You are correct, but this year for this age group alone I don't believe coaches were asked. I can at least attest to ours not talking to anyone from ODP and we had 7 girls chosen.
2006 - ODP Player Pool
- Thread starter Technician72
- Start date
BeepBeep Boop
SILVER ELITE
Online there's always someone more than willing to tell you why you, your kid, and/or your team sucks. There are plenty of those people here. They're the same people who go troll the U-9 and U-10 forums and tell the parents to not get their hopes up or be excited because their kid is going to suck once they hit puberty.
soccerchaffeur
SILVER
They've killed the U10 forum. Bitter know-it-alls
We need to show some of the newbies how to effectively use the “IGNORE” button!
Newbies ask for advice. Would you prefer the advice from a clueless parent or one that has been in your shoes multiple times with multiple kids?
Look, ODP used to be a true all-star team that included kids who could compete with the national team kids, especially in so cal. It was a feather in your kid's cap to be selected. But the last 2-3 years it's really become a joke. Political nominations, ECNL kids opting out, parents getting wise to the ruse, and finally the nail in the coffin: with the DA, 90% of the top kids cannot participate. Remind me what the "O" stands for again?
It is what it is. Just take it with a grain of salt when they invite 100 "top" kids to an ID camp to scrimmage for 5 hours straight after they pump you up telling you that this is where your kid's journey to the National Team begins.
BeepBeep Boop
SILVER ELITE
I know we're talking about ODP here, but I have more a problem with the bitter and jaded parents here that want to pee in everyone's corn flakes because their kid didn't progress the way they expected. There is a difference between, "This was my experience, take it for what it's worth," and "Don't get excited because your kid is going to suck once she turns 14 and the Flight 2/Silver girls catch up to her (*because this is what happened to my daughter and I'm bitter about it so I want to make everyone else feel miserable*)."
As far as ODP goes, I don't even care about the sales job they try to put on you. I prefer to think of the positives, such as:
- Having the opportunity to play under a different coach/philosophy
- Having the opportunity to play with skilled players from across SoCal
- Being recognized as a good player (there were plenty of good players in Ventura). This can change how a player perceives themselves and how they approach the game/training.
How often do the odp team practice together?
Never? It's a joke.
BeepBeep Boop
SILVER ELITE
Negative Nancy.
It's nice that your kid made odp, but this can work the other way too. I've known people for whom this experience has led them to abandon soccer altogether and they were good players. Take it with a grain of salt. Especially at 2006-- what is that? U12??
All the ID processes happen too young in this sport. It can be discouraging for promising kids. As bad as it is for the kids, it's worse for the sport. I'd say this is one of the main reasons why a lot of great athletes abandon this sport in favor of others. It's one of the main reasons I feel soccer will never be particularly successful in this country where there are a lot of sports choices for talented kids.
BeepBeep Boop
SILVER ELITE
> I've known people for whom this experience has led them to abandon soccer altogether and they were good players.
I'm interested in hearing your story(ies).
. . . .and CSL, DPL, SCDSL. I can comfortably say that up to the 2004 (and most likely 2003) age groups, the next best players are spread out over these three leagues AND ECNL. None of these leagues have a lock on the next level talent after DA. The top teams from all these leagues are very evenly matched. Not attacking you, just pointing out for the youngers that if you're not DA you don't HAVE to be ECNL.
Lambchop
GOLD
Up through this year it doesn't matter what league the U littles (2005's and younger) play for.
Has anyone heard anymore regarding the ODP schedule for Dec or even next year? I haven't heard anything since the last time it was discusssd on this forum. Thank you.
SOCCERMINION
SILVER ELITE
Here you go. And Don't Listen to the Haters. If you want to know About ODP talk to the Parents who's kids have being through the process and made the team.
Lambchop
GOLD
In previous years you had the best players so it won't be quite the same. However, it will be a good experience for the players but the top players who play DA won't be able to be a part of ODP so the players will be playing with and against players who aren't as skilled. For the Ulittles there is no DA so you might have the most skilled players to play with and against.
silverback
SILVER
This is the 06 thread...no DA... so...
BeepBeep Boop
SILVER ELITE
If there's no 2006 event in AZ then why are they having the 2006s come out?
Plus, 05s aren't playing DA until next season, so they all should be there.
Plus, 05s aren't playing DA until next season, so they all should be there.
... except for the 05s playing up on DA teams...
silverback
SILVER
My take is from the beginning they have been very non committal in terms of a specific event for the 06s since this is the first time this age group has participated. They have mentioned several times an event in Arizona later in the spring if I recall correctly. But again nothing concrete. My guess is they are combining the 05s and 06s for training but still plan on making two separate teams, with 06 event and travel still up in the air. I definitely could be wrong.
Steve Hoffman originally told the boys groups that an 06 team would go to Arizona in January and play up in the 05 group (since other states don't start at 06). At the training camp in Summer, though, he told parents that this wasn't possible and so the 06 kids were basically playing to try to make the 05 team. I suspect ODP informed Cal South that only one team per region was allowed in each age group.
The whole reason Cal South opened up an 06 group is because Boys DA went down to U12 last year. I think they worried if they didn't start ODP for 06s too, kids wouldn't even know that ODP was an option if they wanted to stay at their clubs and still get some higher competition/recognition. Many kids selected for 06 Boys ODP also were considering DA at the same time at the ODP tryouts, so it gave them a choice.
Once Cal South decided they needed to start ODP at the 06 age group for Boys, they did it for girls too in order to be equal, even though the DA rationale wasn't present yet.