Skill is what makes a soccer player good, but in Division I,
it’s not enough to make a player stand out.
When that skill combines with passion for the game, then a
player becomes great.
“When I was younger I tried to be at any soccer function
there was,” senior midfielder Jimmy Frazelle said. “I
did a whole bunch of things just to keep involved with soccer. Even
if I wasn’t playing I loved to watch it.”
Frazelle’s love for the game paid off once he got into
high school. The Sacramento native attended Bella Vista High
School, a school that boasts one of the best soccer programs in
Northern California.
“All of the guys on my team (in high school) were big-time
players,” Frazelle said. “We were a very competitive
team, and we were all friends so we had a really good
time.”
Frazelle, who was named the Sacramento Bee’s Player of the
Year during his senior season, didn’t have to think too hard
about where he wanted to play in college.
“UCLA was definitely my top choice. The reputation for
soccer that it has is amazing,” he said.
Adjusting to the frantic pace of the college game was initially
a challenge, but Frazelle improved quickly by practicing with a
team that finished 21-3 and advanced to the Final Four.
“Our team freshman year was really good,” Frazelle
said. “It seemed like the practices were even harder than the
games, but it was a really good experience.”
Since then Frazelle has been controlling the middle of the field
and creating opportunities for his teammates. This year, head coach
Tom Fitzgerald has allowed him to play closer to the goal, and as a
result Frazelle has found the back of the net a career-high four
times.
“Coach Fitzgerald has shown a lot of confidence in me this
year, and that’s allowed me to be a lot more comfortable on
the field,” Frazelle said. “That brings a lot more out
of me as a player.”
When talking about Frazelle, Fitzgerald emphasizes his rare
combination of exceptional skill and work ethic.
“There are two types of players, piano players and piano
carriers, and Jimmy is a little bit of both,” Fitzgerald
said. “I wish he could stick around for a few more years
because he’s the kind of player that you want on your
team.”
Frazelle attributes much of his success at UCLA to both his
family and his teammates.
He is the youngest of four children and has received continuous
encouragement from his parents and his three sisters throughout his
athletic career.
“My parents are amazing. For four years now they’ve
been at every single home game,” Frazelle said. “They
come from Sacramento, and they drive six hours for every game.
They’ve been very supportive and I appreciate it a
lot.”
Frazelle’s teammates are the prime reason that he is able
to maintain his passion for soccer game in and game out.
“The guys on the team are great, we’re all really
good friends,” Frazelle said. “That’s what keeps
me going every day.”
If the No. 3 Bruins end this year with a championship, Frazelle,
having established himself as one of the best midfielders in the
Pac-10, will likely be a big reason behind that success.
“His work ethic and work rate are extremely high,”
Fitzgerald said. “He creates a lot of problems for other
teams.”
In the next couple of weeks, Frazelle will discover if he and
his teammates can cause enough problems to claim a national
title.