Developmental ODP?

[Anonymous]

I get posts from VA Youth Soccer on my social media feed, and saw one about registration for spring Developmental ODP training. It looks like this is for U9-U11. My child is U11 and plays pre-ECNL. Can anyone sign up for this or is there a tryout? I thought players had to be selected for ODP, but is that true only for older kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get posts from VA Youth Soccer on my social media feed, and saw one about registration for spring Developmental ODP training. It looks like this is for U9-U11. My child is U11 and plays pre-ECNL. Can anyone sign up for this or is there a tryout? I thought players had to be selected for ODP, but is that true only for older kids?

D-ODP is pay to play, no tryouts required.

[Anonymous]

ODP has 'tryouts' to make parents feel exclusive, but truth is everyone want 'makes it'.

[Anonymous]

Is this specific to VAA?

[Anonymous]

This program is only in VA and MD does not have one.

Son is U11 as well and he did it in the fall. Only attended a few practices due to the drive and game conflicts. No tryouts. Just practicing and other coaching perspectives which my son enjoyed. He learned a few different runs when he was there that he had not learned from his club coaches.

We have found Next Star drop-in style training better for my son and more older players involved for him to complete with and against which he enjoys so we will probably skip the spring. Easier on scheduling as well as they have morning and afternoon sessions on the weekends so I can plan around my son’s game.

If you have Sunday evenings available, worth a shot.

[Anonymous]

We have done D-ODP in the fall in VA for the last 2 years, we have enjoyed it and it was not too expensive. (It is about half of what any other program in the area charges for the number of sessions.) It was hard to make all the 6pm Sunday sessions.

I thought the coaches were very good and they focus one more 'open field skills,' such as trapping, crossing, shooting in a bigger area. Then they do small skills work (completely different skills than our Coach does) and they finish with some small scrimmaging.

The coaches have been better than our last 4 coaches, so we appreciate the variety. It is only training you are doing. There are some very good players and some players that are just trying to get better.