Welcome to ODP! The fall 2015 US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program begins this weekend and I would like to take a few minutes to outline the structure and goals of the program and explain the significant changes to the annual process. What is ODP? There are three levels of motivation for players to participate in ODP. 1. The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program was founded in 1977 as a filter system for the US Youth National Teams. The connection to US Soccer is still very much intact for the top-level girls, but has diminished significantly for the top-level boys following the arrival of the US Soccer Development Academy in 2007. ODP is structured to filter players from the local district; to the state level; to the regional level; and, finally, to the US Soccer Youth National Teams. Ohio North selects players for advancement to the Regional level through the ODP Select program, which is by invitation-only. These selections are named in late winter. 2. Over time, ODP has become more important to players as a component of the college recruiting process. While more significant to girls with Division I potential, participating in ODP still signifies a level of commitment to selfimprovement that all college coaches value. Of note, most college players were never selected to participate on Regional ODP or US National Youth Teams. ODP State Team does have significance on a resume. 3. Finally, ODP is an opportunity for players to work with some very experienced and capable coaches who provide a developmental experience shaped by US Soccer s vision of constructive soccer. Objectives There are four basic program objectives for the fall season. 1. TRAIN To conduct relevant and productive training sessions for all non-hs ages. For more specific curriculum information, please see Training Expectations below. For those who may be interested in the value of training vs games, please read the article posted at http://www.ohionorthsoccer.org/assets/966/15/ball%20contacts%20practices%20 vs%20games%202013.pdf
2. ASSESS a. To assess all players for advancement to the ODP-Select process. Pools of 10-15 players per age group will be selected for the winter ODP Select training. b. To assess players in the 2004 and 2003 ages for selection to the winter state team process. c. Ohio North will select one boy s state team and one girl s state team to the Continental Cup in the 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001 age groups and up to two teams in the 2005 age groups. d. There is no fall season selection process for 2002 players, as the majority of these players are in high school. This age group is training only. e. The 2005 birth year is a developmental age group and no players are cut. 3. PROVIDE FEEDBACK To provide electronic evaluations to every player who attends a minimum of three training sessions at the same training center. 4. INTERNATIONAL TOUR To recruit players for the March international trip to Europe (Berlin, Prague, Budapest). Information on this trip will be e-mailed next week and the teams will be named in December. The web site link for ODP- International information will be active next week. Locations The addresses for the training locations are posted at the following Ohio North link: http://www.ohionorthsoccer.org/assets/966/15/fall%202015%20training%20schedule.p df. Please note the location for the ODP Select training in Strongsville is Darice Fields, not Prandi Park. ODP Communication and Ohio North Website Information about the fall ODP program is posted in the ODP section of the Ohio North website: http://www.ohionorthsoccer.org/programs/odp/ You will also receive direct e-mails with time-sensitive information, so please ensure the e-mail addresses submitted during registration are checked on a regular basis.
ODP Training Uniform Players should wear their WHITE Score uniforms for practice, with black shorts and white socks. Returning players should wear their Score uniforms from 2014-15, while players new to ODP will receive their uniforms at the first practice. Players should dress players appropriately for cold or wet weather, with the ODP uniform as the top layer of clothing. Arrival Time and Warm-up Please have your son or daughter on site 15 minutes prior to practice to check-in and begin their individual warm up. Please remind players that shooting at goal is not warming up! Inflated Soccer Balls Under-inflated soccer balls are one of the key reasons why our young players have poor technique and struggle to strike the ball with pace and power. If you could please have your son or daughter routinely carry a hand pump in their soccer bags, it would be much appreciated. Training Expectations You will see three basic elements at an ODP training session: 1) Individual Technical Development, such as ball control or striking; 2) Conceptual Games, such as 4v4+1 to two small goals; and 3) Positional Games, such as 8v8 to two large goals with offside lines. A minimum of 45 minutes of each training session will typically be spent in larger number games. The training themes for the season are as follow. Week # Coaching Headline Vision / Body Preparation 1 1 st Touch / General Speed of Play 2 Back Third to Middle Third 3 Middle Third to Front Third 4 Playing in the Attacking Half 5 Defending as a Block 6 Final Assessments (~8v8 11v11)
Perpetual Development Issues There are some basic issues that ODP coaches address with virtually every group, every year. 1 st Touch. When the ball arrives, a player who has looked around to see where to go next, and prepared their body shape accordingly, will play with fewer touches and give the ball away less often. Think how difficult it would be to drive without using the mirrors! Rhythm. The most open player on the field is generally the goalkeeper; when the ball is on one side of the field, the opposite-side fullback is generally the next most open player. When players appreciate that they can turn backwards or sideways to keep the ball in their team, and that aimlessly kicking the ball forward only results in more defending, they have started to appreciate that the game is not always Fast, Furious and Forward. Moving the ball quickly is important, but not necessarily in a forward direction. Positional Awareness. There is a coaching theory that suggests tactical awareness is the product of technical development and therefore training sessions should be dominated by repetitive technical drills. The problem with this theory is that it is contradicted by the many countries with a play-based mentality who invariably produce more skillful players. While it is a fact that players with better touch are going to gravitate to the higher levels, it is also true that the players who can recognize the game s tactical cues will play faster. Positional training is critical to developing an understanding of how the game works. and familiarity leads to quicker decisions and faster ball circulation. Player Evaluations It is a goal of the ODP program to provide each player who attends a minimum of three training sessions at the same venue with an electronic evaluation. The evaluation includes some player-specific comments and also a general developmental road map for young soccer players. Attendance ODP attendance is not mandatory, but advance notification of absences is appreciated. Please e-mail btelmanik@ohionorthsoccer.org. Making up missed sessions at different district locations to qualify for a written evaluation (3 sessions) is not possible; however, requests to train at other sites will be assessed on the basis of anticipated coach-to-player ratios.
Weather Issues If an ODP session is cancelled, notification will be sent via e-mail. Please do not call the Ohio North office. Regional Showcase The traditional end to the annual ODP cycle has been the state team s participation in the ODP Regional Showcase in Illinois, which was attended by the 14 Midwestern states. This event has been eliminated for 2016 and replaced with an invitation-only process for regional-level players. Ohio North will advance between zero and six players to the Regional Identification Camp via the ODP Select process. Regional Quality Players On a year-to-year basis, Ohio North has placed between zero and six players per age group on the Region II ODP pools. Of these 20-30 players, perhaps half are invited to participate as a member of a regional team. Continental Cup The Continental Cup, held over the July 4 th weekend, will be the concluding event for the state teams in 2017. Ohio North will field teams in the 2005, 2004, 2003, and potentially 2002 age groups. The Continental Cup is local, inexpensive, and has been well received by ODP families over the past three years. Questions Should you have any questions, my e-mail is coaching@ohionorthsoccer.org and the Ohio North office number is (440) 526-9020. Bernie Telmanik can be reached at btelmanik@ohionorthsoccer.org; her office extension is 202. Good luck this fall and I look forward to meeting many of you along the way. Tom Turner Thomas W. Turner, Ph.D., Ohio Youth Soccer Association North Director of Coaching and Player Development