Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ODP is not a scam. It's been so good for my children (both!) and I won't dox myself; but results do come from ODP to those that earn it more than the other leagues listed here

You take this for a joke

ODP is better than ECNL for a young player in exactly what ways?

I'm not the one who posted above, but every player and parent is looking for something different. It's no secret that club soccer is full of politics, pressures, and facades. Maybe some people like the dynamic of ODP. It could be less pressure, a better level for their kid, the training schedule or anything. Don't judge because you don't think the level is as good.

Who does only ODP?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ODP is not a scam. It's been so good for my children (both!) and I won't dox myself; but results do come from ODP to those that earn it more than the other leagues listed here

You take this for a joke

ODP is better than ECNL for a young player in exactly what ways?

I'm not the one who posted above, but every player and parent is looking for something different. It's no secret that club soccer is full of politics, pressures, and facades. Maybe some people like the dynamic of ODP. It could be less pressure, a better level for their kid, the training schedule or anything. Don't judge because you don't think the level is as good.

To some degree, the ODP selection process produces a hard reality to see your player not make the next level cut. I have noticed that, while we say ECNL is significantly better than ODP, the rosters seem to become larger and larger as the years go on in ECNL. This essentially means, that eventually 25-30 players will be on a team or 100 or so kids will eventually be on 4 ECNL teams in the DMV for a year group.

However, usually only 2-4 will make the ODP Eastern Regional Team, and maybe 1 on the ODP national team. This naturally causes a lot parents Sour Grapes. Families who were fooled into thinking their kid made the ECNL team on pure talent alone, actually did so partially by longevity and loyalty to the club. Mentally, it can be a reality check when those kids don't get past the state level in ODP.

It is then easy to be dismissive to the whole ODP program and revert to generalities like, "they only take big kids or they only take small kids." While there are fees in ODP, it is not designed to be a pay to play program like ECNL.

Anonymous wrote:ODP is not a scam. It's been so good for my children (both!) and I won't dox myself; but results do come from ODP to those that earn it more than the other leagues listed here

You take this for a joke

ODP is better than ECNL for a young player in exactly what ways?

ODP is not a scam. It's been so good for my children (both!) and I won't dox myself; but results do come from ODP to those that earn it more than the other leagues listed here

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago when you had mostly parent coaches, not a lot of technical development, and top talent was more dispersed, it made sense to have a structure to get better players together for identification and training with some better coaches. Now - MLS-Next and ECNL-N players have no reason to do ODP, their coaching and training environments should be equal or better than anything ODP could provide.

It may be worth it for other players outside of that top tier, but they should know going in that it is just a few extra training sessions with different coaches and a different set of players. Expect experience to vary based on the coaches assigned and players that sign up just like any camp or other group training environment.

I’d stick with MLSNext. The better league. Better funded, better players and they play 40% more games in the regular season than ECNL N teams.

Except for undersized players. That’s what ODP has become - at least around these parts. It’s the place where late bloomers go to get reps.

My now normal sized kid — after growth a growth spurt just made ECNL team.

But ODP was an excellent place for an ambitious undersized kid to get to next level.

Didn't the other thread on ODP say they only pick the bigger kids?

This is great advice. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago when you had mostly parent coaches, not a lot of technical development, and top talent was more dispersed, it made sense to have a structure to get better players together for identification and training with some better coaches. Now - MLS-Next and ECNL-N players have no reason to do ODP, their coaching and training environments should be equal or better than anything ODP could provide.

It may be worth it for other players outside of that top tier, but they should know going in that it is just a few extra training sessions with different coaches and a different set of players. Expect experience to vary based on the coaches assigned and players that sign up just like any camp or other group training environment.

I’d stick with MLSNext. The better league. Better funded, better players and they play 40% more games in the regular season than ECNL N teams.

Except for undersized players. That’s what ODP has become - at least around these parts. It’s the place where late bloomers go to get reps.

My now normal sized kid — after growth a growth spurt just made ECNL team.

But ODP was an excellent place for an ambitious undersized kid to get to next level.

Didn't the other thread on ODP say they only pick the bigger kids?

but the people up north dont pick dmv players at the end….. still good for reps networking and travel experience

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago when you had mostly parent coaches, not a lot of technical development, and top talent was more dispersed, it made sense to have a structure to get better players together for identification and training with some better coaches. Now - MLS-Next and ECNL-N players have no reason to do ODP, their coaching and training environments should be equal or better than anything ODP could provide.

It may be worth it for other players outside of that top tier, but they should know going in that it is just a few extra training sessions with different coaches and a different set of players. Expect experience to vary based on the coaches assigned and players that sign up just like any camp or other group training environment.

I’d stick with MLSNext. The better league. Better funded, better players and they play 40% more games in the regular season than ECNL N teams.

Except for undersized players. That’s what ODP has become - at least around these parts. It’s the place where late bloomers go to get reps.

My now normal sized kid — after growth a growth spurt just made ECNL team.

But ODP was an excellent place for an ambitious undersized kid to get to next level.

Didn't the other thread on ODP say they only pick the bigger kids?

Welcome to dcum

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No very competitive these days. Not like before.

Not like before? OK So ODP was a thing when I was a kid, I played on a team with Abby Wambach. Then it became not a thing, are you trying to say it's a thing again? Or was that No supposed to be a "Not"

Abby Wambach here. Who is this? What position did you play and where?

Carly Loyd here, wondering the same.

Carli Lloyd isn't from NY state but good try.

I am. Pittsford, NY. Like Abby.

plus odp practice times is brutal for those who already have a Sunday game

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago when you had mostly parent coaches, not a lot of technical development, and top talent was more dispersed, it made sense to have a structure to get better players together for identification and training with some better coaches. Now - MLS-Next and ECNL-N players have no reason to do ODP, their coaching and training environments should be equal or better than anything ODP could provide.

It may be worth it for other players outside of that top tier, but they should know going in that it is just a few extra training sessions with different coaches and a different set of players. Expect experience to vary based on the coaches assigned and players that sign up just like any camp or other group training environment.

I’d stick with MLSNext. The better league. Better funded, better players and they play 40% more games in the regular season than ECNL N teams.

Except for undersized players. That’s what ODP has become - at least around these parts. It’s the place where late bloomers go to get reps.

My now normal sized kid — after growth a growth spurt just made ECNL team.

But ODP was an excellent place for an ambitious undersized kid to get to next level.

Didn't the other thread on ODP say they only pick the bigger kids?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago when you had mostly parent coaches, not a lot of technical development, and top talent was more dispersed, it made sense to have a structure to get better players together for identification and training with some better coaches. Now - MLS-Next and ECNL-N players have no reason to do ODP, their coaching and training environments should be equal or better than anything ODP could provide.

It may be worth it for other players outside of that top tier, but they should know going in that it is just a few extra training sessions with different coaches and a different set of players. Expect experience to vary based on the coaches assigned and players that sign up just like any camp or other group training environment.

I’d stick with MLSNext. The better league. Better funded, better players and they play 40% more games in the regular season than ECNL N teams.

Except for undersized players. That’s what ODP has become - at least around these parts. It’s the place where late bloomers go to get reps.

My now normal sized kid — after growth a growth spurt just made ECNL team.

But ODP was an excellent place for an ambitious undersized kid to get to next level.

ODP rosters are generally made up with 2-3rd tier players. MLSNXT, ECNL, and GA kids don't really even entertain it. Even some of the regional players ignore the call for tryouts. No real point in the program except just another opportunity to get touches in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No very competitive these days. Not like before.

Not like before? OK So ODP was a thing when I was a kid, I played on a team with Abby Wambach. Then it became not a thing, are you trying to say it's a thing again? Or was that No supposed to be a "Not"

Abby Wambach here. Who is this? What position did you play and where?

Carly Loyd here, wondering the same.

Carli Lloyd isn't from NY state but good try.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No very competitive these days. Not like before.

Not like before? OK So ODP was a thing when I was a kid, I played on a team with Abby Wambach. Then it became not a thing, are you trying to say it's a thing again? Or was that No supposed to be a "Not"

Abby Wambach here. Who is this? What position did you play and where?

Carly Loyd here, wondering the same.