It was a massive lacrosse weekend up in the North Country, as hundreds of kids invaded Sackets Harbor for the 31st annual 1812 Shootout.

However, for only the second time, the event featured a special showcase for student athletes hoping to play in college.

What You Need To Know

  • The 1812 Shootout in Sackets Harbor is one of the biggest youth lacrosse events in New York

  • This year, for the second time, the event began with the 1812 Showcase, an event for high school lacrosse players with goals of playing in college

  • The event not only features players from around the region, but college coaches from across the state and beyond are on hand to scout

“I want to play college lacrosse. It's one of my dreams and it's just great,” Chase Bickel said.

Bickel will soon be a junior at South Jefferson High School, but his goal — in a couple of years — is to be a freshman on a college lacrosse team.

“I hope to get some colleges to look at me, talk to some colleges and get some opportunities,” Bickel added.

While he's not yet sure where he wants to go to college, he and about 50 others from across New York got the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a number of coaches. 

It’s called the 1812 Showcase.

“A lot of these kids aren't making those trips to the Baltimore, Boston, Philly area for showcases. So, you know, for us to be able to hold one right here in upstate New York and bring the coaches to them is a good opportunity,” 1812 Sports president Chad Green said.

“I wish every part of the country, every part of the state, whether it be Albany, Watertown, Buffalo, the Southern Tier, Syracuse, you know, some places like Long Island, you'd have several of these right? It just gives every kid an opportunity to get in front of coaches,” SUNY Cortland men’s lacrosse coach Lelan Rogers said.

It's an opportunity that many kids in smaller, rural areas don't often get.

“There's always a handful of good players up here. The secret is you tend to recruit in the area that you're from,” Rogers added.

“It’s really important if you want to play at the next level and show college coaches what you have and how lacrosse is up here; it's really important,” Bickel said.

It's also critical for these coaches to come in with an open mind.

“Yeah. I mean, you can always find a diamond in the rough, a special player, anywhere,” Rogers added.

Last year, in the first year of the showcase, there were 10 players who coaches knew very little about, who ended up playing in college for a coach who was at this event.