The jersey doesn’t just carry a name; it carries a standard. Leah Jones sits down with principal Houston Julian to trace how a late start in high school sports became the launchpad for character, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to community. From football fields and basketball courts to a middle school principal’s office, we connect the drills and discipline of youth athletics to the real work of guiding students, partnering with families, and making good decisions when the stakes are high.

Houston shares what changed when he finally joined organized sports in ninth grade: the structure of practice, the pressure of representing Frazier, and the discovery that communication and dedication win well beyond game night. He walks through a true multi-sport path—football, basketball, baseball, and a senior spring of track chosen to prep for college ball at Wayne State—and explains why variety builds resilient athletes and adaptable people. Along the way, we revisit milestone moments like winning basketball districts in 1996 and a football playoff run that brought the whole community to its feet.

The conversation also highlights mentors who shaped more than mechanics. Coach Ray Barr modeled loyalty by showing up years later, while Coach Marshall Wandry taught goal setting, responsibility, and even put players in stripes to referee youth leagues—an unforgettable masterclass in empathy and composure. Houston reflects on teammates who remain as close as family and on raising his own boys with broad experiences—jiu-jitsu, swim, soccer, golf, and gymnastics—so they can find passions that last.

If you care about youth development, school culture, and the real impact of high school sports, you’ll find practical insight here: how to build character, why community matters, and what it means to win the right way. Subscribe, share with a teammate or coach who shaped you, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Produced the 2021-2023 school years

FHSTheFlash.com is the outlet for the voices of students at Fraser High School, Fraser, Michigan