NORTH TEXAS STATE SOCCER ASSOCIATION OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW AND FAQs

Transcription

1 NORTH TEXAS STATE SOCCER ASSOCIATION OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW AND FAQs Follow us on Twitter: NTX Soccer ODP Click the one of the topics below to jump straight to that section North Texas ODP Overview Tryouts Eligibility Information Once a player is selected Costs/Team Information Schedule/Time commitment ODP Camps Contact Information

2 The North Texas State Soccer Association (NTSSA) established its Olympic Development Program (NTX ODP) in the late 1970 s. NTX ODP provides a competitive learning environment to enhance the development of our athletes; ultimately preparing players for success at regional, national, and international levels of play. NTX ODP Mission Statement Our mission is to create a positive, competitive, and inspiring learning environment that is unique and conducive to the enhanced development of both players and coaches, ultimately preparing as many players as possible for the National Team level and the international arena. NTX ODP consistently identifies, trains, and evaluates elite soccer players in North Texas. Players who live within the North Texas State Soccer Association boundaries are eligible to try out for NTX ODP. Players who live in South Texas or other states may be eligible to participate in their state s program. Our coaching staff conducts 10 local training sessions for NTX ODP participants throughout the fall (5) and spring (5). Players may have opportunities to compete in sub-regional friendlies, national and/or international tournaments, and regional camps/trials. Extremely successful athletes may be selected to play with regional or national teams. Throughout the program, coaches provide feedback at trainings to players to improve performance. NTX ODP is a competitive setting and while all players in North Texas are welcome to try out for the program; not all will be invited to join the program (no min/max). Many players will be encouraged to continue to work hard and improve their skills and to try out for NTX ODP again at another time. NTX ODP offers many benefits, including training and playing with the best players in one s age group, instruction from highly-qualified coaches, competition against other states ODP teams, exposure to regional team, national team, and college coaches, and the opportunity to represent one s state, region, or country in competition. The NTX ODP experience begins with open tryouts, held in the fall of each year. NTX ODP tryout schedules are published on the NTX Soccer website The Pitch, Twitter, player blasts through GotSoccer, and are advertised to NTX Soccer Home Associations each year in the month of July (if not seen posted, info is not yet available). Players register for and attend a series of age-appropriate and gender-appropriate tryout sessions where coaches evaluate players performance and skills, including technique, tactics, fitness, athletic ability, and attitude. NTX ODP age groups are determined by year of birth; i.e., all players in the 00 Boys (00B) NTX ODP pool and at tryouts for that pool were born in the calendar year The youngest players eligible to try out for NTX ODP are those that will be ten years old in the year that the tryout is held. For example, when open tryouts are held in the fall of 2016, the youngest players who may tryout are those born in the calendar year The oldest players eligible to try out for NTX ODP are those that will be sixteen years old in the year that the tryout is held. At 2016 open tryouts, the oldest players who may try out are those born in the calendar year

3 After tryouts are complete, coaches select players that the coaches believe are ready and will be successful in the NTX ODP program. These players are invited to join the appropriate NTX ODP pool. A NTX ODP pool is the age- and gender-specific group of players coaches have selected to participate in the NTX ODP system. There are two pools for each NTX ODP age group; a boy s pool and a girl s pool. Letters of notification are ed to all tryout participants. A player will receive one of two letters; either a letter congratulating the player and inviting him to join the NTX ODP pool for his age group, or a letter thanking the player for his dedication and encouraging him to continue to develop his skills and try out again for NTX ODP in the future. Players invited to join their age group s pool receive an containing registration information, including fees and timelines. Players register in NTX ODP once each year, in September. Ten training sessions, the ODP app, and The Sport Source (high school players ONLY) is included in the pool registration fee. We expect players to remain in financial good standing with the program at all times. Failure to do so, jeopardizes the player s ability for selection to events. To avoid your child from being placed in "not in good standing" with North Texas State Soccer Association & NTX ODP. Payment(s) MUST be made in a timely manner to avoid further action. Failure to make the payment(s) due may result in your child not being allowed to continue in NTX ODP until payment(s) is received, and possible suspension from all soccer under the Federation pending NTSSA Executive Board review. The NTX ODP year runs from September through August of the following year. In a typical NTX ODP year each age group will have ten training sessions, five in the fall and five in the spring. Training sessions are held on Sundays at fields in the DFW Metroplex area. A schedule of training sessions is published at the beginning of each season, fall and spring. Location and time of training sessions are based on field availability and coaches schedules. We encourage players to attend all of their pool s training sessions to maximize the benefits received from NTX ODP. We recognize that players may have occasional conflicts and may be unable to attend all training sessions. There are no negative consequences for missing training sessions. However, participants are required to attend 40% of their pool s trainings in order to remain in good standing with the program for possible selection to Region III Summer Trials held each summer. If players are not able to make their scheduled training sessions, they may be able to make it up by attending another age group session. To ensure we provide an effective training session, we ask that players request approval in advance from our office via . This helps to ensure the player receives credit for attending the alternate session, while at the same time allowing our office to control unnecessarily overwhelming the coach(es) and field(s) available for the alternate training. It is preferable players wishing to attend a different pool s training choose an age appropriate session as an alternative (i.e birth year player requests to train with either the 2000 or the 2002 pool training session). Once the is received, it is sent to the NTX ODP coaches affected by the request. Once the coaches respond with approval, the player may attend the alternate age group s training session. Team Administrators (Admins) are volunteer parents that work directly with their players pool and coaches. Admins are great sources of information for parents and players. In some cases, admins may assist coaches by keeping attendance records for each training session and event. Admins may distribute training gear to players and assist as needed. Admins do not make coaching decisions; nor do they make financial arrangements for players. Admins players do not receive special consideration; the volunteer activities of a parent are not a consideration when coaches are selecting players to attend NTX ODP events. When available, admins will typically act as chaperones (depending on availability & their player s selection to the event) and travel to non-local NTX ODP events with their pool s team(s). During the NTX ODP year, teams may be formed to participate in various NTX ODP events. For example, we typically register one boys team and one girls team from our three oldest pools (total of six teams) to participate in local college showcase tournaments. Players selected by our coaches are invited to register for the event roster. If an invited player declines the invitation then we will invite an alternate player to join the roster. There is an additional cost to register for events. There are different events available for 3

4 different pools. When events occur, their details will be found under the ODP tab on the NTX Soccer website, US Youth Soccer is divided into four regions, each of which offers Regional Trials for state association teams in each eligible age group. North Texas is in Region III, along with South Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. Regional Trials are held during the summer and are designed to provide development, high-level competition, and training for participating players. During the trials, players who perform at the highest level of play are identified for possible regional and/or national team pool or team participation. 4

5 North Texas state teams participate in Region III Summer Trials every summer. The specific dates of the Region III Summer Trials vary each year and are based on the age of the teams; they are held in late June and July of each year. Region III Summer Trials for boys are held on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; girls are held on the University of Montevallo campus in Montevallo, Alabama. North Texas state team rosters are selected by our coaches. Traditionally, we send teams from all of our pools except for the youngest pool to Region III Summer Trials. Each year, all players, boys and girls, in our youngest pool are invited to attend Developmental Camp. Developmental Camp for boys is hosted by the North Texas State Soccer Association and is held on the Letourneau University campus in Longview, Texas. Developmental Camp for girls is hosted by the Oklahoma State Soccer Association and is held on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma. THE SPORT SOURCE The Sport Source is an official educational partner of North Texas State Soccer Association. In partnership, NTX ODP players who are in high school receive FREE access to The Sport Source E-College Planning Lab giving them instant and immediate access to a network of more than 2,500 collegiate soccer coaches covering NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, NCCAA and NJCAA representing 5,800 colleges and universities across the United States. EXOS ATHLETES PERFORMANCE EXOS Athletes Performance is an official partner of our North Texas Soccer Olympic Development Program (NTX ODP). The partnership celebrates the collaborative effort in strengthening the NTX ODP s mission to promote positive, competitive and inspiring learning environments that are unique and conducive to the enhanced development of both players and coaches ultimately equipping all athletes with the mental and physical confidence to one day compete within the National Team and International arenas. NTX ODP Frequently Asked Questions: TRYOUTS My child is in NTX ODP. Does he/she have to go through the NTX ODP Open Tryouts again? No; once a player makes the NTX ODP Player Pool, they will be invited to continue their participation the following year. As long as players remain in good standing by maintaining a current registration, their payments, and continuing their participation in their pool, they will continue to be invited back year after year without being subject to further tryouts. However, 98 Boys and Girls have "Aged Out" of NTX ODP 5

6 beginning September 1, Therefore, they are no longer eligible to continue playing for NTX ODP. All other NTX ODP players in "Good Standing" do NOT go through the NTX ODP Open Tryouts again. My child was in NTX ODP, but took a year off. Does he/she have to go through Open Tryouts again? Yes; if there is a lapse in registration/participation in NTX ODP, players must go through NTX ODP Open Tryouts again to re-enter into NTX ODP. My child was in ODP in a different state association. Does he/she have to go through NTX ODP Open Tryouts? Yes; NTX ODP does not have a transfer policy between states. Therefore, all players are subject to open tryouts when moving to a new state association. When are NTX ODP Open Tryouts? NTX ODP Open tryouts take place annually. Tryouts are announced in The Pitch. We highly recommend interested participants who missed Open Tryouts to subscribe to The Pitch. It is a monthly newsletter from NTSSA provided free of charge. You can register for The Pitch at Tryouts information is also announced under the ODP tab on the NTX Soccer website at Twitter, & via blasts through GotSoccer as available. 2016/2017 NTX ODP Open Tryouts for the Boys and Girls '04 - '00 pools will be held on Sunday, August 7 and Sunday, August 14, 2016 at High Point Park, Plano, TX. 2016/2017 NTX ODP Open Tryouts for the Boys and Girls '06 - '05 pools will be held on Sunday, August 21, Sunday, August 28 and Sunday, September 11, 2016 at Location TBD. *If nothing is posted, tryouts dates/schedules are pending field availability, and are not yet available. How is player eligibility determined? Eligibility for NTX ODP is determined by the player s birth date, not their soccer year (i.e. a child born in 2000 is an 00 in NTX ODP); NTX ODP goes by calendar year, not school year. Therefore, for the 2016/2017 seasons, a child born in the year 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, and 2000 is eligible to participate in NTX ODP. A child born in 2007 or younger is not eligible to try out for the 2016/2017 seasons. Players born in 1999 or older are considered to be aged out. Therefore, they are no longer eligible to participate in NTX ODP. My child is a year too young for tryouts, but is an exceptional soccer player for his/her age. Can he/she register to attend the tryouts? NTX ODP s first, and foremost, concern is to ensure the safety of every player anytime they are on the pitch. Though NTX ODP player eligibility is based upon age purity (calendar year in which the player was born), we recognize there are some exceptionally talented players who play up. As a result, NTX ODP will consider allowing younger players to try out only under the following provisions: The player s parents, coach, and club DOC must understand that the player may be a full two years younger than our youngest ODP age group. There will be vast differences in the physical and mental development of the players. The club coach and club DOC will discuss the player in question. The DOC must feel that the player is developmentally capable, and able, to compete mentally, physically, emotionally, technically, and tactically with players who are one-two years older without a high risk of undue harm or injury. 6

7 The club DOC may then contact Gary Williamson, NTSSA DOC, to confirm that the club DOC believes that the player should be allowed to participate in NTX ODP tryouts on an exception basis. The player may, or may not, receive approval to register for tryouts. The decision will be made by Gary Williamson based on the referral received. My child plays on a Club or Rec Soccer team. Can he/she still participate in NTX ODP? If so, how many games will he/she play? NTX ODP is different from the regular soccer players and parents are used to. It is a developmental program. This means players receive a training schedule, not a game schedule. The only time players compete in games is if they are selected, and register, to participate in events NTX ODP attends, Region III Summer Trials or Developmental Camp. Therefore, since NTX ODP is a developmental program intended to enhance a player s performance whether they play Club, or Rec Soccer, they may play both. *The only exception to this rule is for boys who play on a US Soccer Developmental Academy team. Their contractual agreements forbid players to play ODP, high school soccer, or any other soccer besides US Soccer Developmental Academy. *A player release form is not necessary from the player s Club team to participate in NTX ODP. My child plays ECNL or US Club Pre-Academy. Can he/she still try out and participate in NTX ODP? Yes; players may play both NTX ODP and ECNL or US Club Pre-Academy, and are encouraged/welcomed to do so. To play both, players must complete a dual registration US Youth Soccer Association to be eligible. To register with US Youth Soccer Association, players go to their NTSSA Home Association (complete list of NTSSA Home Associations may be found at and register as a Non-Rostered player. My child does not play Club or Rec soccer. Can he/she still try out and participate in NTX ODP? Yes; all they have to do is register with US Youth Soccer Association as a Non-Rostered player. To register as a Non-Rostered player with US Youth Soccer Association, players go to their NTSSA Home Association (complete list of NTSSA Home Associations may be found at What does the Tryouts Fee include? For players born in 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, or 2000 the tryouts will be over two days, with one two-hour session on each day. The registration fee covers attendance at both tryout sessions, and will not be discounted if a player only attends one session. It is possible players may have conflicting commitments, and may not be able to participate in both tryout sessions. As a result, it is NOT mandatory to attend all tryout dates. However, players are HIGHLY encouraged to attend as many of the dates as possible to ensure the best possible evaluation(s) for acceptance to NTX ODP. Players should attend the dates in which they are available whenever possible. The coaches will evaluate the players during the sessions in which they do participate. For players born in 2006 or 2005, the tryouts will be over three days, with one three-hour session on each day. The registration fee covers attendance at all tryout sessions and will not be discounted if a player attends less than three sessions. It is possible players may have conflicting commitments, and may not be able to participate in all tryout sessions. As a result, it is NOT mandatory to attend all tryout dates. However, players are HIGHLY encouraged to attend as many of the dates as possible to ensure the best possible evaluation(s) for acceptance to NTX ODP. Players should attend the dates in which they are available whenever possible. The coaches will 7

8 evaluate the players during the sessions in which they do participate. My child cannot make it to one of the tryout dates, may run late, or may need to leave early. Is this okay? We encourage players to attend all tryout sessions available if possible, but their Club/Rec team takes priority over ODP. It is better for a player to arrive late, than not at all. Players may leave early if necessary. The more exposure they can get to the coaches during the tryouts process, the better. How many players will be selected to NTX ODP from Open Tryouts? There is not a specified number (no min/max) of players accepted to the Player Pools. Pool Players will be selected based on evaluation of performance and ability, in addition to attitude and behavior during tryouts. Players are evaluated by multiple coaches for NTX ODP selection. EVERY player in attendance has the same opportunity to be selected to NTX ODP as the player standing next to them. It is truly up to each individual player as to whether, or not, they will be accepted to the program. How will my child know if he/she has been selected for NTX ODP from Open Tryouts? 5-10 business days after the last tryout session, each player will receive a Letter of Notification via notifying them about the outcome of the tryouts. Please ensure that your contact information is accurate when you complete your registration. If you have not received an after 10 business days, please Shawn Morgan, NTSSA ODP Administrator, at shawn@ntxsoccer.org. The letter may have gone to a spam folder. We will re- the letter. Tryouts results will NOT be given over the phone. WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER A PLAYER IS SELECTED TO NTX ODP When do I need to register my NTX ODP child for the next year s season? Due to the NTSSA fiscal year not ending until August 31st, registration for the next year s season may not occur before September 1st. Therefore, all NTX ODP players in "Good Standing" will receive their invitation the first week of September, asking them to register. *NTX ODP players will receive an annually with the registration link to the NTX ODP Player Pool from the NTSSA ODP Administrator, Shawn Morgan shawn@ntxsoccer.org. NTX ODP Player Pool registration begins in September of each year the player participates in NTX ODP. *PLEASE REMEMBER: NTX ODP is a select program. NTX ODP players and parents will NOT find the NTX ODP registration link anywhere, but in the invitation they receive from the NTX ODP office. The link will NOT be found in GotSoccer. PLEASE do NOT forward your to anyone. If someone in NTX ODP says they did not receive the , PLEASE ask them to contact Shawn Morgan shawn@ntxsoccer.org via . What is the cost for the NTX ODP Player Pool? The 2016/2017 Pool Fee is $360 for the entire year (backpack, uniforms, and socks sold separately). The 2017/2018 Pool Fee has not yet been determined. Players may pay in full at the time of registration, or they may select to pay in 3 easy payments. If the payment schedule is selected, payments will be automatically charged once a month to the credit/debit card used during registration until the fee is paid in full. If a new credit/debit card is issued before the payments are completed, parents may log in to the player s GotSoccer profile and update the card online, or parents may contact the NTX Soccer ODP Administrator, Shawn Morgan, to update the info over the phone. *Selected teams will be formed to attend Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials in the summer. All Pool Fees must be paid in full in order to participate in NTX ODP, and to be eligible for 8

9 selection to NTX ODP events. More information about the Region III Summer Trials becomes available after the selection process late spring. My child was born in Will he/she continue to train with the 2005 birth players? A: No; the 2004 birth year players will break away from the 2005 birth year players. "True" 2004 birth year NTX ODP pools will be formed for training and camps beginning with the 2016/2017 soccer year. My child was born in Will he/she train with the 2005 birth year players this year? Yes; the 2006 & 2005 birth year NTX ODP players will train in a combined pool for the 2016/2017 soccer year. In September of 2016, the 2004 birth year players will break away into their own pool in the same way the 2003 birth year NTX ODP players did in the fall of I did not receive my invitation . Is there anything wrong I should be aware of? The following are a few possible reasons players may not have received an sent: The player may no longer be "Age Eligible" to participate in NTX ODP (i.e. 98 Boys and Girls). The player may not be in "Good Standing" with payments. If a player registered for an event, and still has not paid the event in full, they will not receive the of invitation until their account is paid in full, and they are back in "Good Standing". Some servers block GotSoccer as SPAM. When we questioned GotSoccer about it recently, below was the response we received from them. "This is a common problem we handle fairly regularly. Different ISPs have different policies and automated systems that will block if too many messages are sent in to short a time frame. Because so many different states and clubs use bulk messaging functions for various things at different times, inevitably an ISP will block us from time to time. We had blocks from Comcast today (currently being resolved) and error messages reported from a few other ISPs. We're checking our logs to look for patterns and any resolvable issues with the other ISPs. Some will remove the block automatically after a few hours or a day. Each has their own rules and method. Regarding tx.rr.com< and aol.com< these are both reporting that we have been temporarily throttled due to the volume of s in the past 24 hours. However Yahoo.com< is responding with an internal server error as follows: internal error reading data. We are researching the issue and it appears this is a temporary technical problem with the Yahoo mail servers. We'll keep an eye on it and see if they get this resolved soon. If not, we'll contact them for more information." As a result, we encourage NTX ODP families to have multiple s in their GotSoccer player profiles. That way if one fails, one, or the other, of the other s will be received. We also suggest having at least one Gmail account. So far, we have not had a complaint from a family with a Gmail account in their GotSoccer player profile. *Continued disregard for unpaid NTX ODP balances will be submitted to the NTSSA Executive Board for disciplinary action which may include player suspension from all soccer activities within the Federation. My son/daughter is out on injury (i.e. torn ACL, broken arm/leg/clavicle, etc.). How do I register him/her to make sure they are not dropped from NTX ODP until released by their doctor? Please Shawn Morgan shawn@ntxsoccer.org with a copy of the player's doctor's documentation for auditing purposes. Then, at your earliest convenience, please call either Shawn when you are at a computer. They will assist you with registration at no charge via telephone. Once the player is released by the player's doctor, please them a copy of the release. They will pro-rate the program fee based on the number of sessions left for the year. 9

10 When will the fall and spring NTX ODP training schedules be available? NTSSA does not own its own soccer fields; NTX ODP rents fields for training from the local Parks and Recreation Departments. Though the field requests are submitted to them long in advance, they are unable to provide us with the fall or spring field schedules until they have scheduled everyone else (i.e. leagues, rec programs, tournaments, etc. for both youth and adult soccer). As a result, we typically do not receive our fall field schedules until late September - early October, and spring field schedules until late January - early February. Once we learn of the dates, sizes, and number of fields we are granted, we form our training schedules. We typically try to schedule at least one date on the last Sunday of September for fall if possible, and the first or second Sunday of February for spring if possible. We appreciate your patience, as we are stagnant until we receive our field assignments, and cannot release the schedules until we do. *Key to remember: if you have not received an from us with information (i.e. training schedules, make up dates for rainouts, etc.), AND you do not see it on our website either, then we don't have the information yet. We post information on our website, and follow it up with an as soon as the information is available. Once a player makes the ODP program, what is the time commitment? Players selected to NTX ODP, will be invited every fall to register in the Player Pool and train with their age/gender group. We schedule 10 2-hour training sessions per year on Sundays; 5 in the fall, 5 in the spring. We, like all others, are subject to cancellations due to inclement weather and/or tournaments receiving priority over our field reservations. Make-up trainings due to unforeseen cancellations are subject to field availability. Five trainings per season are not guaranteed due to possible field cancellations beyond our control. The parks and recreation departments control the cancellations, not our office. My child cannot make it to one of the training dates, may run late, or may need to leave early. Is this okay? We encourage players to attend all training sessions available if possible, but their Club/Rec team takes priority over ODP. It is better for a player to arrive late, than not at all. Players may leave early if necessary. *Players are required to attend a minimum of 40% of trainings held per year for active participation to be eligible for ODP events, camps, and summer trials selection. However, lower than 40% of attendance at trainings will not cause a player to be removed from the program; he/she will be invited back the following year regardless of attendance. Do we travel to tournaments? Selected teams will only travel to events NTX ODP attends, Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials. Occasionally, NTX ODP is invited to travel and compete in Friendlies with other State ODP Programs (i.e. North Carolina, Cal-South, South Texas, Oklahoma, etc.). Sub-Regional Friendly Competitions are attended by teams consisting of selected players. NTX ODP hosts a Sub-Regional Friendly Competition at the end of the spring season (annual date TBD) that, if selected to Developmental Camps or Region III Summer Trials, players will compete against available teams from Region III (i.e. OK, LA, MS, etc.). Every player selected to attend ODP Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials in Alabama will be invited to attend the Sub- Regional Competition. *Exceptions to the rule: if the event conflicts with a camp, the camp participants will not be included due to unavailability, or if a camp/summer trials player is unavailable to attend the event due to a scheduling 10

11 conflict, an alternate in their position from the NTX ODP Player Pool will be invited to participate at the event in their place for the Sub-Regional event ONLY. *There are NO negative consequences to any NTX ODP player for declining an invitation to ANY ODP event, including Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials, except for the Player Pool. If a player opts out of the Player Pool, they must undergo tryouts the following year to be readmitted to the program (as seen above). *Our office generally handles ALL travel arrangements for players when traveling to out of state ODP events which require travel by air (i.e. North Carolina, Cal-South, etc.). However, for some events (i.e. Developmental Camp, Region III Summer Trial, South Texas Sub-Regional, etc.) transportation is the responsibility of the player. Depending on the airline contractual agreement, we often offer parents the choice of allowing their child to fly with their family to the event, instead of flying with the team to allow parents the opportunity to utilize their air miles. However, if NTX ODP flies players to an event mandating travel as a team, they will be required to fly with the team. Air miles may not be used in this situation. If the out of state event is nearby (i.e. South Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, etc.), we require families to provide transportation, hotel, and meal accommodations for their player(s) for the event. Are the players assigned to a team, or teams, based upon their skill level? ODP players belong to a Player Pool, not a team. The only time teams are formed is if we travel to ODP Friendlies/Events, Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials during the year. Players are selected for ODP events, including Region III Summer Trials, based on good standing status and ranking in their Player Pool, in addition to player availability, by their head coach according to their ranking in the pool from the training session evaluations in which they attended. Does ODP take into account the players' team schedule when scheduling the training sessions? We do our best to schedule with as few conflicts as possible for the majority of the Player Pools. However, with the multiple leagues/soccer programs in North Texas, and limited field & coaching availability in DFW, this is not always possible. Should a player find themselves in jeopardy of losing their good standing status due to conflicts, please contact NTSSA ODP Administrator, Shawn Morgan shawn@ntxsoccer.org, to discuss alternative options. When and where are trainings held? Trainings are scheduled in the DFW Metro area on Sundays. The time and location depends on the field and coaching staff availability. Trainings may be scheduled in the morning, afternoon, or evening. We make every effort to schedule sessions after 12:00 pm when possible. How do we know if a practice has been changed or cancelled? To view the NTX ODP inclement weather policy, please go to the following link: ODP DEVELOPMENTAL CAMPS AND REGION III SUMMER TRIALS CAMPS When is ODP Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials? Beginning 2017, North Texas & South Texas youngest two age groups attend ODP Developmental Camp together on campus at Texas A&M in College Station. Players are housed in the university dormitories. Date: annually in June *EVERY NTX ODP Pool Player from the youngest player pools will receive an invitation to the Developmental Camps. 11

12 Once age eligible, selected NTX ODP Pool Players attend Region III Summer Trials in Alabama. They may travel by bus, or plane, depending on transportation costs; the boys attend in Tuscaloosa, and the girls attend in Montevallo. While attending the Region III Summer Trials in Alabama, players are evaluated in the same way our NTX ODP Open Tryouts are conducted for possible selection to the Region III ODP Pool for their age/gender. *All accommodations regarding travel, food, and lodging for camps and summer trials are made by NTSSA, and cost is covered by the event fee. How much does Developmental Camp or Region III Summer Trials cost? The camp/summer trials fee schedule for 2016 is/was as follows: '05/ 04 Girls Developmental Day Camp in Plano, TX was $290 '05/ 04 Boys Developmental Day Camp in Plano, TX was $ Girls Region III Summer Trials Residential Camp in Montevallo, AL was $ Boys Region III Summer Trials Residential Camp in Tuscaloosa, AL was $975 *Camp/summer trials fees are subject to change from one year to the next depending on the costs factored in the event. Developmental Camps & Region III Summer Trials Dates: June - July TBA Is there any type of financial aid or fundraising available? There are a limited number of PARTIAL scholarships available for Region III Summer Trials Residential Camp fees ONLY. Scholarships are given on a financial need only basis. Application forms are available through the North Texas Office at camp/summer trials time only. Donations are another great way for players to raise funds to help pay for ODP events, Developmental Camps, and Region III Summer Trials. Please contact the NTSSA office for a document to supply donors for income tax purposes. Which and how many teams go to Region III Summer Trials or Developmental Camps? Below is a team chart of the 2016/2017 ODP year: Boys # of Teams Location of Camp Camp Type Team of 18 Players University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL Region III Trials Team of 18 Players University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL Region III Trials Team of 18 Players University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL Region III Trials Teams of 18 Players University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL Region III Trials Teams of 18 Players University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL Region III Trials 2005/ Teams of 18 Players High Point Park Plano, TX Developmental Girls # of Teams Location of Camp Camp Type Team of 18 Players University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL Region III Trials Team of 18 Players University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL Region III Trials Team of 18 Players University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL Region III Trials Teams of 18 Players University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL Region III Trials 12

13 Teams of 18 Players University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL Region III Trials 2005/ Teams of 18 Players High Point Park Plano, TX Developmental *NOTE: The above number of teams and players is subject to change. NTX ODP Contact Information Who do we contact if we have questions? Please first contact your Team Administrator regarding question(s) about upcoming ODP events your child has been invited to attend. If they do not know the answer to your question(s), they will either seek it out on your behalf, or refer you to the NTX Soccer office. A full list of team administrators may be found on the NTX Soccer website under the ODP drop down menu Team Administrators are volunteer parents with regular full-time jobs. They graciously volunteer countless hours to NTX ODP to help ensure success to the program. Please be patient to allow them time to respond, often after hours from home. They can best answer questions specific to their pool. Please your interest to Shawn Morgan shawn@ntxsoccer.org if you are interested in learning more about volunteering to become an NTX ODP Team Administrator. Shawn Morgan (Ext. 107) shawn@ntxsoccer.org, NTSSA ODP Administrator, is the best contact regarding the administrative/clerical portions of the program and may be reached at Gary Williamson (Ext. 105) gary@ntxsoccer.org, NTSSA Director of Coaching and Player Development, is the best contact regarding field related questions and concerns of the program. He, too, may be reached at Last Updated: July