ODP in California

If I recall correctly a coach or two was from the junior college level and one was D1. The rest were club coaches I'd never heard of before.
In Cal South, they were generally Steve Hoffman's cronies (or relatives), and since Steve is a longtime JC coach, it makes sense that some of them coached at the JC ranks too. Some of the younger coaches were former ODP players themselves moving up in the ranks, so while we hadn't heard of them before, they were still good people to know long-term because we ran across them as they moved up. It's a good salary supplement for younger coaches and JC coaches who don't make much money and don't have ID camp fees from being at a JC. At the West Region camp level, the college coaches are higher level, since those are during the summer and they have more time for a few weeks of camp. Plus, they are good opportunities to see potential future recruits.
 
In Cal South, they were generally Steve Hoffman's cronies (or relatives), and since Steve is a longtime JC coach, it makes sense that some of them coached at the JC ranks too. Some of the younger coaches were former ODP players themselves moving up in the ranks, so while we hadn't heard of them before, they were still good people to know long-term because we ran across them as they moved up. It's a good salary supplement for younger coaches and JC coaches who don't make much money and don't have ID camp fees from being at a JC. At the West Region camp level, the college coaches are higher level, since those are during the summer and they have more time for a few weeks of camp. Plus, they are good opportunities to see potential future recruits.
Believe one was an assistant to SF. His son JF was there one year. Another JC coach was a long time assistant at ELCO and now head coach at Santa Ana JC.
 
Never said it wasn’t flawed- the selection process was very flawed and often unfair but so is the YNT selection process. if you have tracked the YNT selectees now into college, several of them are not playing out like expected and others never selected are rising to the top. It would be curious to compare the ODP players verses the YNT players at the college level
You can definitely say that prior to DA as well.
Here is a quote made to a friends daughter at ODP in 2019 from SH, "Your the best keeper out here but to short". I laughed, at the time she has 13 and 5'7. She is now 5"10 and potentially considered a top prospect.
 
You can definitely say that prior to DA as well.
Here is a quote made to a friends daughter at ODP in 2019 from SH, "Your the best keeper out here but to short". I laughed, at the time she has 13 and 5'7. She is now 5"10 and potentially considered a top prospect.
Seems like a dumb thing to say about a 13 year old.

Unless the kids parents are 4'8".

Even then its lame.
 
Explain why

The real joke is the parents who DD's have NEVER participated in the ODP program calling it a joke!
I get it, let me help you out...WOW! your kid was selected for ODP! There...do you feel better?

I'll say it again...ODP is a joke and a parent feel good exercise.
 
I get it, let me help you out...WOW! your kid was selected for ODP! There...do you feel better?

I'll say it again...ODP is a joke and a parent feel good exercise.

Why so much hate towards ODP? Let each parent and kid decide if they want to go or not. Who cares if SD Surf didn't want to participate, but Slammers HB KOGE and SoCal Blues represented. Regardless, it's still a great experience and honor to be invited for a young player between the ages of 13-16 to be named to the traveling 18 group of players.

ODP might not be as glamorous and exclusive as it used to be, but these young kids still made it through a selection process. Let them enjoy the ride if they choose to.
 
Why so much hate towards ODP? Let each parent and kid decide if they want to go or not. Who cares if SD Surf didn't want to participate, but Slammers HB KOGE and SoCal Blues represented. Regardless, it's still a great experience and honor to be invited for a young player between the ages of 13-16 to be named to the traveling 18 group of players.

ODP might not be as glamorous and exclusive as it used to be, but these young kids still made it through a selection process. Let them enjoy the ride if they choose to.
Strangely, I'm not stopping anybody from anything...but thanks for making my point.
 
Olympic Development Program "process" - Just wondering....do you really believe this?
Absolutely not… but it’s still an honor for a young teenager to be selected right? ..we have a family friend who played in ODP as a kid, played on the U20 team, played at USC, and just selected Top 5 of the recent NWSL draft… nice footsteps to follow wouldn’t you say?

We all know ODP has lost its lustre and and shine, but it’s still an achievement for the kids.. Let them enjoy the process..
 
Absolutely not… but it’s still an honor for a young teenager to be selected right? ..we have a family friend who played in ODP as a kid, played on the U20 team, played at USC, and just selected Top 5 of the recent NWSL draft… nice footsteps to follow wouldn’t you say?

We all know ODP has lost its lustre and and shine, but it’s still an achievement for the kids.. Let them enjoy the process..
...oof, somebody must have really played up their kids olympic prospects around the water cooler.
 
...oof, somebody must have really played up their kids olympic prospects around the water cooler.
You’re beginning to sound like a very bitter person. Was your child ever selected to ODP? Or are you one of those that are upset because they were not? We all know ODP doesn’t carry the weight it used to, but why rain on someone’s parade. Let the kids enjoy their sunshine if they choose to…Keep in mind that not everyone is a club soccer expert like you are.
 
With my sons age group I quickly learned ODP was a joke. There's more politics involved there then on a normal club team.
ODP was my kids first big tryout and it was no joke to her or the other kids trying to get in that van to AZ to ball against the other GOATs around the country. It was fun for her and it turned out really good for her to not make the final cut to Arizona. It made her work harder on the field for the next big thing, the U14 Youth National Team in 2017. She worked hard but feel short again, this was not about her play per say, this time it was all about what was required by the Doc at the time to make his list. She failed the tryout with the Doc and moved onto HSS and all that has to over. I say whatever list your kid makes, no mater how they make it or why they make it, it shall be celebrated for kids sakes. Yes, we ALL know politics plays a part in the selection process and we shall just accept it for what this is all about these days in the USA of sports.
 
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