By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/5/11
Radnor attack Sara Curley said she wanted to work on her confidence after admittedly playing somewhat tentatively as a freshman starter last year.
Today’s showing at the Philly Girls Showcase at Westtown School should definitely help.
Curley was named MVP of the morning session for the Classes of 2014 and 2015 and then followed that up by scoring five goals and earning Game MVP honors in the DeBeer Fab 40 game, helping the White Team defeat the Black Team, 11-9. The MVPs were picked by Phillylacrosse.com and ESPNHS.
In the Class of 2012/2013 deBeer Fab 40 game, North Penn junior Lauren Green scored her fourth goal of the game with one second to play, giving the Black a 9-8 victory over the White. (Click here for game summaries)
The second annual event drew coaches from 37 colleges as nearly 200 girls from the Philly region and beyond competed in one of the season’s top girls’ individual recruiting events. The event also featured a skills clinic taught by college coaches after the morning session.
Curley, who came to the Philly Showcase for the second time, said the experience this time should make a big difference when she reports for practice in the spring.
“I started for most of the season last year, but I didn’t have the confidence (that I wanted),” she said. “I was a freshman (on a team that had won two straight state championships) and I was just scared.
“I felt I had opportunities to take shots that I could (make), but I would pass to my older teammates. I am trying to tell myself I have more confidence so I can make a difference.”
Curley said the best part of the Philly Showcase is learning to play with new teammates in a short period of time. Each player is placed on a team of about 19 girls for three morning games and the top players are selected by the coaches to compete in the DeBeer Fab 40 games.
“Today was really fun overall and the coolest thing about it is you’re playing with people you don’t know,” Curley said. “It’s cool to make connections. You get to know other people by just playing with them on the field.
“I came last year so I felt this year I knew what I was getting into. I was more comfortable. As the day goes on, you get a feel for your teammates and you settle down and things come together.”
Things also came together for Green, who tallied the first two goals of the game for the Blue in the 2012/2013 Fab 40 Game and later won it by sprinting to goal and firing just as the horn sounded.
“I heard him counting down so I said, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and I sprinted,” she said. “It was a scary feeling but it was good.”
Green said she was aware of the college coaches at the start, but forgot about them as the games began.
“I was so nervous at the beginning,” she said. “I was looking around for (coaches) and I couldn’t find any. I knew it was a coach if they had a binder. But I was here to have fun and I gave it all I had.
“Coming in, I wanted to learn new skills, especially stick skills. I definitely feel I achieved those goals. This helped me realize what I needed to work on. You had to step it up. There were amazing girls playing today and you had to work hard.”
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