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Names are posted of the state website. I like how they also included their hometown. There are a bunch of names for each group.

At least on the girls side..... the list seems light of MPSC and CESA players. Can someone explain this to me?

Not to open a can of worms, but I coach a team of talented 99's and 98's that are watching the process.

JIYSC 98 Luna-Chicks

Alot of players have moved on..girls side of ODP? Save your money..My child did it for two years..Not enough practicing but more than enough money..

The large list of names should be cut down after region play in January..They used this event in the past as a second tryout..Above the list of names you will see sub region list

True..I guess the question you have to ask is what do you expect or are looking for in the system..Some age groups have kept the same trainer while others have not.Some have a more set training schedule than others..Things could be alittle more consistant throughout the age groups..

I was told by some folks in the younger age groups that they were not willing to drive to the upstate for training.

We are over a year removed from this process but we would normally practice once a month somewhere in the Columbia area or practice at the coach's school that he or she worked for..

Anyone know why Polson is not coaching the 93 boys this year? Barry Slagle is listed as the coach.

In viewing the girls' 1992 rosters for the winter interregionals there are no South Carolina girls listed, although, the region coach is a college coach from South Carolina. It does have several girls from Georgia that will be attending college in South Carolina listed who have not attended an event like this before. My question is this: with a region coach from South Carolina not rostering any SC players for an event like this...does a sandlapper really have a chance? There are several 1992 South Carolina players that are going to play at ACC and SEC schools (I am sure there are other conferences, too) that should have been invited to this event. Another note: I am not sure, but, have heard that if you are a Georgia resident and you attend a state supported school in GA, you can get much of your higher education paid for (from lottery money)...there must be very enticing offers from South Carolina schools for a Georgia player to come to our state.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but on the men's side (and I really don't know about the women's programs) and you live in Georgia, I believe you'll have to leave the state if you want to play soccer at a D1 school (i.e., Georgia has no men's D1 soccer programs - again, not sure about women). If I am correct, that seems to me to be some level of enticement right there.

Georgia Southern is D1, but I'm pretty sure that's the only one in the state.

Okay, I was off by one, but the one being Georgia Southern is even more reason to come to South Carolina to play soccer.

UGA has a girls team...defeated USC 2-1 during regular season this year.

*side note UGA has no boys team.

I believe Mercer and Georgia State also have D1 men's programs.

In viewing the girls' 1992 rosters for the winter interregionals there are no South Carolina girls listed, although, the region coach is a college coach from South Carolina. My question is this: with a region coach from South Carolina not rostering any SC players for an event like this...does a sandlapper really have a chance? There are several 1992 South Carolina players that are going to play at ACC and SEC schools (other conferences, too) that should have been invited to this event.

Many of them may have either 1. opted not to participate in ODP or 2. opted not to go to inter regionals.

Of the dozen or so U-18 girls that I know who are going on to play at a college not a single one has participated in ODP in several years.

On the other hand if they are on the ODP squad and have already chosen a college why spend the money to go to inter regionals? If your goal is to make the national squad someday and you are not already being invited to training camp, your best bet (at this age) is to preform well at the collegiate level.

Just one opinion

There is a conflict with college coaches in the odp mix selecting players for regional pools/teams. and its not always the best player from SC getting a spot.

Happy New Year all!
In my experience working with our Arsenal club girls and some from South Aiken, it was a real mixed bag. The three girls from last year's U18/19 Arsenal club and SAHS who went D1 gave up SC ODP when they were 14 or 15 because of the politics and they just felt they did not get that much from it. However, this year's SAHS players that will probably go D1 next year all, I think, participate in ODP and have for years. For my daughter's D1 team, many of the players participated in ODP at the national and regional level, yet some did not, concentrating on advanced club ball. My observation is that it has to do more with market size and club involvement, both of which are directly related to the internal ODP politics.

Coach Polson was at the ODP tryouts, but he was running the tryouts for the 1997 age group. He is Vice-President for Convention and Awards for the National Soccer Coaches Association and he is very busy with that position. I understand that he opted not to coach a team this year.

Second tryout is this weekend in Gainesville,Ga
Good luck to everyone and stay warm if possible..The boys are in N.C.

Does it appear this years team 1 and team 2 are split up by ability or randomly?

I doubt either of those methods was used for these tryouts. You might want to make sure that the headcoach is going to be in attendance.

For those who are new to ODP you should understand interstate regionals are purely for evaluation. The final team will be made up of players from both teams so from a mental standpoint players should prepare to do their very best from a technical and tactical perspective to help their team compete.

Every player should want to shine by making others shine and the benefits will come back around. The game takes all 11 players on the field and this means players must play simple and be creative with and without the ball. Not an easy thing to do, but when it happens that's when you'll likely hear someone say "that's why it's called the beautiful game".

ODP is nearly over for my young man, with the exception of one region team event. It's hard to believe! It's been a great ride with exceptional coaching and players along the way.

Best of luck to all this weekend and to those traveling to regionals next week.

appears the girls sub-regional games in GA have been cancelled. i guess the boys in W-S, NC are still a go?

http://www.network54.com/Forum/171923/th...-9-10+CANCELLED

The girls are going to Greenville for the weekend to play/train with each other.

Letter form GA ODP Admin.

Coaches, players and parents,
I am sorry to have to tell you that we have had to cancel the ODP subregion games that were to be in Gainesville this weekend. We waited as long as we possibly could to make a final decision, but, ultimately given the fact that the fields are frozen and pose a potential safety hazard to the players, and that bad weather is expected to move into the Gainesville and North Georgia area today, our only prudent course of action is to cancel. Because temperatures will not rise above freezing tomorrow, any precipitation received today or tonight will stay on the fields as ice and would still be there Saturday.
For several of you in the older age groups, this weekends event was potentially the only event you would have had this year. Normally we take our 3 youngest age groups to an ODP/College Showcase event in Decatur, AL the last weekend of March. Since we are cancelling our subregion, we would like to include all age groups in the March event. We will leave for Alabama early the morning of Saturday, March 27 and return late in the afternoon of Sunday, March 28. I need for each of you in the 93, 94 and 95 to let your age group administrator know by Sunday, January 17 if you would participate in these March games. Please also copy me on the email. I know that in these age groups you are also in your high school season, but by leaving on Saturday morning instead of Friday night, hopefully we will avoid many of the high school soccer conflicts. The cost of this event is still being calculated, but should be no more than $200, and may not even be that much.
As for the $55 fee you have paid for the subregion games, you have a couple of options. It can now be applied to the March ODP games or region camp, or you can request a refund. Please let your age group administrator know which it will be. Do not call Tara at this time.
We had already received the ODP event t-shirts. If anyone would still like their t-shirt that they pre-ordered, or if anyone that did not pre-order wants one, let me know. They will be $7 for the short sleeve and $10 for the long sleeve.
If you have any questions, please let us know. Again, I apologize we had to cancel. I know the girls will be disappointed, as am I and the rest of the members of the ODP Committee and Georgia Soccer.
Thanks,
Melissa Brooks


Couple of things: One is why is SC ODP not going to ODP college showcase in March in AL? Two it cost GA ODP player $55 for Subregional?

Wow Georgia has good teams and charges $55. South Carolina charges $225 for the same tournament. That's a big difference.

I was looking at the boys ODP schedule for Winston Salem. It seems all the teams are only playing two games each...one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Is this the norm? I thought they played three games to get a better look. Hope the coaches have a good eye for talent. Is this a result of taking so many teams? The 96's have three and the 97's have 4. Is this really necessary?

The LAST(thrid of the day) schedule I got has each team playing three games. Two Saturday and one Sunday.

Might want to consider bus fees and hotel fees in that price. Just saying.

And wasnt that for the girls who were hosting the event. I would doubt GA pays $55 to go to NC for the weekend.

No Idea.

There are two teams of 97s and three teams of 96s here. Each group will play 3 matches

Are you complaining about a cost difference of $12? Surely you're not.

Anyone have any results from the boys?

94 boys SC1 lost 4-2 to VA1
94 boys SC2 tied 0-0 (not sure who they played)

second game 94 boys SC1 defeated NC1 3-1

any other scores?

Let me simplify this for all:

Why was there a need for anyone to stay in a hotel at all - regardless of where one lives?

Delta, what costs are you alluding to?

"the cost to SCYSA to move the event to Greenville may actually be greater".

The event was cancelled..That happens..We can not control the weather..What was a sub regional event turned into an overnight training session or round robin games.

The boys are headed home. I'm wondering if given the choice, how many would have preferred to play in those conditions. How many parents who went up there are regretting the decision?

I traveled to Winston Salem to watch the games. It was cold but it is cold every year. There were less players there this year which can be attributed to the academy pull and I heard that Georgia teams didn't travel due to the weather. I may be incorrect on that. Still another opportunity to play soccer and for the 94 Boys another chance to prepare and play together before their trip to Lousiana for the ODP Regional Championships.

Coldhardtruth, the Subregional event was cancelled but not SC's final weekend of tryouts, where all players and coaches are brought together for a weekend of games, training, meetings, etc. used for player evaluation and selection to those SC ODP teams that will participate in the Regional ODP tryouts in July. This tryout event is similar to what the players selected will experience at Regional tryouts. From Friday night registration until players are released on Sunday the teams stay together... without parents. Schedules for meetings, games, training, etc. are subject to change. No problem... everyone affected is staying right there together.

RECCOS, the costs I'm alluding to are those directly associated with housing, feeding, and transporting to and from fields 168 players (girls side only) participating in the tryouts.

Some of the states attending the the subregional games may be using the games as training as those states may already have completed their selection process. Some of the states like SC may be using the games as a venue for their final tryout event. That event for SC was not cancelled. It was moved to Greenville without the advantage of being able to evaluate the players competing against the players from the other states.

Were there any players cut from the first tryouts?
Since sub regionals were cancelled..Was a weekend of games against each other necessary? I would bet most involved have had the experience of a regional weekend..
If this is what it takes to have ALL the age groups have a more standardized training..I am all for it but I don't see all the teams coming together to train for a weekend as the norm

I don't know the number of players attending the first tryouts to know how many may have been cut. Maybe someone can get that information from SCYSA.

Usually the state selects 30-36 players in each age group to participate in the final tryouts. Obviously, if only 25 players in an age group from the entire state register for tryouts, you might not have players cut before final tryouts. If hundreds or thousands (as you might have in some states) register for tryouts, players will be cut. (That difference in numbers may be part of the reason states like GA and NC have more money available to send players to events like the subregionals without passing the cost on to the players attending.)

SC used to have 3 tryout events beginning with a district tryout. Players surviving district tryouts would gather for state tryouts to select the 30-36 players that would attend the final weekend of tryouts to determine the 18 player state roster plus alternates. I can remember 60+ players at an upstate district tryout the last year district tryouts were conducted. These days it seems a major achievement to get 50 players statewide in an age group for initial tryouts.

As far as previous experience at this type of event is concerned my guess is half of the 93's attending have never attended region camp (lot of new faces), and a number of those have probably never attended this event. This is the introduction year for the 97's, so they've never attended, and I believe the 96's have only gone as far as the June subregional camp in Spartanburg. After this weekend nearly half of the players attending will be cut, except the 93's. Their next list will probably be sorted to team and alternates.

For the youngest age group this event used to mark the end of the ODP experience for the year. It wasn't until 6 or 7 years ago, when the June subregional in Spartanburg was created, that the youngest group continued to train together through Spring. BTW, I believe the creation of the June event was a result of the youngest groups not being able to get together for the January games as a result of cancellations due to weather. SC was covered in ice that weekend.

Bringing all of the age groups together and putting them up in a hotel for the weekend event is not the norm for training. Normally, after the selection process each team trains seperately based on schedules determined by the coach of each team. (As to whether those schedules represent getting your money's worth from ODP, that would be a whole other discussion.) However, for the 7 years my children have participated in the process, the final weekend of tryouts as conducted this past weekend has always been a part of the SC ODP selection process.

There was more going on this past weekend than just getting together for training.

Why so many new faces in the 93 group? This group should have four or so years under their belts..
Two years removed from the process but thanks for the information.

Don't really know. It's not uncommon to see lower numbers in the oldest age group for whatever the usual reasons may be. On top of that, the 93's have been through several coaches over the last four years. They went through three coaches the middle two years. Perhaps the turnover rate lost some of the players along the way. I think only three or four of the 93's participating this past weekend have been involved since the first year with most of the returning players only being together a year or two.

This will be the first year they have a returning coach, Coach Miller, who has been doing a great job with the team. Maybe that stability has attracted new players. I hope they have a great final year together and wish them well in Alabama.

We were there for all the coaching changes..My child played two and a half years and had enough.I am glad that Coach Miller came back and is doing a great job..The handful that stuck it out deserve some stable consistant coaching.

DD... the 96s actually went to camp this past summer and the 97s are the one that went to subregionals. This past year ODP camp added an additional birth year.

So for this coming year I believe 97s will be the youngest age group in summer camp and 98s will be in the subregionals

Some of the oldest girls have already committed. If they have committed & don't feel that they have a shot at making the region pool, I can see why some of them would forgo that last year of ODP.

DD... maybe it is because it is the trial year and they do not post a team. I do not know

DD - My understanding is that the 98's are a developmental group. They don't cut anyone.

98's = have check will play. One reason for my ODP struggles.

We have girls that compete to just play on their own club team. What is the purpose of accepting everyone that is able to pay?

Many of the clubs have trainers that are comparable to any ODP coach

As an example, my girls can see any one of 4 trainers every week:
Temoc Suarez,a Charleston Southern GK coach,
a Citadel Asst Coach and now ODP assistant, or
a mix of former and current Battery players

Still watching
98 Luna-Chicks

My daughter's ODP experience has been very positive from the start (94 age group). She has enjoyed every minute of it. Is she getting anything out of it? Yes. If not, we would not continue to do it.

Another thing about ODP is that the kids have to compete out of their comfort zone. Too many kids are afraid to step out of the friendly confines of their club teams. Great way meet and develop frienships with other players from around the state.

chelseafan - Great point. I agree 100%.

We are only 2 years into the ODP experience, and it has been well worth it for us so far.

Here's how you fix ODP. Let the top 3 clubs in the state run it together. You would then have the top players in the state participating because the clubs would put pressure on the club members to be in it. Out of 15 premier players on my daughters club team only 3 are participating in ODP and our club could care less if their in it or not. My daughter has met some great friends in ODP, but the top players in the state are not in it, and ODP should be about the best players in the state participating. Our club has had to do it's own combine and participate in ECNL to get our players looked at. Bottom line is that ODP needs to be run by soccer people , not administrative people.

As long as there is interest in ODP..meaning enough people are willing to participate..nothing will change..The last four years have proven that..If you want change in the system STOP participating in what's now being offered..Send a message and change will happen..If you choose to participate in what's being offered...stop complaining and live with it..

LeGrazie, your correct, what was I thinking. Our wonderful state is just about last everything and the leader in nothing. Who would ever bring up a terrible idea of working together (like most states)to accomplish a good thing. I must of been thinking out of the box on that one. I'm sorry it won't happen again.

Who are the top 3 clubs in SC? How do you define it? And are they the same as 3-5 years ago?

CESA, obviously, is one. And today.....Columbia United is a second. CUFC wasn't a player 3-5 years ago tho.

Who is number 3? Bridge? Mount Pleasant? Coast? Why not Discoveries? Who else has a national champion and a complex like Manchester?

I don't like the idea.....the clubs need to quit worrying about what someone else does...and start trying to do a better job of what they are tasked with, which is developing players.

The state needs to do a much better job of organizing. My suggestions:

1. Work with the clubs to coax more players into the process.

2. Allow younger kids to play up into the youngest age group. Not sure the youngest age group now....but when the 93's were the youngest age group, my 94 son wanted to try out and he was not allowed to.

3. There should be a second tryout prior to the sub regional. No cuts until after subregional.

4. Team should not be named after subregional. Make some cuts....but each age group needs to train once a month in Feb and March. Pick a Sunday and put it on the calendar. Do a 2 hour training session in the am and then play games/scrimmage in the afternoon. Team can be announced at that point, with a handful of alternates.

5. Coordinated training with different age groups, so scrimmaging can take place.

6. Hire good coaches. College coaches are "sexy" but they don't have exclusivity to quality training. Get good coaches and then get a committment that they will be at training and events. Missing something once in a blue moon is understandable.....a pattern of missed events is not acceptable.

7. After team is selected, continue to train and scrimmage at least once a month in April and May. June should accelerate training to prepare for regionals.

If the state puts in structure and hires good coaches....and if the clubs work on developing players and supporting the process....my guess is things would improve.

Very good analysis and some good ideas. I think North Carolina handles their selection process this way. Getting the clubs to "buy in" and encourage their players to participate is interesting. In a perfect world....the perfect solution.

What about cost? I suggested a couple of years ago that the clubs should sponsor the players for ODP. Such as collect an extra fee from all players and then have coaches nominate players for tryouts. I know extra moneys the clubs would need to charge. However, it would be more of an honor with the coaches nominating rather than allowing anyone with money (and connections) to get in. We have aged out of ODP now but gave up on it a couple of years ago because of the politics involved with such heavy fees.

It has to be worthwhile..How do you get the best players to come out and keep coming back each year? Make it worthwhile..

Yeah some might. But the guys who are professional coaches, not just dads.......probably wouldn't do that a lot. If they pump up a kid and he's just average doesn't that call their judgement/credibility into question?

A lot of the soccer guys I know are very prideful and would hate to look like an idiot.

And maybe the questions can be geared towards other teams kids. In other words.....the ODP coach doesn't talk to the club coach about that coaches kids, but about specific kids that he's coached against over the course of the season.

Like that idea better - just not sure that most coaches know many opposing players by name with the exception of the top 3 or 4 on a team. Expecially at the younger ages - the older age groups have likely faced each other for years and that may be easier to do.