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What Is ODP
COMMON CONCERNS ODP teams are formed in each of the 55 US Youth Soccer State Associations and four regions and are made up of the best players in the various age groups. At the state level players are selected to participate in pool trainings throughout the winter and based on their performance at those trainings, players are then invited to attend state camp. At the state camp the players who will make up the Illinois ODP State teams are selected. Those teams, made up of 18 players, then go and participate in the Region II ODP camp, which includes trainings and a tournament of the state teams. From this camp players can be selected as Regional Pool Players and are provided with the opportunities to represent the region in international (overseas trips) and National events. At the National events players are seen by National staff Any soccer player is eligible for consideration in the ODP process provided he or she meets the age requirements for their age groups, which is based on birthdate in a calendar year. How are players evaluated and selected for the State team? Tryouts and training session are conducted by coaches who are recognized for their ability to identify and train players with superior skills. All of the coaches are members of the Illinois ODP staff and their coaching experiences range from club to head college coaches. All coaches have at least a National D license, most have an A license. The coaching staff and selection process is overseen by the Illinois Youth Soccer Director of Coaching Ian Mulliner.
Illinois ODP is for serious soccer players who have a love for the game and have hopes of playing in college, professionally and for the US National team. EVERY YEAR THE PROGRAM STARTS FROM THE BEGINNING – NO ONE IS GIVEN A SPOT. Players change each year physically and emotionally. Players who may be physically mature at an early age may be surpassed as others mature. Any player can be released and replaced during the process. Although we are looking for the best players, we DO NOT select players from exclusively winning clubs. The focus of the ODP is a player’s overall development, not tournament wins. Players are expected to participate in as many ODP events that they can make, behave responsibly, conduct themselves in a professional matter and always challenge themselves to get better. Although there are many good soccer training sources, the ODP process is the one most recognized throughout the United States as the best way to identify top quality players who can perform in any environment and still cope with everyday demands. The direct benefits for players are: In addition to our top-level staff coaches, over the past two years Illinois ODP players have taken part in special training sessions lead by: Illinois ODP has seen it’s players exceed at the regional and national level. Of the 1306 players who participated in Illinois ODP in 2008, 67 were selected for the Regional Pool and 14 participated in National Pool Events. For more details about the Illinois Olympic Development Program visit www.illinoisodp.org, call 847-290-1577 or email odp@illinoisyouthsoccer.org. |
Players are evaluated by four major components:
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