Why has ODP not rebranded themselves to a state-wide trainings that all can participate in. Like someone said about the price, the intro trainings are more of a tryout, the other competitions are pay-to-play revenue streams of the state.

ODP was never for the olympics, it was for the Olympic Sports Festival. It started just with a U19 team and then expanded to U16, then by then they stopped having the sports festival and from there, ODP expanded into simply a state select program and possibly a way to get ID'd for regional and national team player pools starting at your local level. Those who would get noticed anyway will still get noticed in ODP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm way out of this scene but am curious about the acronyms and what's happening now

Why would ODP have something wrong with it? Isn't it a great honor to be picked as one of the best players in your state with a chance to progress into playing for the olympic/national team?

Because it is no longer the best players in the State. It used to be “it”, the only thing. Then, DA came along and changed that.

Kind of like “State Cup”. It was once the highest honor. Now a lot of the best teams don’t enter State Cup because of DA.

My DD’s team went to the State Cup. It was literally on a poop field in Aberdeen, 20+ miles past Baltimore.
We have some of the best soccer fields and complexes in the state but they had everyone driving out to play on horrible fields in the middle of nowhere.
The employees were totally nasty too. Good riddance.

Thanks everyone, very helpful info!

Prior to DA, my daughter did both ODP and ECNL at the same time., there are no ECNL restrictions. Some clubs may try to restrict it - including non-ECNL clubs - which is ridiculous. I get why the DA does - b/c of the longer season, but if we went back down to the ECNL, we'd re-take it up because it fits perfectly with the high school season to create some quality soccer while doing that.

Other than that, the above post is decent.

Here are some thoughts based on my DD’s experience with Virginia ODP. TIFWIW.

Quality of players – As others have said, ODP is not what it used to be given all of the other options for recognition out there. Generally speaking, there are more good players at the younger levels (partially b/c there are no DA or ECNL restrictions), with fewer and fewer high level players participating as age increases. Also, as you would expect, the quality of players at the district level varies widely, with the State pool having higher quality players (but still with some that make you wonder). At the region level, players are generally solid.

Quality of training – This will vary based on who your kid’s coach is, but we have overall been pleased with the training, and with the opportunity for DD to experience other coaches. But if you think that 8-10 sessions, over the course of a few months, will turn her into a world beater, you’re wrong. If you view ODP as just another way to get extra training, then you’re much less likely to be disappointed.

Convenience – Clearly it would be easier to find training in NOVA rather than drive to Fredericksburg but it’s usually not a horrible drive.

Cost – Costs are slightly higher but still comparable to other training options. State ODP this year was $408 for what was supposed to be 10 training sessions. For comparison (although the training is very different), HP Elite runs between $30-40 per session in the winter. However, because ODP is outdoors, training is at a greater risk of cancellation. Costs for events can add up but at least in VA, there’s no requirement for what events you do, so you only have to pay for those you decide to participate in. I found the cost per event reasonable once you take into account what's included (e.g., hotel, some meals, and depending on the event, transportation).

College Attention – If you’re doing ODP because you think that college coaches and NT scouts are going to be lining the sidelines of their events, you’re going to be very disappointed. There will be some coaches, usually from lower level programs, at the state level events (e.g., ODP tournament), and a little better mix if your child gets to Boca, but the attendance is nothing compared to what you see at a DA or ECNL showcase event, or at Jeff Cup. What ODP does offer is a chance to differentiate yourself from other players by showing some individual achievements on your player resume and emails to coaches, which gives coaches more reason/incentive to come watch your kid.

International travel – The VA state team takes several age groups on an international trip each year, which is a great experience for your child.

Overall, ODP was a very good experience for my DD and one I’m glad we did. She’s made friends from all over and it definitely played a role in her recruitment. That said, I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. If you’re a college-track player but not on an ECNL team (DA is moot since you can’t do it anyway), then I’d say do it as a way to garner more attention, shooting for a spot on the regional pool. If you’re just a good travel player, try it as a way to meet more people and build your skills and confidence. If ECNL, ODP is probably best viewed as supplemental training option and resume builder. If your kid is getting PDP or NTC invites, you really don’t need ODP.

ODP provides decent training, tournament competition, maybe a first opportunity to travel without parents, and a bigger player network opportunity.

In addition to what others have said, ODP in our area doesn't help with the pay-to-play aspects of soccer. It's very expensive for the amount of training. It also is not a pathway to the Olympics, or any other high level competition. It can be a good, fun source of extra training but should not be treated as something that will offer a player much, if any, additional exposure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm way out of this scene but am curious about the acronyms and what's happening now

Why would ODP have something wrong with it? Isn't it a great honor to be picked as one of the best players in your state with a chance to progress into playing for the olympic/national team?

Because it is no longer the best players in the State. It used to be “it”, the only thing. Then, DA came along and changed that.

Kind of like “State Cup”. It was once the highest honor. Now a lot of the best teams don’t enter State Cup because of DA.

This. ODP was the top track when I was a kid. It's just not any more. The issue is going that route now, your kid would no longer be training with the top tier kids and (at least in theory) top tier coaching compared to the kids going the DA etc routes... and then not on par with those kids when you are moving up. And these days, even if your kid is a better athlete and more talented naturally, if you don't have the specific skills the coaching staffs are looking for (ie. that they teach) you can get cut or pushed down.

Anonymous wrote:I'm way out of this scene but am curious about the acronyms and what's happening now

Why would ODP have something wrong with it? Isn't it a great honor to be picked as one of the best players in your state with a chance to progress into playing for the olympic/national team?

Because it is no longer the best players in the State. It used to be “it”, the only thing. Then, DA came along and changed that.

Kind of like “State Cup”. It was once the highest honor. Now a lot of the best teams don’t enter State Cup because of DA.

I'm way out of this scene but am curious about the acronyms and what's happening now

Why would ODP have something wrong with it? Isn't it a great honor to be picked as one of the best players in your state with a chance to progress into playing for the olympic/national team?

Anonymous wrote:So if one wants to stay with their NCSL club for various reasons, is combining that with ODP a good option? Isn't that what everyone did before the elites came around? Doesn't ODP offer the same potential pathway as DA, ECNL, i.e. college, national team, whatever?

1. ECNL does not ban ODP, so some ECNL players can - and should - participate. It is a great compliment to the high school season.
2. The only real problem is that with DA, the better players mostly left. But the DA cannot encompass everyone - due to logistics and sometimes money as well. Most DAs are not free.
3. It is always good to expose your child to other coaches and players. Although my DC is in the DA, I still do that any chance I get.

yeah you know me

that’s a good question about pathway scouting. if your kid is good enough to pass through district, state, regional and so on to the top of that pyramid then it would make sense.

i think in the past significantly more “elite” caliber players were competing for that top piece and that has changed and it appears to be a significant pay to play opportunity that takes “everybody”. well maybe not everyone, but probably not what you are expecting.

So if one wants to stay with their NCSL club for various reasons, is combining that with ODP a good option? Isn't that what everyone did before the elites came around? Doesn't ODP offer the same potential pathway as DA, ECNL, i.e. college, national team, whatever?