Tyler plays in elite senior showcase

When Jackson Tyler first arrived at the U.S. Lacrosse National Senior Showcase in Chicago last weekend, he was a bit star struck. The CCHS goalie was in elite company.

“It was really fun playing with kids that I’m probably going to see on TV next year and kids that I’ve been reading about in magazines,” Tyler said. “It was a breathtaking experience.”

For three days, Tyler rubbed elbows with some of the top players in the country. The invitation-only camp divided the players into four regional teams, and the CCHS senior helped the South team to a third-place finish.

It gave Tyler a chance to work on his game with players headed to some of the top college lacrosse programs in the nation, including Johns Hopkins and 2008 NCAA champion Syracuse. The other goalie on the South roster, Christian Coates of Maryland, is headed to Harvard.

The experience, Tyler said, opened his eyes.

“It just made me realize how good lacrosse can be and how far I can go,” he said.

Tyler, a three-year starter for the Blue Devils, was a leader on the team’s back-to-back district championships in 2006 and 2007.

With lightning quick reflexes and a high lacrosse IQ, Tyler emerged as one of the district’s best players. But his career came to a bittersweet end. After consecutive state tournament appearances, the Blue Devils struggled to a 1-13 record this spring. The losses were tough to swallow at times, but Tyler walked away with a fresh perspective.

“Once you learn to lose, you learn to win because you find out what it feels like to be beaten,” he said. “I never knew that until this year.”

Now Tyler is turning his attention to college lacrosse. He’ll continue his career at Christopher Newport University next school year, joining former CCHS teammate Andrew Evans on a Captains team that finished 8-7 in 2008.

Tyler has been working out vigorously this summer. He lifts weights three times per week and runs on the other four days. After getting a taste of top-notch competition in Chicago, he’s eager to prove himself at CNU.

“I just have to keep working hard and just play as much as I can,” he said. “That’s all it takes in lacrosse.”

Jason Simcoe can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or