SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP GYSA Unveils New Plans for ODP

GYSA seems to be taking a page from the Super Y approach to regional/national player evaluation...

From the Georgia Youth Soccer Association:

To: All League Presidents and GYSA members
From: Ray Connelly, GYSA President
CC: GYSA Board of Directors and GSSA Staff
Date: 9/11/2003
Re: Olympic Development Program

Good Morning,

As the end of my third year in office approaches, I would say that no program has fewer players, demanded more of my time and attention, and yielded the least amount of satisfaction than ODP. So I would like to share some of my thoughts and ideas about its future.

Before I begin, let say that I am not referring to an important GYSA program we have called “District Training Centers.” These centers, located in the Savannah and Tifton areas of South Georgia, will continue and hopefully expand into other areas of the state as well.

I am talking about the ODP program that has existed for 25 years and has been the vehicle or pathway taken by Georgia players who are now, or have been, on our US National Teams.

We believe that ODP, like most other youth soccer organizations in the US, has been slow to recognize and embrace the changing landscape of youth soccer and player development.

It is a program filled with mystery and intrigue.

How does it work and what does it cost? How important is it to know the right people? Are tryouts anything more than fundraisers? And how honest are we when asking for and taking money? Who sets ODP policy?

Ultimately, as your President, it is my responsibility to answer these questions and frankly I am uncomfortable with the answers I give or get - whether it’s on the state, regional, or national level.

So we are in the process of developing a program that is so transparent that answers will be easy to obtain for everyone. Mind you, I am not saying that those answers will always be the ones you want, but you will be answered as frankly and honestly as possible. Our first commitment is to offer you a program that is both open and honest. Let me also be the first to say that we have no illusions that a new program will be perfect; in fact, let me assure you that it won’t be. Mistakes will be made; but, they will not be mistakes born of self-interest or self-promotion and in the end, we believe that all those players that have a future in our National team program will be identified.

Players are developed in our club system that you and your predecessors have refined and honed in response to demand. As a result, the playing calendar has become so filled with events and games that a weekend without soccer for an elite level player is a rarity. I am not telling you that I am happy with this fact of life, just that this is the landscape faced by our very best players and one of the realities we need to consider when planning Georgia ODP. Therefore we will not identify players using a tryout system this year. We will use a combination of scouting, coach evaluations, and roundtable discussions to identify and invite those players who fall in the elite category into the program.

GYSA/GSSA will hire two part-time coaches to be responsible for each program (boys and girls) and they will work with our dedicated volunteers to insure the success of this new approach. Your club coaches have scouted and found players for years as part of their recruiting efforts and we intend to use their expertise in an advisory capacity.

In the younger age groups, we will expand the pilot program that was instituted last year to include the two youngest age groups. Players and teams will be scouted throughout the fall season, and a list of potential participants will be developed. Club coaches will be invited to meet with the ODP staff to discuss and identify a pool. These players will then be invited to compete together against club teams in a combine to insure that no one has been overlooked.

The reality is that by High School age, the coaches in an age group know the best remaining players, who have not already been chosen for residency or the National team program. I believe that working with the head coach, they are more then capable of identifying those players who may have the potential to qualify for the regional and national programs. We will try that approach this year. After a pool is identified, the players will be invited to participate in a winter competition that will be used to determine a final team.

Now, some will object that this process in which their child or their player will not have an opportunity to impress at a tryout is flawed. Time will tell, but we do not think that any elite level players will be overlooked. Additionally, I will be comfortable knowing that GYSA will not be responsible for engendering false hopes.

Finally, I feel it appropriate to speak to one final issue of player selection. While it is my experience, that most children/players are very aware of where they fit in on the skills/ability continuum those that love them often have unrealistic expectations borne of a biased opinion of their child’s ability. This has led to many irate phone calls and e-mails whenever cuts are announced. Those calls go with the territory, but personal insults and threats do not and won’t be tolerated. This program will be transparent and your complaints will be as well. Any complaints or innuendoes about a particular person will be sent to that person.

I am not a skilled enough writer to speak to every instance or situation that may arise as this program is instituted. On the other hand, I am stubborn and resolute enough to know that GYSA can and will have a fair, honest, and fiscally responsible program while identifying and promoting the very best players our club system has produced.

Carl Rosenbaum, resume attached, has agreed to serve as the Chair of our Olympic Development Program, please join me in wishing him well and supporting him as ODP in Georgia enters an exciting new phase. Perhaps I have created more questions then answers for you; If so, I can assure you that we will publish a more specific program outline next week.

Thank you,

Ray Connelly

Carl Rosenbaum
936 Virginia Circle
Atlanta, GA 30306 rosecccah@mindspring.com

Soccer Resume

USSF C License

Education:

BA, University of Arizona
M.ED, Georgia State University

Experience:

Educator with more than 20 years of experience in DeKalb County and The Paideia School.

Georgia Girls U-14 ODP Head Coach
Georgia Boys U-14 ODP Head Coach

Club Coach Georgia Juniors U-19 Boys,
Athena teams

Past member of the Board of Directors at AYSA

Current Boys and Girls Varsity Coach at The Paideia School

GHSA Girls AA/A State Champions 2000 and 2001
Boys Fall League Champion 6 times

This is what SC needs to do......get away from the political system of ODP selection. Examine the players over a period of time and not at a few mass tryouts. Most often the selection is determined by who you know and your friendships and relationships with the coaches/organizers, as well as how much money do you have. I have seen several past ODP team selections in which the coaches picked their own sons for the team. That should never be allowed!! If those coaches want to participate in ODP, they should not be allowed to coach or have anything to do with selections pertaining to their own sons/daughters. If those in charge of the selection process would visit many of the better local tournaments- Atlanta Cup, Aiken Cup, St. Giles or even spend a few weekends watching a few Premier games; then the best players will be able to show their true abilities, rather than in the political mass tryouts. The premier season, for instance, is set up so that the best teams play 2 games against high level competition back-to-back on a weekend. There is no better way to observe the best players than through match play. However, I doubt that SCYSA will consider this selection approach because they only know how to function in the political process.

SC needs to put the D back into ODP.

Does Anyone know Who will be running the program this year? Or if they intend to do anything different?

GYSA President Announces ODP REVISION
To: All League Presidents and GYSA members

From: Ray Connelly, GYSA President

cc: GYSA Board of Directors and GSSA Staff

Date: 10/27/2003

Re: Olympic Development Program

Good Day,

Six weeks ago, I wrote to you about ODP and about my desire to change it. I was concerned about the time, attention, and money that such a small program demanded. That hasn’t changed in six weeks.

It is still my belief that ODP, like most other youth soccer organizations in the US, has been slow to recognize and embrace the changing landscape of youth soccer and player development.

I have also come to understand that the players and coaches who participate in ODP aren’t looking for a change and a majority of the Board of Directors of GYSA agrees with them. So since the board did not confirm my choice for the ODP committee chair and they restored the DOC to be responsible for the coaching elements of the program, there will be no changes, other then financial administration, in the Georgia ODP program for this year.

However, because ODP has operated at a loss for the past five years ($160,000) the board has made one significant policy change. Programs that operate on zero based budgets will not be permitted to spend money that has not been collected. These programs will run on a pay as you go basis. This means that all participants will be expected to pay their share or will forfeit the right to participate. From the district to the state to the region levels, participants have been and will continue to be charged additional fees to subsidize the next level of competition. Perhaps, this will be more easily demonstrated in the documents issued by the Region III Boys ODP administrator which I have submitted to be posted on our ODP website.

An announcement of the plan for ODP will be forthcoming, and in fact has been held up until the publishing of this letter.

I am sorry for the turmoil this has created for our players and their parents, it’s now time to move forward and identify those elite players.

Thank you,

Ray Connelly

What does this have to do with SC ODP?

After the new GYSA selection process was praised above (i.e., "This is what SC needs to do...") and recommended it for emulation by the SCYSA, I thought that there might be interest in the news that due to internal strife that GYSA is going back to the type of tryout process that SCYSA uses.

Mark:

Thanks for the information.

I wish that GA had continued with their proposed changes. It would have been very interesting to watch.

Personally, I thought their propoal made sense, but then I've only had limited involvement with the ODP process (only one of my sons tried-out and he was not chosen).

Interesting reading on future of youth soccer. Any thoughts on the national club program idea??
(This article also addresses club v. high school ball.)
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/SetPieces/20030922220309/view