Hotbeds Lacrosse Camp scorches the turf at UD
Scorching temperatures and cool lacrosse moves made the 2009 Battle of the Hotbeds Lacrosse Camp at the University of Delaware a sizzling success, bringing in 56 of the top rising junior and senior teams in the country for four days of great lacrosse action.
Teams from as far west as Washington state, south from Florida and north from Massachusetts participated in the nationally known recruiting tournament.
“We had a great representation from 1,300 high school players,” said University of Delaware head coach and Hotbeds co-director Bob Shillinglaw. “It was a good mixture of Division I, II and III athletes.”
The camp, which has been in existence for 10 years, allowed teams to play 10 to 14 games in a competitive tournament atmosphere.
“We had a rising junior and a rising senior All-Star game,” said Shillinglaw. “With the accelerating pace of recruiting, schools are pushing for earlier commitments.”
The Hotbeds Camp was attended by more than 130 college coaches from across the country to get an early look at the talent that is available for the upcoming seasons.
“I’m really psyched about the tournament,” said Yale University head coach and co-director Andy Shay. “We try to make the camp as customer friendly as possible.”
Players stayed in a University of Delaware dorm setting and feasted on fine dining hall food, making their stay as close to the college experience as possible.
The local Greene Turtle team consisted of some of the best players from the Eastern Shore, and they showed their talent by going 9-1 in the tournament. Players from Worcester Prep, Salisbury School, Cape Henlopen, Delmarva Christian, Sussex Tech, Loyola Blakefield, Stephen Decatur, Parkside, Easton and Malvern Prep “cranked the rock” for the Ocean City-based team.
Bradley Harris of Rehoboth Beach and Worcester Prep was chosen to represent the Greene Turtle during the Hotbeds All-Star game and scored a goal for the rising 2010 All-Stars.
“It was a great tournament,” said Cape Henlopen All-State defenseman Tim Voss.
“The competition was really tough and it was great playing in front of so many college coaches.”
“As a rising junior it’s really important to get my play viewed by as many college coaches as possible,” said Greene Turtle and Cape goalie James Cook. “There are a lot of good goalies out there and this tournament is a great showcase.”
Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs.
