Just came back from 94' ODP region IV boys camp and thought I would share observations and pose some questions with BigSoccer fans. First the region pool has been selected. No big surprise, CA placed 68% of the region selections. The State breakdowns are as follows: 26- CA 3- OR 3- NV 1- AZ 1- WA 1- UT 1- AK 1- ID 1- NM 0- CO, WY, MT, HI 38 California teams played as strong as ever. Their intensity and anticipation of play was much more developed than most other States. I wonder how much of this comes from the competition that exists there? My questions are: 1) How has the ODP selection process changed since the emergence of the Development Academies? 2) Is the talent identifying process by ODP better today than yesteryear? 3) What changes, if any, do you foresee or would recommend ODP make in the future? Anyone's thoughts and analysis would be greatly appreciated.
Region III ODP for the 94 boys started yesterday. From all appearances, the Academies have gutted the Texas '94 ODP teams (don't know about the other states yet). In its first two games yesterday and today, Tennessee's 94 team beat NTX 4-0 and STX 3-0. One of the parents from NTX said they lost 8 players to the Academy, another parent claimed it was 11. Will be curious to see how things go against FL and NC tomorrow and Saturday. Tennessee placed six players in the first night's pool games. Needless to say, that's atypical, but our boys are loving it. Tennessee doesn't have an Academy team. In the past, our players have been overshadowed by players from the powerhouses in the region. Any guesses on how this will shake out at the next level? Will the regional ODP teams compete against Academy teams? Will ODP get phased out altogether?
I don't understand how the Academies have gutted the Texas ODP teams, since there were no Academy teams in Texas this year. Even if there were, the Academy teams would only involve kids from the 92 age group on up (even if there are some stellar 94s, I can't imagine that there would be so many who would qualify that it would impact a Texas ODP team). These Texas kids must have been eligible, so did they just choose not to do ODP, knowing that they would eventually be on an Academy team in the future?
I only know what I was told, but I assumed that the 94s (as rising U15s) would be eligible for the U16 Academy team this year and chose to pass (or were instructed to do so by their coaches) on ODP since they would not be able to play going forward anyway.