When your father was one of the top lacrosse players in the nation, you would think there would be some pressure for you to play the game.

But that’s not the case with Charlie Fay.

“My father likes to give me my space,” said Fay, a high-scoring junior attackman from Falmouth. “He doesn’t want to coach me in high school.”

Fay’s father is John Fay, a former Boston Blazer who played for the U.S. national team in 1982 and was an All-American at the University of New Hampshire.

“People come up to me all the time and say, ‘oh, like, your dad is one of the best lacrosse players who ever played. No one knows more about the game than your dad,’ ” Fay said. “He’s there if I need him, but he’s not going to step in and pressure me. It’s comforting, almost.”

John Fay enjoys watching his son play. He also likes to play lacrosse with him and against him, but leaves the coaching to others.

“You want to plant the seeds for lots of things with your kids, whether it’s sports, arts, music, all these things,” he said. “You cultivate and then you kind of step back and let them create the passion for it. Certainly it’s exciting when they become passionate about something you love, but it’s the passion itself you totally admire.”

Until he finished playing Little League, baseball was Charlie Fay’s passion.

“My dad actually coached one of my baseball teams because he wanted to try to get into that because it was something I loved,” Fay said.

But the lacrosse seed was planted early.

“I’ve been playing as long as I can remember,” Fay said. “I can remember going to (my dad’s) games when I was younger, his men’s league games. He used to coach the middle-school team (in Falmouth). He coached all through my childhood until I started playing.

“I used to have a little wooden shaft that he gave me, and I’d go to the practices and toss (the ball) around with the players.”

Occasionally, John Fay will practice with the Falmouth lacrosse team.

“Once in awhile we’ll have him come in and work with the guys,” Falmouth Coach Mike Lebel said. “He provides another voice, someone who reinforces what we’re saying so it doesn’t sound like we’re coming out of left field. He’s someone the players think highly of and respect.”

MITCH TAPLEY, a middie as a junior last season for Falmouth, scored his 100th career goal last Wednesday night 2:49 into the second period during a 14-12 victory against previously unbeaten Cape Elizabeth.

“To be completely honest, I knew it was my 100th goal but really, it was just another goal scored. It didn’t make a difference, really,” Tapley said.

It was the first goal of a five-goal game for Tapley.

Through 10 games this season, Tapley has 37 goals and 20 assists.

After Tuesday’s victory at York, he has 107 career goals.

GAMES TO WATCH: In a key Western Class A boys’ matchup, Marshwood (9-1) travels to play Scarborough (9-1) at 6:30 p.m. today.

In a Western Class A girls’ matchup, top-ranked Scarborough (8-1) will travel to play Kennebunk (5-4) in a 6 p.m. game.

On Friday, Falmouth, the top-ranked boys’ team in Western Class B, will visit Yarmouth, No. 2 in Eastern Class B, for a 6 p.m. game.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetit