NSS: Kentucky's Carraro Adjusts to Spotlight
by Paul Ohanian | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
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| Chase Carraro, a standout midfielder from Kentucky, will play at the University of Denver for new coach Bill Tierney in the fall. |
Don't tell Chase Carraro that lacrosse doesn't get much
attention in Kentucky. The senior midfielder at Louisville's St.
Xavier High School has had all that he can stand for the past two
years.
Some of it, no doubt, has been good -- like All-America honors,
invitations to national camps and scholarship offers from Division
I schools. Carraro joins many of the nation's other elite seniors
this weekend as a member of the West team at the US Lacrosse
National Senior Showcase in Smithfield, R.I.
But some of the attention on Carraro, frankly, has just been
frustrating.
"He's been a marked man," said Scott Howe, Carraro's coach at St.
X.
As the best player in the state, Carraro has been the primary
focus for virtually every opponent. He always draws the pole, and
routinely gets faced guarded and shut off. It's been a learning
experience for the four-year varsity standout.
"I wasn't used to the all-out shut down, so this was a tougher
season," said Carraro, who still helped lead his team to a second
straight Kentucky championship. "I became more of a patient player
and let things come to me a bit more."
For a player with Carraro's speed and abilities, that takes some
discipline. He's an elusive dodger who likes to create, and has the
skills to shoot on the move with either hand. Waiting for the game
to come to him, or playing on the crease while others dodge, has
been a bit unnatural.
"It's like telling Secretariat not to run," said Howe, from the
midst of horse country.
Fortunately, Carraro is also a talented faceoff specialist who was
able to impact the game from that dimension. He won over 70 percent
of his attempts, and routinely caught defenders and goalies
flat-footed with quick goals off the draw.
"He dominated the position in the state and fared very well
against out-of-state competition as well," said Howe. "He's
extremely strong and doesn't back down. Nobody pushes him
around."
Toughness is a quality that Carraro had to develop at an early age
as the youngest of six children in a very athletic family. Four of
his siblings played Division I or II athletics in college. They
didn't think twice about pushing around the youngest member of the
clan.
"I got picked on by my older brothers," admitted Carraro. "I had
to take on that 'don't-back-down' attitude."
He'll now carry that attitude with him to the University of
Denver, where he joins a Pioneers' program that has gotten a lot of
attention itself in recent weeks. Like many others, he was caught
off guard by the hiring of Bill Tierney.
"I was a little uneasy when Coach [Jamie] Munro left because I was
very comfortable with him," said Carraro. "But now I'm pretty
excited to play for Coach Tierney. I'm excited about where he could
take the program."
Carraro has yet to hear from the new coaching staff, but is still
working hard this summer in hopes of making an immediate impact as
a freshman at Denver.
"He's one of the hardest workers I've ever seen," said Howe. "Most
days after practice, I had to drag him off the field. He eats up
the game. He's a coaches' dream."
Opportunities like this weekend's NSS event, as well as the Gait
Cup Tournament and Nike Blue Chip Camp that he has attended in past
summers, also give Carraro a chance to test his game against the
highest caliber of lacrosse.
"I love playing against players from other areas," he said. "Kids
don't think I can play because I'm from Kentucky."
And no doubt, he quickly gets their attention.
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The 2009 US Lacrosse National Senior Showcase -- an all-star event featuring the nation's top high school boys' lacrosse seniors representing North, South, East and West regions -- is this weekend at Bryant University in Providence, R.I. Check back to LMO for coverage all week and from the event.
NSS Profiles:
* Austin Wright,
Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio), North All-Star
* Mike
McCormack, West Islip (N.Y.), East All-Star
Related Links:
* Event Home Page
* NSS
Rosters
