New Lakeland head coach looks to continue past success

LAKELAND,Fla. - Marvin Frazier doesn't run from the truth.

Rather, he embraces it and confronts it head-on.

"We're not the best guys, we're not," Frazier told his Lakeland Dreadnaught's team at the practice following their season-opening loss to Miami Norland.

Confronting challenges, however, is exactly how Frazier, a rookie head coach, wants to coach his team after taking over one of the state's premier high school football programs in the winter.

"This community has embraced me, and the crazy thing is they don't have to," Frazier said.

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"For 50 years, this community has been raised up under coach (Bill) Castle and they've all said, 'Who's going to be next?' And none of them ever said, Marvin Frazier."

Hired to join the Lakeland coaching staff in 2019, Frazier turned down multiple opportunities to take head coaching jobs elsewhere to learn under the Dreadnaughts' Hall of Fame coach, Bill Castle.

"Something about Lakeland and what Coast Castle was doing, to me, was worth learning for a semester," Frazier said.

"My whole goal was to learn everything I could, be a sponge, then branch out on my own."

But when Castle retired after his 52nd season at the helm following the program's eighth state title, the heir apparent, Frazier, finally donned the head coach's whistle. 

"I wasn't very surprised," said senior offensive lineman Caleb Stokes.

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"Coach Frazier has been a vital part of the offense and helping us learn because he was here with (Bill) Castle and learned from him." 

Meanwhile, though he has retired from the sidelines to the press box, the Bryant Stadium field still bears Bill Castle's name.

For most coaches, walking onto a field with their predecessors' name on the gates may be nerve-racking.

That is not the case with Frazier.

"There is no pressure at all. And I really do mean that," said Frazier.

"I'm blessed. I've always wanted to be a coach and there's a million people that would want to be in this position and the Lord chose me."

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And while Frazier may be replacing a living legend, he isn't trying to replace what Bill Castle created at Lakeland.

"The beautiful thing is, he is still around," said Frazier.

"Every game, he is up in the press box and just a phone call away."

Only now, Marvin Frazier is looking to build his team his way.