Posted By ESPN RISE Staff

	Kirstin Olsen/ESPN RISE
	NELC Denver action

The 2009 Nike Elite Lacrosse Camp kicked off the first event on June 15th at the Dick's Sporting Goods Complex in Denver, Colorado. Over 65 kids were registered for the camp from four states, Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, and New Jersey. The facility was top notch and provided a great setting for the elite camp.

The NELC Denver coaching staff boasts some of the top players in the game today. Johns Hopkins All-American and Tewaaraton winner Kyle Harrison returns this year. Newcomers to the NELC Denver Staff were Johns Hopkins alum Lou Braun, Hofstra All-American Sean McCarthy, Maryland alum Jimmy Borell and Cornell's 2009 Tewaaraton winner Maxwell Seibald.  Coaches interacted and instructed athletes and also spoke to the athletes about the importance of training.

The talent of the camp was very diverse, with All-State, All-American players and several eager athletes equipped with work ethic but not as skilled as the others. The format of the camp provided something for both while not taking away from the authentic camp experience. Feedback from athletes was great and many had said that the performance training and elite competition format was the first they had experienced at a lacrosse camp.

The top players at the camp were evenly distributed so we had a chance to see the square off head to head. An up and coming goalie named Rhody Heller will be a show stopper for Regis Jesuit in Aurora, CO next year. We may have been the first to see Heller's skill because he was behind a senior this year. Kyle Harrison thinks he is "the best goalie I have seen all year.”

Some of the other standout players were middy Michael Rea from Fairview High school in Longmont, CO, who received All-Conference and All-State honors as a sophomore. Another soon to be Division I recruit, incoming junior defender Tanner Ottenbreit from Regis Jesuit has the potential to play anywhere in the country. Lastly, middy Ehret Faircloth competed in three varsity sports his sophomore year for The Lawrenceville School in Princeton, NJ and was recommended by a Princeton lacrosse player as an up and coming talent.

Next Stops:

NELC San Francisco, CA Redwood HS July 6th
NELC Los Angeles, CA Home Depot Center July 7th

NELC Syracuse, NY Syracuse University July 9th