Steve Souder and Sarah Frasier were selected as this year’s recipients of the Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition Award.
Steve Souder and Sarah Frasier received top honors.
The pair were selected as this year’s recipients of the Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition Award. They were honored in a ceremony held Wednesday evening at NexusPark.
For the better part of the existence of Columbus North High School, Steve Souder and Sarah Frasier have been fixtures in its athletic program.
Souder spent 43 years as the Bull Dogs’ athletic trainer. Frasier, a former cheerleader at North and Indiana University, has spent the past 20 as the Bull Dogs’ cheerleading coach.
Sisters Maddie and Olivia Sprong, who were former cheerleaders at North, spoke about how much Frasier has made an impact on their lives. They mentioned how Frasier not only taught them how to be a cheerleader, but importantly, how to be good people.
Karmen Riley, another speaker at the ceremony, said her first impression of Frasier was that she was mature beyond her years. Riley mentioned that she and Frasier were selected to the first all-girls Crimson Cheer Team at Indiana University and attended its first national cheering competition. Frasier was selected as captain her final two years with the program.
“The literal blood, sweat and tears she poured into cheering at the collegiate level are a testament to her resilience and her passion for the sport,” Riley said. “After she graduated college, Sarah transferred her experiences, expertise and leadership she gained from her years as an athlete to becoming the head cheer coach at her alma mater, Columbus North High School, which is pretty special to give back to the program that had a significant impact on her own athletic journey. She focuses on building relationships with the athletes, and teaching them important life skills. Sarah consistently inspires those around her to strive for their best, whether in the cheer world or in life.”
Frasier’s husband Nate was a Cramer Award recipient last year, and her mother Nora Coleman was a Cramer Award recipient in 2007.
In her speech, Sarah Frasier thanked the individuals that nominated her for the award, her family, her athletic directors and all her cheerleaders and cheer coaches, past and present.
“I’m honored to be chosen as one of the recipients of the Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition Award alongside Steve Souder,” Sarah Frasier said. “I would like to accept this award on behalf of all cheer coaches who dedicate their lives to making a difference in student-athletes’ lives.”
A native of Bay Village, Ohio, Souder came to Columbus in 1978 looking for a job teaching elementary physical education. When he mentioned near the end of the interview that he had worked in athletic training, he was sent to talk to administrators at the high school.
Souder recalled when he got to the locker room, then-athletics director Bill Stearman asked if he was the trainer, tossed him the keys and said there’s the training room.
That marked the beginning of a era.
Souder also taught at North for 30 years before becoming employed as an athletic trainer through Columbus Regional Health. He retired in 2021, but that lasted all of about two months.
Souder initially helped out at Hauser and eventually stayed there for two more years.
Former Hauser athletics director Tyler Phillips, who will be athletics director at Monrovia this year, said Souder possessed dedication, passion, and is a team contributor.
“I never seen a person more dedicated to its athletes than Steve. He always made it the best environment he could for our athletes,” Phillips said. “Steve is extremely selfless. It was never about Steve, it was always all about the kids, always about the school and the treatment of athletes. He’s got a tremendous ability to build relationships with people, with the kids and adults.”
Nicole Decker said she was very fortunate to have Steve as a mentor and have his support.
“We all know he is more to us than just a legend in the realm of Columbus athletics. He has so many amazing stories that include all the exciting and heroic things associated with being an athletic trainer for so long. People tell stories about Steve and how he’s had an impact on their lives,” Decker said. “Whether he’s working with the No. 1 athlete on the team or someone who is just giving it a try for the first time, Steve takes the time to get to know the athletes by name, checking on them and giving them encouragement.”
Souder reflected on his career as an athletic trainer.
“I really enjoyed it. I wish I had written everything down that happened every day, it would’ve been a great book, even all the embarrassing things for some of the athletes,” Souder joked. “It’s really been a joy. It’s been a joy to work with everybody and for the parents to have the trust in me to take care of their children.”
