Games have become a ritualistic experience for Al Cavalieri.

He stands on the sideline each time and watches earnestly as his Syracuse lacrosse teammates slip simple shots past the opposing goalie. He envisions himself in the net, no longer a reserve but a standout. These are balls he would save. No problem.

But on the Orange, Cavalieri sits on the bench and waits for an opportunity he knows will probably never come.

‘You can’t help but think sometimes when we’re playing these other schools, ‘I could have went there and been the star there,” he said. ‘I could be playing all the time.’

Cavalieri, now a senior, has been a reserve for SU for four seasons. He has played just 17 games in his career, starting only one. He has accepted his role, fully aware for the last two years he wouldn’t crack Syracuse’s lineup.  

In a sports climate where athletes’ transgressions and off-field antics dominate media coverage, Cavalieri is a player who deserves praise for doing everything right. If college athletes are supposed to be role models, and I wholeheartedly believe they are, Cavalieri is the prime example, even if he never steps on the field again.

He is an athlete worth admiring, and not because he made 14 saves against Maryland in the NCAA quarterfinals last year.

‘There’s not a ton of incentive to do what he does and be the backup at that position and get smacked the way he does,’ SU head coach John Desko said. ‘His four years are a testament to the education here at Syracuse. More importantly, they are a testament to his character.’

Two other backup goalies have transferred away from Syracuse in the past five years when they realized they would not receive consistent playing time. Jake Myers left after the 2006 season and ultimately became one of the top goalies in the nation at Cornell. Peter Coluccini, a two-year starter, bolted for Ohio State after 2008, when he dropped from starter to third string on the depth chart.

Cavalieri could have taken that route, too. It would have been an understandable decision and something he considered ‘all the time’ at the beginning of his time at SU. Current starter John Galloway said he is convinced Cavalieri would start on every team on Syracuse’s schedule, and that he is the ‘best backup in the nation.’

But Cavalieri has stuck it out. Never complaining. Never holding a grudge (Galloway called Cavalieri one of the closest friends he has ever had). Never publicly criticizing the starter or lobbying for more playing time, even if in his heart he believed he could contribute.

The opportunity to transfer just never presented itself. He considered leaving after his freshman year but figured he needed to give it at least another season. In his sophomore year, he entered training camp with a shot to earn the starting job but lost to Galloway.

That was when it dawned on him his chance to start had passed. Cavalieri said he gave the notion of transferring ‘more than a passing thought.’

Yet something held him back.

‘In those two years, besides lacrosse, I built my life here,’ Cavalieri said. ‘It sucks not playing when you know you could play somewhere else and you could do well somewhere else.’

Cavalieri understands why the other two goalies chose to transfer. Especially Coluccini. He actually started for two seasons. Cavalieri said he doesn’t know if he could have stomached becoming a backup after tasting success.

He stayed because his brother, Lincoln, plays for Syracuse. Because he had the opportunity to win at Syracuse. Because he felt a sense of loyalty to Syracuse. Family, winning, loyalty — three things fans wish all athletes thought about when making their decisions.

They usually don’t. Cavalieri did.

That’s why seeing him succeed last spring on such a grand stage was so satisfying for everybody around the Orange lacrosse program.

With Galloway sick with the flu, Cavalieri stepped in for his first and only career start in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals against Maryland. He was spectacular, making 14 saves and propelling Syracuse into the final four. SU ultimately won its second consecutive national title, partially because of Cavalieri’s stellar performance.

‘He may be the second-most important player on the team,’ Desko said. ‘He showed that last year. He had his best performance when we needed him most.’

When Cavalieri graduates in May, he says, he will look back at his college career with peace and contentment. He used to worry he would regret not transferring. The chance to play competitive lacrosse only lasts so long.

Playing so well against Maryland last year helped curb that fear. That one game made it all worth it.

‘I tell myself every day, ‘I got the once chance I needed,” he said. ‘I knew I could prove it on the field. All I needed was a shot.’

Still, Cavalieri dreams about one more opportunity — Senior Day, perhaps. Just one more game before his lacrosse career ends for good.

Cavalieri deserves that chance. Here’s hoping he gets it.

Jared Diamond is the sports columnist for The Daily Orange, where his column appears weekly. He can be reached at jediamon@syr.edu.

Published on April 5, 2010 at 12:00 pm