More than fans: the families behind the athletes

For sophomore second baseman Kelly Fricker, softball has always been a family affair. Her father, Steve Fricker, coached her through youth leagues and hasn’t missed a game at Lehigh. 

Now watching her from the stands instead of the dugout, he said he’s proud to see his daughter compete at the next level.

Across Lehigh’s athletic teams, parents and siblings share similar experiences of watching from the stands, forming friendships with other families and creating traditions that make each season feel like home.

“It’s a special experience to be able to watch (Kelly Fricker) play at the collegiate level after having wfatched her grow up playing the sport,” Fricker said. “It’s very rewarding. You get nervous, the same way you did when they were younger, but watching (Kelly Fricker) give it her all in every game brings a great sense of pride.”

When it came time for recruitment, Kelly Fricker said she found her home at Lehigh, drawn to the team’s culture, the campus atmosphere and the balance between athletics and academics.

“Lehigh just fit,” she said. “The team culture was incredible, and it was close enough to home that my family could still be part of it.”

For first-year quarterback Holden Nagin, playing on the opposite side of the country hasn’t stopped his family from being part of his Lehigh football journey.

Because Nagin’s family is from California, he said attending games is a bigger commitment, but one they continue to make. 

“My mom and dad always try their best to come, and so far, they’ve made it to three home games,” Nagin said. “They’ve loved it and are always happy to come see me play.”

Nagin started playing football at 7 years old, and credits much of his success to his mother, a former collegiate softball player at UCLA, who introduced him to sports early on. 

He said his mother helped him find coaching, took him to camps across the country and even flew with him to Bethlehem during his junior year for a Lehigh-run summer camp. 

“Without my mom, I wouldn’t be here today,” Nagin said. “She’s always been the one taking me to practices, helping me get coaching and pushing me to get better.”

Even when his family can’t make the cross-country trip, Nagin said they never miss a game, and are sure to watch it on TV. When they’re in attendance, he said it adds extra motivation to perform. 

For Johnna Parlett, attending games as a proud older sister offers a different perspective. Living  in southern Maryland, she makes the three-and-a-half-hour drive whenever she can to watch her sister, Sydney Parlett, a senior on the Lehigh softball team.

“It’s such a privilege to have watched her grow up and become the woman she is today,” Johnna Parlett said. 

She said she was nervous attending her sister’s first fall game as a freshman in fall 2022 but left impressed by her performance. Since then, she said her sister has continued to excel, and she couldn’t be more proud. 

Family support plays an equally central role for sophomore football player Ignatious Williams. His mother, Tieneil Williams, makes sure someone from the family is there at nearly every game.

“I’m from Maryland, so I’m not too far from home, but not close enough,” he said. “Just getting to see my family every week, I enjoy it. There are days where I miss them, so getting that little bit of time after games is great.”

Williams said playing in front of his family gives him added motivation.

Tieneil Williams said she credits her brother, Ignatious Williams’ longtime youth coach, for helping shape his development. She said he coached Ignatious Williams from 6 years old through eighth grade, and has consistently supported him throughout his football career.

When it came time for college visits, she said her son quickly connected with Lehigh. 

“As soon as he saw Lehigh, he said it felt like family,” she said. “We knew that’s where he was going to attend. The way (Lehigh) treated him, it’s wonderful.”

For the Frickers, who now live just over an hour away from Bethlehem, Lehigh game days have become a part of a familiar routine. Before home games, parents often gather to cook breakfast sandwiches and catch up once the weather warms.

Steve Fricker said families who live closer usually prepare the food and often share meals after games.

“Sometimes families take teammates out with them if their own parents aren’t there,” Steve Fricker said. “It’s a really nice tradition.”

He said the Lehigh softball community has been welcoming from the start and feels like family. He also praised the team’s facilities, and said the Leadership Park softball stadium is “fantastic.” 

“It’s a welcoming environment and provides a real home-field advantage,” Steve Fricker said. “It’s a professional setup, the field and facilities are excellent and the fans have a great place to watch from the bleachers. (It’s) definitely something the players can be proud of.”

Johnna Parlett said the setting is part of the appeal, calling Goodman Campus one of the prettiest sports complexes on the East Coast.

Though she doesn’t make every game, she said she’s become part of the Lehigh softball community, one she describes as consistently warm and supportive.

“Every parent on the team has been so welcoming,” Johnna Parlett said. “If a girl has a bad game, the parents lift you up. It’s just a really positive atmosphere.”

Nagin said the Lehigh football atmosphere helps ease the distance from home. Postgame traditions — from alumni handing out “victory hot dogs” to team tailgates — create a sense of belonging for players and families alike. 

“After every game, there’s a tailgate with all the families,” Nagin said. “Our (first-year) class has about a dozen guys, and our parents all get together with food and snacks.Everyone’s hanging out and bonding, and it’s just a really close-knit environment.”

Tieneil Williams said her family looks forward to every home game and appreciates how parents watch out for one another’s children. 

While Steve Fricker still offers the occasional coaching tip or word of encouragement, he said the support he and his wife provide goes beyond advice. For the Frickers, every inning is another reminder of how far Kelly Fricker has come and how central family has been to that journey.

“I think (Kelly Fricker) knows when she needs a little coaching or just a hug,” Steve Fricker said. “We’re just grateful to be part of it.”