Female Goalie Invited to Storm Training Camp
November 11, 2002 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
New Jersey Storm News Release
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Earning a spot on a National Lacrosse League team is never an easy task. That same task becomes infinitely more difficult when you are a female player. One determined player is currently facing that challenge head-on. Ginny Capicchioni, a former collegiate star, will attempt to become the first woman in history to successfully earn a spot on a National Lacrosse League (NLL) squad when she tries out for the New Jersey Storm at their main training camp this weekend.
A former three-time Northeast Conference (NEC) Goaltender of the Year in 1999, 2000 and 2001 for Sacred Heart University, Capicchioni competed in the Storm's rookie camp last weekend and as a result of her impressive play has been invited back for the team's veteran training camp on November 16, 2002 at The Center Circle in Rahway, NJ.
"I think the Storm is a very good team with a good staff and it would be a privilege to be on their team," Capicchioni stated shortly after the first round of tryouts. "I have never been to a tryout where the jersey is just given to you and like everybody there, you have to perform at your highest level for the duration of the tryout despite pain or fatigue."
In addition to her above mentioned accolades, the Oradell, NJ native ranked both sixth and third in NCAA total save percentage in 2000 and 2001 respectively, while also being named as Sacred Heart University's Female Athlete of the Year in 2001.
Since ending her collegiate career in 2001, Capicchioni has continued to improve her game as a member of both the Team Toyota Women's Lacrosse Club as well as the FCAC (Fairfield County Athletic Club) Pilots Men's Lacrosse team.
According to Capicchioni, when playing the game of lacrosse she does not see men or women out on the field, but rather each player competing as equals.
"When I'm playing men's lacrosse if I recognize the fact that they are men and are considerable bigger than me, more times than not I do not do as well. To counteract that problem however I just consider everybody a number (jersey) and I only concentrate on the ball," she said.
Capicchioni becomes just the second woman in NLL history to ever tryout for an indoor lacrosse team and the first goaltender. Last year, former University of Maryland lacrosse player Jen Adams participated in the training camp of the newly relocated Washington Power (now the Colorado Mammoth).
New Jersey Storm General Manager and Head Coach Jim Brady was impressed by Capicchioni's play and looks forward to seeing her compete in the next round. "Ginny was quite impressive at camp. She was quick, not afraid of the hardest shots and showed some talent at ball stopping," Brady said.
As for her hopes on the next set of workouts when the entire Storm squad comes together, Capicchioni recognizes that it will certainly be a tough challenge. The National Lacrosse League is noted for the speed and physical nature of its play. "This tryout will be the hardest thing I've ever done but I am going to give it everything I've got," she said.
Last season, the expansion Storm won four of its last six contests to finish at (5-11). The team averaged nearly 6,000 fans per home game at the Continental Airlines Arena. New Jersey recently traded for two of the top scorers in the NLL, Roy Colsey and Mike Benedict, to help bolster its offense. The Storm will open this season on the road versus the Rochester Knighthawks on Saturday, December 28 at 7:35 p.m. The team opens at home on Saturday, January 4 vs. Columbus at 7:30 p.m. Eight-game and four-game season ticket plans are on sale now by calling 1-866-NJ STORM. Individual game tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster locations and the Arena box office, by calling 201-507-8900, or by logging on to Ticketmaster.com.
Stay tuned to NJStorm.com for updates on both Capicchioni's performance as well the rest of the Storm training camp.
National Lacrosse League Stories from November 11, 2002
- Wings Host Indoor Lacrosse Clinic - Philadelphia Wings
- Female Goalie Invited to Storm Training Camp - New Jersey Storm
- Single Seats on Sale November 15th - Toronto Rock
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