By JIM STEELE
pressbox1.com

McKENZIE, Tenn. - Maybe five years or so ago, football for Sean Fraser involved a round ball and nets on either side of the field. A typical score in those football games might be 0-0, 1-0, or maybe even a 2-1 donneybrook.

When Fraser, from New Castle, England, came to Tennessee, he discovered football was a totally different thing. The ball has an elliptical shape and to score, tbe ball went over the bar, not under it.

Fraser came to Bethel on a soccer scholarship and had a successful tenure with the Wildcat club. While tearing up the pitch for Bethel, he discovered McKenzie High School's football team. He and his mates, known affectionately around campus and McKenzie as "The Lads," regularly attended Rebel games, both home and road, and really made their presence known in 2006 at Huntingdon, when Fraser and Co. began doing soccer-type chants and cheers in the stands. McKenzie won that game 31-17, ending a four-game losing streak to Huntingdon. "The Lads" from that point on became a fixture and fan favorite at McKenzie games.

Now, instead of cheering for his college football team, as he had for the last several years, he pads up and takes the field for the Bethel Wildcat football team. Fraser is the BC placekicker.

"I started going to McKenzie games and started liking it (American football)," said Fraser, grinning like a kid in a toy store. "I even have watched the (NFL's Tennessee) Titans."

Last year, as the soccer team practiced on the artificial surface of Wildcat Stadium, Fraser started horsing around kicking an American football with the Bethel football kickers. After a few strokes, he discovered he was kicking the ball as well if not better than the Bethel placement specialists.

"I kicked two or three and it went from there," he said. "That's when I got interested in it."

After his soccer eligibility ran out, he sought out Bethel football coach Dino Kaklis, who decided to roll the dice.

"Fraser has done a good job for us and this is something that's new for him," said Kaklis. "He is used to kicking a round ball and now he has to get used to kicking an oblong ball."

But Fraser has been equal to the task. He says the hardest thing about playing American football was battling the jitters.

"The first two games, I was really nervous," he said. But when he connected on that first kick, "It felt really good; I didn't want to let my teammates down."

Fraser said his athletic pursuits were pretty narrow.

"I always played soccer," he said, casting a gaze to the stadium, which was nearly full of fans cheering a 31-21 victory over Belhaven a few minutes before. 'It's a great feeling kicking the ball and seeing and hearing the crowd."

Saturday night, the kicker was perfect on four extra-point conversions and drilled a clutch 32-yard field goal with 12:50 to play in the second quarter.

Fraser has scored goals for the Wildcat soccer team and points for the Wildcat football team. Which is the biggest thrill?

"Oh, this," he said, pointing to the football field. "I've got to make the kicks and I enjoyed that field goal (a career-long 32-yard boot in the second frame). My kickoffs were all right tonight."

Fraser has made seven of eight extra points and two of three field goals thus far for Bethel.

"Sean works hard every day and has a good leg," Kaklis said. "He's drilled some kicks for pretty impressive distance."

Contact and collision at full speed is something that soccer players don't do with as much frequency as American football players. But Fraser hasn't had to make a stop yet on kickoff coverage, which is fine with him.

"I haven't tackled anyone yet," he said, with a look of trepidation in his eyes. "But I almost had to make one tonight."

"Hopefully, he'll never have to make one," said Kaklis with a chuckle.