Dr. Michael J. Fraser, better known in athletic circles as “Frase,” is a man who knows a thing or two about unlocking potential.
The 1982 Mount graduate is a seasoned Sports Psychology Consultant with experience working across amateur, Olympic, and professional levels in sports from MMA and boxing to softball and figure skating. It’s an understatement to say that he cares deeply for the wellbeing of these young athletes.
Dr. Fraser recently took his philosophy of youth empowerment to the next level, joining the Glove City Sluggers Boxing Club in Gloversville, N.Y. as a board member and recording secretary.
The club’s mission is near and dear to his heart: to provide an opportunity for youth to get off the streets, learn discipline, and gain lifelong lessons. And as it turns out, his powerful drive to serve the community began right here at Mount Saint Mary College.
The Sr. Kirkpatrick Spark
Though he initially went to community college and dreamed of becoming a film composer, Dr. Fraser’s grades didn’t quite match his ambition. But it was Sr. Maris Stella Kirkpatrick, from the Mount’s Education department, who convinced him to attend Mount Saint Mary College, and he credits her for giving him the foundational chance that set the course for his life and career.
“She said, ‘Michael, on paper, you are terrible,’” Dr. Fraser explained. “But she goes, ‘There's something about you, and I think once that spark ignites in you, you’re going to take off.’ And that was the first time anybody ever took a chance on me.”
Dr. Fraser went on to earn his teaching degree at the Mount, graduated cum laude, and never looked back.
From Education to elite performance
Following his time at the Mount, where he majored in education with a minor in psychology, Dr. Fraser taught as an elementary school teacher for about seven years. Driven by a desire for further challenge, he secured his Master’s in School Psychology from Fordham and later earned his doctorate (Psy.D.) from Southern California University.
His second career really took off and he became a sought-after sports psychology consultant. Dr. Fraser worked with teams and athletes across the country, assisting in improving performance routines, goal setting, mental toughness, and dealing with pressure. His client roster has included programs from Syracuse University, Louisiana State University, the University of Hawaii, and, notably, the starting pitcher for the Italian Olympic softball team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
He also taught at the college level for approximately 25 years.
Dr. Fraser’s enduring loyalty to the Mount is a testament to the life-changing opportunity he received, he said: “I’ve been very fortunate to work my way up to master’s degree, doctorate, and post-doctorate, but the Mount and the professors there were the ones that made the most significant difference in my life.”
Paying it forward in Glove City
Dr. Fraser’s work with the Glove City Sluggers Boxing Club as a direct extension of his philosophy of giving back, which he says the Mount helped foster in him. The club, located in Gloversville, N.Y., aims to instill confidence and discipline in the younger generations.
Drawing from his own life-altering encounter with Sr. Kirkpatrick, Dr. Fraser is driven to be a similar positive influence on the young boxers.
“I want to grab as many of these kids as we can and say, ‘look, all you need is that one person and you can take off, like a light,” he explained.
Today, whether he’s helping an elite athlete with visualization or serving the youth of Gloversville, Dr. Fraser lives by the ethos given to him by the Mount: believe in potential, and the sky is the limit.