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Joseph “Danny” McCarthy has his mom, Laura McCarthy, to thank for getting started in lacrosse.

“I was introduced to the lacrosse at the age of 6 when my mom, Laura McCarthy, started the Caldwell/West Caldwell (N.J.) lacrosse club,” McCarthy said.

Now a senior at Caldwell High School, the attackman/midfielder is on the brink of continuing to play the game at the collegiate level. He’ll do it at Montclair State University, a commitment first reported by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound McCarthy scored 18 goals in 18 games this past spring. You can watch his highlight reel here.

As you will learn, his college choice goes beyond lacrosse. Attending Montclair State will help him achieve his goal of making a firefighter.

Now, here’s a Q&A with Danny on his commitment.

What were the main factors in your decision?
The location of Montclair State to my house. Also, Montclair is a strong program with a great new coach (Chris Kivlen) who was previously an assistant coach at Albany, a D-I program

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I was never really considering going to any other school. This is because I want to become a firefighter in the town of Bloomfield, N.J. If I go to MSU, I can volunteer at the Bloomfield Fire Department giving me a better change to get the job after college

What area of your game do you need to work on?
I need to work on my off hand shooting and overall shooting velocity.

What other sports have you played?
I have also been a swimmer, played soccer, football and basketball.

What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for Building Blocks Lacrosse. This past summer I played at Blue Chip 225 and FLG 3d. I made the all-star game for both of those showcases.

Any final thoughts?
I would like to thank my mom for waking up early, and spending her weekends at various tournaments showcases and leagues. She was always there picking me back off when I got down on myself, and most importantly never gave up on me.