ODP Frequently Asked Questions

The US YOUTH SOCCER Olympic Development Program, or ODP as it is more commonly called, is a national identification and development program for high-level players. The program identifies and develops youth players throughout the country to represent their state association, region and the United States in soccer competition. 

ODP teams are formed at the state association and regional levels, made up of the best players in various age groups. At the state association level, pools of players are identified in each eligible age group, and brought together as a team to develop their skill through training and competition. From the state pools and subsequent teams, players are identified for regional and national pools and teams.

To develop and train the best soccer players in Eastern Pennsylvania. Provide opportunities to be identified for the Region One Team and the Youth National Teams. To provide high-level training to benefit and enhance the development of players at all levels. Through the use of carefully selected licensed coaches, develop a mechanism for the enhancement of ideas and curriculum to improve all levels of coaching.

Any soccer player is eligible for consideration in ODP, provided that he or she meets the age requirements for the established age group. A player may try out in the state association in which he or she is eligible to be registered. A player may not try out for ODP in more than one state association. Tryouts are conducted in September & October of each year. Interested players should check this web site or contact Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer for dates and details.

Players are selected on the basis of open tryouts. These tryouts are conducted by coaches who are recognized for their ability to identify and train players with superior skills. Selection of these players is not an easy task. The state association technical director will be assisted in the selection process by several other qualified coaches from the club or league level.

Players are evaluated on four components that make up a soccer player:

Technique

Tactics

Fitness and athletic ability

Psychological component (attitude)

Upon selection, a state association ODP player is expected to participate in all their team's activities. These activities may include training sessions, exhibition matches, invitational tournaments and regional play. If players are not available for a specific event, they may be replaced by another player from their player pool. Players are expected to take their participation in the program seriously and should be committed to improving their individual skills as well as improving as a team player. Players are subject to the ODP Code of Conduct upon entry into the program at the state association level.

US YOUTH SOCCER is divided into four regions, each of which offers a regional camp for state association ODP teams in each eligible age group. The camps are designed to provide high level competition and training for participating players. During this training and competition, players who are capable of performing at a higher level of play are identified for possible national camp, pool or team participation. Each region varies somewhat as to the specifics and the cost of their camps. See the online payments page for estimated costs.

National Camps and Inter-regional events are held throughout the year at various locations in the United States. The National Team Coach or a National Staff Coach is present at these events to observe, train and identify players for placement in the national pool or on a national team.

ODP tryouts are a selection process and should not be viewed as an evaluation. As ODP coaches are viewing players, they are attempting to select the players that stand out based on the four criteria laid out above. Coaches do make mistakes in identification from time to time. After all, they are human. Parents, please recognize that in a selective environment such as ODP, children may experience their first setbacks or failures to make a team. These should be seized as opportunities to improve. Coaches feel confident that if they miss a player one year they will be recognized the next.

Coaches of the specific age group or district (In the U12, U13 & U14 age groups) decide how large the pool will be. There will be two callback tryouts for all pool players. These dates are posted on the individual team pages. After those training dates, coaches will select their final teams. Rosters will be released as soon as they are all finalized.

Typically, the U12 teams carry up to 15 players. Older age groups may take as many as 22. If number of quality players--whether in a district or at an older age group--warrants more than one team, that age group will most likely carry multiple teams.

U12, U13 and U14 teams will compete in several events: the Tri-State ODP Friendlies (including New Jersey Friendlies, Keystone Diamond Showcase, Maryland Friendlies), Eastern PA ODP Round Robins and the East Region ODP tournament. The East Region ODP tournament for these age groups is a festival format.

U15 and U16 teams will compete in four major tournaments: the Tri-State ODP Friendlies (including New Jersey Friendlies, Keystone Diamond Showcase), Virginia Friendlies in Williamsburg, Va., and the East Region ODP Championships. The boys East Region tournament is at Rider University in Mercer County, NJ. The girls play in Kirkwood, DE.

U17 teams will compete in four major tournaments: the Tri-State ODP Friendlies (including NJ Friendlies, Keystone Diamond Showcase), Pacific Coast Invitational in Southern California and the East Region ODP Championships. The boys East Region tournament is at Rider University in Mercer County, NJ. The girls play in Kirkwood, DE.

In addition to official competitions, friendlies and scrimmages may be scheduled throughout the year.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer would like to see players follow the U.S. Soccer guidelines of three practices per one match and one match per week but realize that very few clubs follow that practice. We do not want to see young athletes over-train and contribute to overuse injuries. We train almost exclusively on Sundays to limit conflicts for players, parents and coaches. In a few instances, ODP teams may train midweek in preparation for competition. All State Cup (NCS), Presidents Cup, Challenge Cup or ECNL tournament games take precedent over ODP training. Having said that, players are expected to attend at least 75% of the training dates, barring injury or long-term illness.

No, but player are strongly encouraged to attend. Regional camp is both a developmental and identification camp. Coaches at East Region Camp are looking for players to represent the region in national and international competitions. Player pools are selected after region camp, with final rosters solidified for various competitions. From there, players may be identified for national pools or national teams.

Coaches are asked to attempt to play all players in matches that have no consequences for advancing in a tournament (I.e: during the Virginia Friendlies or round-robin play). In the East Region tournament for U15-U17's, ODP teams have a chance to advance but coaches are still asked to play everyone if possible.

Yes, scholarships are determined on a case by case basis upon receiving a completed scholarship form (Available here). Scholarship applications are due November 15, 2019

Players will be provided a training shirt in addition to their team kit. They should arrive in training in this training shirt.

Each coach's email will be linked in his or her name in the coaching staff section of the team pages. These will be updated once the coaching staffs are finalized.

All effected parties will receive an email notification and the information will be posted on the individual team pages. We will attempt to notify families of changes at least three hours before start times.

Yes. All information about European trips can be found here. These are not mandatory.