By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/30/15
Cameron Fiore believes a successful goaltender, first and foremost, must have great confidence.
2018 G Cameron Fiore, Seton Hall Prep, NXT L.C.
“You have to have confidence in your skills level,” said the 2018 goalie from Seton Hall Prep and NXT L.C. Fiore after a strong performance for the White Team in Tuesday’s NXT Showcase Philly Showcase Camp Fab 40 All-Star Game at St. Joseph’s University. ‘You can keep working and practicing and talking, but you have to concentrate on your confidence level.
“You can have all the skills, but if you are not confident you won’t perform well.”
Fiore (four saves) and White Team second-half goalie Ben Mazur (2018, Lancaster Central, N.Y./Buffalo Academy, five saves) were key performers for the White Team in its 8-5 victory. The All-Star Game was the feature event of the 3-day camp for 2015 players in the 2018 and 2019 classes. Showcase Lacrosse expanded its popular Showcase Camps this year to include the 2018-19 camp – its second of the summer in Philly and third overall (one was held at Mercer University in Georgia).
See full list of Fab 40 All-Stars.
For the White team, Will Abbott (2018 M Hopkinton, MA/Top Gun Fighting Clams) scored twice while JT Lawrence (2018 LSM Greenwich Country Day School, CT/3D TriState) and Colin Hoff (2018 M Southern Lehigh, PA/NXT LC) each had two goals for the Black team.
Fiore was happy with his performance in the All-Star Game.
“The competition was great,” he said. “There were a lot of very skilled players and being a goalie you have to have physicality and skills, but I would say 80 percent of it is in your head. You have to keep having confidence.
“You have to believe you were meant to be here and you can’t get your head down – you have to keep going forward.”
The camp featured elite training with position-specific skills. It also featured box lacrosse training from US Box Lacrosse.
“What I have learned from is that it helped me a lot with positioning,” said Fiore. “The cage is small and you need to be in front of the ball.
“From the camp I learned one other big. To get to the next level you need to take care of your body. You have to get sleep, make sure you eat and not be goofing around with friends. If you want to play seriously, you have to act seriously off the field.”
2018 LSM J.T. Lawrence, Greenwich Country Day School, CT/3D TriState
Others that shined at the All-Star Game:
JT Lawrence, 2018 LSM, Greenwich Country Day School, CT/3D TriState
How was the competition and how did you adjust?
Lawrence: “There was fantastic competition and my team (during the day games) worked together phenomenally well. In the All-Star Game, specifically, the competition was even better and the goaleis were insane. There were a lot of middies and some had cannons. This level is tough, but I have played at this level before.”
What did you learn from the event?
Lawrence: “I just learned to share the ball, how to get a better groundball, how to take a shot when needed, cutting, transition to offense, and how to cause turnovers.
“The box training was fantastic. I really improved my stickwork. I would recommend box a lot for defensmen.”
Will Abbott, 2018 M Hopkinton, MA/Top Gun Fighting Clams
2018 MF Will Abbott, Hopkinton, MA/Top Gun Fighting Clams
How was the competition and how did you adjust?
Abbott: “In the three games today and especially with the All-Star Game, you are getting the the best people here so it was great competition. In this game everyone is a top player and you always have to go 110 percent.”
How did you enjoy the box training?
Abbott: “We did a lot of box and we learned a lot of picking and constant movement, how to get open and find yourself with the ball. In box, you are so close. Out here, it’s almost the same aspect, but it’s just bigger. You still have to pick, you still have to pop and you still have to get open – that’s the only way to get the ball.”
Ben Mazur, 2018 G Lancaster Central, N.Y./Buffalo Academy
How was the competition and how did you adjust?
2018 G Ben Mazur, Lancaster, NY/Buffalo Academy
Mazur: “The kids were awesome; there were so many from all across the country playing the game that everyone loves. It was a fun atmosphere with so much talent.
“Here, everything is faster; it took me a few seconds. Once I saw a few shots and got warmed up I was all clear.
What did you learn from the camp?
Mazur: ‘For me the biggest thing is just have fun. Once you have fun the confidence starts going and you build on it, and saves happen.”
How did you enjoy the box training?
Mazur: “It really helped me with making sure you stay in front of the ball. Sometimes in field lacrosse you get caught up in making saves with your stick. Box taught me to stay in front of the ball and make the save with the body.”