# I would love to get some honest feedback on Cal South Pro+



## StrikerOC (Mar 12, 2019)

I have heard mixed reviews. I was told normally kids going into the academy don't participate in it but since the current crop of '08 boys will have to wait for the academy some coaches are telling them to participate. Any honest feedback is appreciated 

https://www.calsouth.com/en/proplus-faq/


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## Dargle (Mar 13, 2019)

StrikerOC said:


> I have heard mixed reviews. I was told normally kids going into the academy don't participate in it but since the current crop of '08 boys will have to wait for the academy some coaches are telling them to participate. Any honest feedback is appreciated
> 
> https://www.calsouth.com/en/proplus-faq/


USSDA prohibits players from doing DA and other programs, such as regular club, high school soccer, and ODP. So, that's why they don't participate.

In the absence of that, though, if your child is selected for the player pool, there are benefits of participating.  The tryouts in the pool primarily involve scrimmaging, rather than training or skills development, but it does allow your kid to test him or herself against other strong kids, to listen to different coaches (some of whom are college coaches), to play different positions (they often have way more center midfielders than they could pick for that position, so some of those kids may play elsewhere, including at defense), and to meet kids from anywhere from San Diego to San Luis Obisbo.  It costs about $100-150 to do the tryouts, which isn't bad compared to a weekend camp.  If you have to travel very far and incur hotel costs, the balance may tip against. If you make it past the first weekend, the benefits start to more easily outweigh the costs, especially if you get invited to the summer training camp in Ojai.  You have to pay another $150, but for a residential camp that charges $650 to the regular public and this training camp is during period in which only ODP kids attend, so competition is good.  They do have US scouts in attendance, but it's not really worth it for that.  It's mostly just a cheaper camp where the training is somewhat better and kids have to pay at a faster pace etc than they would at an all-comers camp.  The 2008 age group probably only gets selected for the Winter pool and then nothing because I don't think they take those kids to travel to Phoenix for the West Region championships.  If you do get to do that, though, the benefits are pretty clear.  It's another $150 for a an otherwise all expenses trip to play in a tournament against different state ODP programs.  Cool experience and you start to get some visibility in doing it, although it's still more about the experience.

The mixed reviews from other states is usually because they charge far more than Cal South.  The mixed reviews in Cal South are usually from players who don't make it very far in the tryout process.  If you go all the way to Phoenix, it's a good experience, both soccer and otherwise.  It's not the day-in, day-out training of a DA club, but it's a nice complement to your regular club for kids who either don't want to do DA or don't have the opportunity because they aren't selected ro because they live too far away from the nearest DA and don't have parents who can get them there.


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## espola (Mar 13, 2019)

I sent my boys to "ODP Camp" one year in the San Diego session.  Other than the coaches, I didn't see much about it that was different from the programs offered by our local club.

The actual ODP teams were really the cream of the crop at that time (2006-9).  Often I would see my son in his UC Davis games talking with a player from the opposing team.  When I asked him about it later, the usual answer was "I knew him from the ODP team".


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## Not_that_Serious (Mar 13, 2019)

ODP is like being on the All-Star team of top flight club soccer teams in So Cal. Even if you don't go to camps and your team goes to National Cup or Presidents Cup, coaches have probably already seen your team/child. Camps are better in that they can be seen and might stand out more individually - the kid can be on a bad team that doesnt highlight his talent often. 

ODP is access to added training - even if the player doesn't make the final team but is in the age group pool. As mentioned it can help them be seen by college coaches as well, and something kids can put on the application when looking to play in college - given that is something they want to pursue. The cost is almost nothing compared to other states. Kids can play at their local club, play ODP, and play HS. My son trains with one U-17 National Team player and another who is in the pool, both went through ODP. The pool player transitioned to DA after a following out with HS coach - doesn't plan to attend college. I find the system to be more merit-based than most of the non-MLS DA programs in operation to make $$$$. 

Just another avenue a player/parent can utilize.  Just depends on the goal. If your child is approached, doesnt hurt to get them training with other talented kids. Good experience and might make new friends from areas they may never travel through.


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