Book sales to benefit Gray, Frazee scholarship funds

NORWALK — Future sales from a local book chronicling Norwalk High School's 2014 boys basketball state championship will now be donated to scholarship funds in memory of two local coaches. Author Mark Hazelwood, also the Norwalk Reflector sports editor, announced on March 22 — 12-year anniversary of the state title — that all future book sales will be donated to scholarship funds in memory of Steve Gray and Steve Frazee. Gray, who coached the Truckers to the state title, was the Norwalk head coach from 2002 to 2022. He won 312 games at the school and is one of the most decorated coaches in NHS history. He also retired on March 22, 2022, the eight-year anniversary of the state championship. Gray died suddenly at the age of 69 on Dec. 28, 2025. Shortly after, a memorial scholarship in his name was created and will be awarded at the end of each school year. Steve Frazee was a longtime assistant boys basketball coach at St. Paul before taking over the head varsity girls coaching position at the school prior to the 2024-25 season. Frazee died suddenly at the age of 54 on March 11, less than two weeks after the girls basketball season concluded. At Buckeye Central, Frazee's first high school basketball coach was Steve Gray, who was also a B.C. graduate. A memorial scholarship for the late Stephanie Frazee, who died in September 2020, will now include her husband's name as well. It is also awarded yearly to a graduating St. Paul student. Hazelwood's book, "Norwalk's championship: A historic state title - and the maligned city that embraced it," was released on Nov. 25, 2014. The 176-page book relived a four-year run that culminated in the state title during a time when the city was hampered by job loss, a school financial crisis, and the worst winter in 90 years. When the book was first released, a total of $1,000 of sales went to the Weekends Without Hunger program, which is designed to send food home on the weekends during the school year to Norwalk or St. Paul students who qualify for the free or reduced-lunch program. The book can be purchased by searching "Norwalk's championship" on amazon.com. Each paperback or Kindle book costs $20.