During the summer, Phil Frost would go to his coach with a specific request.

From time to time he would ask David Patterson, the Bangor boys’ soccer coach, for the key to the equipment shed by the high school soccer field, where he retrieved several soccer balls and practiced free kicks.

While his teammates and classmates were working, heading to the beach or going on vacation, Frost took the time to better himself as a soccer player. Patterson believes Frost’s dedication and focus ultimately benefited the Bangor program.

“He had a tremendous drive to improve,” Patterson said. “It showed you how motivated he was. He was doing that so he could get better, but I believe that he was doing that to help our team get better, as well.”

Practicing free kicks certainly paid off for Frost, the Maine Sunday Telegram boys’ soccer MVP: His free kick with 10 minutes left in the first half of the Class A state final game helped the Rams earn the title with a 3-2 victory over Portland.

“For a player like Phil, sometimes that type of player tries to do too much on their own,” said Patterson, whose team finished 17-0-1. “They’re talented and have the ability to impact the outcome of games.

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“Phil has always understood that we were going to be successful as a team rather than him just being successful. He absolutely bought into the team concept.

“He scored his fair share of goals, but he never isolated his teammates. It’s just the way he is.”

But it wasn’t one certain kick or a specific play that defined Frost’s senior season. It was his commitment to the sport and to his team.

“Taking advantage of the offseason is important,” said Frost, who had 26 goals and eight assists. “Going into my senior year, I wasn’t going to handicap myself if I didn’t work hard in the offseason.”

Patterson brought his players together before the season to write down goals each of them had for the team, and at the top of every list was the same goal: to win a state championship.

But Frost also wrote down his personal goals, with a particular focus on developing consistency: be consistent as a soccer player and provide consistency for the team.

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“It’s one of the most important things,” Frost said. “If you play every game the same way, if you never let down, you’re always going to wear down the other team.”

The offseason also became a time of year when the Rams began the process of bonding as a team. As one of four co-captains, Frost helped organize team get-togethers during the summer and helped organize team events in the preseason to foster team chemistry.

“We became a team unlike any other team I’ve been on,” Frost said. “We were a family. There were no cliques, no arguments, no major issues. We were always there for each other.”

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be reached at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@pressherald.com

 


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