US Youth Soccer ODP, designed to identify and develop a pool of players from which U.S. National Teams may be selected, is the original ODP program. US Youth Soccer ODP is the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major League Soccer and the former Women's United Soccer Association, as well as a majority of current and past national and youth team members, as alumni. And, with programs in all 55 State Associations as well as regional and national championships and participation in international tournaments, US Youth Soccer ODP continues to lead the way in elite player identification and development.
Selection to the Kansas State Team is a first step in this process. Kansas State Select Teams attend Region II ODP camps. At Regional Camps (there are 4 Regions in the U.S.), a Regional pool of players is named in each age group (except Developmental Ages). From these Regional pools, the National pools and teams are formed. Selection at each level (state, regional, national) is generally based on the 4 components that make up a soccer player: Technique; Tactics; Fitness and athletic ability; and, Psychological component (attitude).
This program is the place for talented players who are actively working toward furthering their young adult careers in soccer. It can be especially important to gifted players from small high schools or less successful teams as it provides invaluable exposure to coaches, trainers and athletic directors from around the nation. State Teams will be chosen for each age group and those teams will attend regional camp with the opportunity to advance to a regional team.
Attendance is critical in the ODP Program. The more that a coach sees a player, the better the coach's ability to make player selections. Players who miss more than 50% of scheduled practices may be placing their potential for selection to the state pool in jeopardy. Attendance will be taken at every scheduled state training session and event.
If you have questions, please contact Mark Sheldon, Director of Coaching for Kansas Youth Soccer , at coaching@kansasyouthsoccer.org or (913) 782-6434 ext. 202