Guerin Catholic senior has sights set on national team
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Meet Cameron Lindley. You may recognize him as the point guard for Guerin Catholic, but basketball comes second to Lindley.
“He’s a special player,” said Phil Presser. “He’s very unique. He started playing with our U-18 academy when he was in seventh grade, which is unheard of. He’s always been on that stage.”
The 18-year-old plays soccer for the Indiana Fire Academy, an organization affiliated with the MLS team Chicago Fire. This fall, Lindley will play for the University of North Carolina, a program known for their winning ways.
“Dad is a huge Tarheel fan,” said Lindley. “I mean the color; they’ve got the best color in all of sports. The coaches are great, they have a winning tradition. They develop players and play my style of soccer.
But Lindley’s focus has shifted to an even bigger stage.
Cameron plays at Grand Park in Westfield a couple of times a week with players from across the state of Indiana and the Midwest. But a couple of months from now, he’ll play against competition from across the country as he tries to secure a spot on the U-20 USA National soccer team.
“This is a World Cup cycle. So hopefully a year and a month from now, I’ll be in South Korea playing in the World Cup,” said Lindley.
To put this in perspective, if Cameron continues on his path with the US national soccer team, he would more than likely be the only player on the roster from the state of Indiana.
“It’d be unbelievable. Every kid that plays soccer out here, they all want to play in the World Cup, they all want to watch the World Cup,” said Lindley. “So if I’m able to do that, and represent the roots and the Hoosiers, that would be unbelievable.”
Making a roster spot could become a reality for the midfielder, who brings more than just athleticism to the field.
“You talk about players and what makes them good. Athleticism is important, but the mental side of the game,” said Presser. “As a coach who’s been around for a while and played the game, I learn something from him every day. And that’s what separates him from the other players.”
For now, Cameron will swap his red Indiana Fire Academy jersey for Carolina Blue. But dreams of gold are on his horizon.