Lance Frazier: Deep Man
October 13, 2003 01:47 PM | General
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October 11, 2003
When Lance Frazier wakes up in the morning, the last thing he thinks about is what to wear that day. Unlike many of his teammates, he's not into replica jerseys or attire bearing NFL insignias. Most likely, Frazier will throw on a plain white t-shirt with some pants and go. He's just that type of guy – simple. And, if he has his way, different.
Born Elance Frazier, the Delray Beach, Fla., native, dropped the "E" a while back because he didn't like the way it sounded across the loudspeaker during his junior high and high school football playing days.
"I didn't like the way it sounded in high school and little league football when they said my name over the loud speaker," Frazier recalls. "I didn't think it went well with football or something. I think that's the main reason why I changed it."
For a man who admittedly strives to be different, it seems odd that he would remove the uniqueness from his name; strange that he sought to be more mainstream than his mother, Valerie, intended at his birth.
"My mom called me Lance all growing up, so she really didn't mind," he says.
So, Frazier arrived at West Virginia minus a letter from his first name, but not lacking much of anything else. A three-year starter at defensive back, the Spanish River High graduate is an integral part of this season's Mountaineer defense, and along with fellow senior Brian King is the anchor of the WVU secondary. Heading into the Miami contest, Frazier led the team in interceptions with two and his 27-yard punt return versus Cincinnati was the longest by any Mountaineer this season. As it stands, he is fourth on the career pass broken up list with 28. With two more PBU's Frazier will pass former Mountaineer Mike Collins for third place on the all-time list.
It isn't stats and numbers, however, that push Frazier to succeed. Competition and determination are two key aspects of the senior defensive back's personality and two of a few aspects of who he is that he believes sets him apart from the rest of the world.
"I am a very determined individual," says the graduate of the athletic coaching education program who is currently seeking admittance into West Virginia's master's of sociology program. "I believe that I am different from the average guy. I am very competitive and I thrive for knowledge. I love to learn and I learn something new every day."
Of all the things he has learned and all the people from whom he has learned them, Frazier knows it is what he learned from his mother during his childhood that is more important than anything else.
"My mom is everything that I am," Frazier tellingly says. "She drives me every day. A strong, single parent, she showed me how to struggle and survive even though everything's not given to you and that life's not peachy all the time.
"She showed me how to overcome adversity on a daily basis. I am a stronger person just by watching her."
Frazier has learned a thing or two in his years in Morgantown as well. Building on the lessons he received from his mother at a young age, he has since discovered the importance of surrounding himself with good people, something he feels being a Mountaineer has done for him.
"The company you keep can either build you up or destroy you," Frazier advocates. "Who you surround yourself with really determines your future. Character is built on the people you hang around with. I try not to surround myself with negative people or negative things, and I feel I've done a good job of that here."
There is no doubt that these are deep thoughts for such a young man, but that is exactly what Frazier strives to be.
"I try to be a pretty deep person," he says. "It excites and intrigues me."
Along with his mother, Frazier has two younger brothers back home in Florida, Ryan (15) and Jonathan (8). He has devoted his life to being a good role model for them and wishes that they grow up and have the opportunities that West Virginia University has given him.
It is by no means a stretch to picture the two youngest Fraziers looking north and seeing their brother, white t-shirt, deep thoughts and all, and knowing that he is exactly that - the person they want to be when they grow up.
Lainie Guiddy is a graduate assistant in the West Virginia University sports communications office.
