played the entire game with extreme pain not able to grip the stick with her thumb. This story is indicative of the kind of person and lacrosse player Kari is. Any player, male or female, with as much heart and drive as she has is welcome to compete on my team any time.”

Kari's former coach and role model (as indicated in her interview below), Lauren Anderson, has a similar viewpoint of Kari's abilities and ambition between the pipes:

“ What separates a good goalie from the pack is their ability to see that success lies not only in mastering the techniques and skills of the craft, but in discovering a real passion for the game. This is what most impressed me about Kari. When I started coaching her, I did not necessarily inherit the best athlete or even someone who was 100% committed to the position, but her desire to be the best she could be, to learn anything and everything I taught her, and to work hard not only in season but also out of season...was truly remarkable. At some point during the season she changed from the kid who played goal into my goalie, and that was a remarkable thing. The questions and complaining about running stopped, and she just worked. Hard. To be the best she could, to be what her team needed her to be. One of the hardest days I have had as a coach was when she told me she was moving away. Not because I was losing my keeper, but because I knew I would not be able find a player to replace her with her heart and drive. This past year I have loved getting her emails, questions about training, seeking advice about how to improve her game, and her updates on her progress this season. Remarkable attitude, and confidence to spare as she played with the boys. Passion to learn, drive to succeed, and thick enough skin to withstand this coach who will always tell her to watch her angles and keep her head in the game and keep running!”

Interview

Goalie Nation: Why did you first start playing goalie?
Kari Frazier: There was something mesmerizing about the position. There's a lot of power and authority that goes along with it. I'm sure scoring is fun, but denying that shot is even better.

GN: What is it like for you to play on a boys' team, especially in regard to interacting with and bonding with your teammates?
KF: The way our team works is like a family and I have 20 brothers and 3 dads. I've always been one of those girls who are best friends with guys anyway, so it works out pretty great, especially since I came to that school as the new-girl and had no friends.

GN: How did people (whether friends, family, or teammates) respond to the news that you were playing for the boys' team?
KF: Well my biggest supporters are definitely my family and even they had mixed feelings about it. My mother didn't want me to get hurt, like usual. And my father was skeptical but thought it would be once in a lifetime opportunity and he knew how much I wanted to do it. Luckily my teammates were just as supportive. They even found it entertaining to tell people that the toughest, gutsiest guy on the team was actually a girl.

GN: Do you feel that playing for the boys' team will improve your play when you start playing on a women's team in college? If so, how?
KF: Absolutely. When I was playing girls' lacrosse I was the last one in sprints because I was lazy and never worked in the off-season. Now though, after one season, I can recognize all my weaknesses and I hope to overcome a lot of the physical ones for next season.

GN: What's your favorite aspect about playing goalie on a boys' team?
KF: My favorite thing is the drive I get inside when I step onto the field and know that there is nobody else like me there and I am breaking the boundaries.

GN: What's your favorite aspect about playing goalie on a girls' team?
KF: I enjoy the fact that when you're on a girls' team there's nobody telling you that you can't do anything or you're not capable of doing it. I'm no longer striving to be equal, but I'm trying to prove I'm better.

GN: Do you mentally prepare for the boys' game differently than you did when you played for the girls' game? If so, how?
KF: In girls' lacrosse I always felt like an equal, but now I don't. So I always go onto the field telling myself that those boys' think I'm not as good as them, which gives me this overwhelming desire to stuff their every shot. It's quite odd, but I always have this desire to prove myself as an equal on any field.

GN: Who is your role model and why?
KF: Over the years I have met and worked with some of the greatest goalies in the world, but my all-time favorite is Lauren Anderson. She was an All-American and even went to play for Dartmouth, she was also my High School coach. She's an amazing goalie, coach and even greater person. Even though I moved and no longer play for her, she's still there for help and support. I always want to make her proud; it was even one of my personal goals this past season.

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