Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Post ODP Meeting Items

Thanks to all the parents who made it out last night for the meeting. Following are a few items I forgot to mention as well as a response to comment for one of the other blogs.
1) I mentioned this to the 91 parents but meant to do same for the 92s and 93s. The player pool for your age groups is around 24-25 players. For the ODP tournament in June we select minimally 18. We are allowed to take more although can only play 18 in each game. Therefore, just as the last chapter was making the ODP pool, the next challenge for those players is to emerge as one of the 18 at least.
2) For the 94 and 95 age groups we take 2 teams each to the ODP tournament, therefore all players can be rostered.
3) The Jefferson Cup appears to be the one potential conflict with the international trips. As I said in an earlier blog response, one has to believe that experience of going to Buenos Aires and playing those teams will make the individual better and therefore make his club team better when he returns - as opposed to going to Richmond and playing most likely the same teams one sees at most other tournaments.
In the long run it makes more sense on all accounts to go to Argentina or Scotland. You help yourself and you help your club. (Others on your club get to play more at Jefferson Cup as well - also in theory helping the development of your team.
4) Reminder to try and attend the NSCAA convention and MSYSA Workshop at the convention in Baltimore. Info can be found on the following links:
www.nscaa.com
http://www.msysa.org/programs/workshop/index_E.html

Addressing comments in a response to an earlier blog:
The 91 team had 10 players from last year try out again this year.
Only 3 players from last "voluntarily" decided not to try out. 8 are on clubs that are part of the Academy program and therefore were not allowed to tryout. Kinda misleading to say they voluntarily didn't come out. Several of them thought that they were going to be able to tryout anyway as we almost did get the rules changed. It is certainly possible that those rules could be changed in the future.
Numbers for 92 team are being sorted now and will post when I have an accurate count.

Lowering the cost of participation in the ODP was requested due to some players not being out he team this year due to academy. Didn't really understand that, but will say that we operate on a zero balance budget - meaning that MSYSA makes no money on ODP and, in fact, usually loses money on the program. I wish that we could find a way to lower the costs. MSYSA needs very much to create a fundraising arm to their organization. I am happy that over the last 4 years we have not really had to raise the fees at all. I am certainly open to ideas to try and make fees smaller.

Again - thanks for attendance last night and please get in any forms, etc that you may still need to get to Jen. If you signed up for an international tour, but did not put in a deposit, then we need to get that (or cc #) asap. If you did not sign up last night and have decided you do want to go, then same thing - we need to know asap. Thanks a lot. You will be hearing from your coaches soon regarding training as we sort out fields.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am very concerned about ODP players leaving ODP to play Academy soccer. As a 1994 parent and knowing players are leaving and competing year round with the other academy teams and national league teams, I am really trying to weigh the cost-benefits of paying for one or two years of ODP knowing my son will most likely want to play academy because that is the current US trend and is getting rave reviews. Any advice?

ktsoccerworld said...

I think you have to ask the same question every year - what do you think is worth it? Some clubs cost more than others... some camps cost more than others... does your son feel he is getting a good experience from it. You wouldn't send your son to a camp if he didn't think it would help him. Obviously we feel the potential benefits of participating in ODP are significant as is the enjoyment that most players have in it. One of the first things college coaches look at on a player's profile is if ODP is listed. That is an absolute fact.

As far as Academy teams go - coaches will look at those clubs that are doing well - no different than before. I can't emphasise enough how much the Academy program is another club program. Some players have left academy teams already...many have really liked them. It doesn't have as much to do with academy league rules as it has with the club itself.

Here is an e-mail from a regional player (from another state) to me after the Inter-regional at Disney. (I coach the U-17 Reg 1 team which is why I received this e-mail - in case you were wondering). He was deciding between join an academy team or staying on his current US Youth soccer club team

"Coach Tabatznik,

I am letting you know that I will not be playing with an academy team, so I will be available for the trip to Germany if I am selected. Thank you for everything that both you and Gordon did in Florida for the team. I feel I have the best shot for getting another call up to the national team through the regional team program. If you have any advice for me that would be very helpful."
--------------------------------
It is quite possible that your son may feel the same way in a couple years. I guess the way to put it is that staying in ODP keeps a door open - a door that has proven itself over the test of time. Will the Academies do that as well? No one knows the answer. If it helps the development of the game, then I sure hope so.

Anonymous said...

I see playing with the Academy teams as closing a door to a real good program with the ODP. The Academy teams seem to costing a lot more than they first said it was going to be with the exception of DC United. I think that has to be part of any family's decision whether to play club ball with an Academy program or not. They seem to be playing all the same teams they did before. For now I would rather have my son have to be able to do both club and ODP. Lets face it, 99.9% of our kids will not be playing pro or for the national teams. My son loves ODP so why take that away from him. He also loves the club he is on. To me it really is best of both worlds.

Anonymous said...

Keith,

Yoour writings are beginning to look like you are desperate in trying to justify ODP over Academy. The reference that the Academy program is just another club program is not accurate nor consistent with the vision and overview presentation on the Academy website or what is actually occurring. This would be like me saying ODP was a fee generating monopoly. Stating zero based budget is misleading as that means after you pay the coaches and ODP administration, no money is left. The same is true for most club teams, you pay the coaches and team fees and you end up with a zero based budget. Ultimately, parents and players need to determine what is best for them. Both offer different things to a player over the course of a players year of eligibility. Please be more balanced and recognize that due to the academy program, players now have choices whereas in the past they did not. As different as they are, in the end the player benefits, regardless of which path is taken.

ktsoccerworld said...

It may be unfair to call the Academies just a league, but in reality that is what youth soccer is - club teams that play in leagues and tournaments. I did not intend to come off as defensive of the ODP, but I want to make it very clear that there are 2 main ways participate in youth soccer now: US Youth Soccer System which includes ODP and the Academies. I want things to work well for both. For the better of the game it has to since they do exclude each other.

ODP was not excluded from Academies due to any philosophical reason. Following is a quote from John Hackworth regarding ODP. (John is one of the main
founders/organizers, etc of the Academy Program).

“US Youth Soccer ODP has played a meaningful role in player development in the United States,” said (former) head coach of U.S. Soccer Under-17 Men’s National Team, John Hackworth. “The players develop in US Youth Soccer ODP by continually being placed in more competitive environment, such as playing internationally with
regional teams, which provides elite players from across the nation valuable experience and a platform to improve. The US Youth Soccer ODP contributes to the encompassing effort of identifying potential players for the U.S. National Team programs.”
I am sure we hope to be able to say the same about the Academies down the road.

I agree with your last comments - there is choice and families have to decide what is best.
Regarding ODP as a fee generating monopoly is wrong. There is not money left after fees are collected and expenses paid. If there were then we would lower fees.
Hope that clears some things up.

I am away for the weekend with a Regional ODP event and may or may not have Internet access in the event of other comments. Thanks for the feedback.
www.ktsoccerworld.com

Anonymous said...

Coach -- thanks for all your guidance and insights on this blog. I have found what you have to say to be very interesting and helpful.

Here are a couple of things that have been on my mind ... what is your feeling about high school age and younger kids playing "too much soccer," assuming you think there is such a thing as too much soccer ... ?

I've seen a number of kids seemingly get dinged-up from all the soccer practice and games they are playing. Burnout has also seemed to be a factor for a couple of kids that I have seen quit soccer.

I've also read some recuiting accounts where some college coaches say that they like to see kids who have participated in more than one sport, as they think such an approach can help development. In this regard, it seems that many of the soccer programs today almost preclude participation in any other sport ...

Also, what do you think about what is seemingly a very strong emphasis on winning at the club level? Is it too much?

Thanks again for your insights.

ktsoccerworld said...

GREAT QUESTIONS - and I will give you my thoughts after the weekend as I am pressed for time here at the National Coaches Convention... Thanks.