That Masked Man

The man behind the mask was ... who?

No one knew.

They knew he threw beads - Lord knows, did he ever throw beads - hundreds during a game, thousands over a season. They also knew he ran up and down the sideline waving an 8-foot flag every time Plant City scored.

In a relatively short time they knew he was a fixture called the "Rowdy Raider."

But who was he?

"I'm Van Frost," said the Rowdy Raider, eyes peeking through the mask, under the black hat and above the pile of beads around his neck. Grinning. Always grinning.

"It was crazy," Frost said, "I was the Rowdy Raider for almost two years before some people knew who I was."

It's been six years, and now just about everybody knows that Frost is, indeed, the Rowdy Raider.

They also know he is Plant City's drama teacher, a dynamo whose students "love him," according to sophomore Mackenzie Winters, who is starring in Frost's upcoming blockbuster musical "Pippin."

"Mr. Frost's class makes me want to come to school," said Winters, who quit cheerleading to focus on Frost's theatre productions. "He makes it so much fun. And the thing that we all really appreciate is that he could have done pretty much anything he wanted in life because he's so awesome. But he chose to be here with us. We know that and appreciate him for that."

Here's what some folks still might not know: Frost, 43, is a former Marine drill sergeant (1988-91) who played on the armed forces rugby team that traveled around the world; was a body builder (he placed third in the Tampa Classic); a singer (at age 14 he sang at the Grand Ole Opry); and a computer whiz who owned and still maintains a computer company.

It wasn't until six years ago, however, that he fulfilled his biggest dream, which was "Being a teacher!" He said he would have done it sooner if not for the fact that he is dyslexic and thought he might not be able to learn well enough to get his degree.

"But my wife Paula convinced me I could do it," Frost said. "So I worked hard and got that degree. Then I applied, and well, look at me now behind the mask, hat and cape, draped in beads."

Grinning.

Always grinning.

"I'm happy just about all the time," Frost said. "I'm happy because I absolutely love what I do."