Fields displays skills on the national stage
By Carl Lukat
Notre Dame Academy graduate Will Fields was one of 44 high school players nationwide selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse game.
Fields, a midfielder committed to the U.S. Naval Academy, said his selection to play in the game was “definitely the biggest honor I've had.”
And he made the most of the opportunity.
Playing for the South team in front of more than 3,000 spectators July 12 in Towson, Md., Fields collected 16 of his squad's 19 face-off wins and scooped up a team-best 10 ground balls in a 13-12 loss to the North.
“It was a whole lot faster-paced game than I'm used to,” said Fields, a Lovettsville resident. “It was a lot of fun playing with guys of that skill level.”
The Under Armour All-America game was televised on ESPN U.
“I could not be prouder as his coach,” Notre Dame Academy coach Rob Horne said. “It was great for the program to gain notoriety at the national level. It was an incredible moment for me and his teammates to watch him play on TV.”
Fields won 567 of a possible 804 face-offs and tallied 66 goals in his varsity career. He played one season at Loudoun Valley High School before transferring to Notre Dame for his final three campaigns.
What's next
Fields, rated No. 22 in the Takkle Top 100 Boys' High School Lacrosse players as a senior, committed to play for the Naval Academy last summer. He also considered Virginia, Maryland, Georgetown and Delaware.
Fields will spend this year at the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, R.I., and will still have four years of eligibility left beginning next fall.
“I didn't want to be overwhelmed with grades and the whole military aspect and lacrosse,” said Fields, who noted more than half of Navy's student-athletes begin at the prep school. “I'll be better prepared all around [next year]. Once I get into Navy, it won't be as overwhelming compared to jumping right into it.”
Already a good student – maintaining a 3.6 grade point average at Notre Dame – Fields wants to get in better shape and hit the weights at the prep school.
“I've never really lifted weights,” Fields said. “I was never worried about getting into shape before.”