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My daughter did ODP for a few years and at her young age came to the same conclusion..She played and was still unhappy with the program-the best thing she got out of it was friendships with some of the girls in state.They need better quality coaching and a more structured schedule to truly compete with Georgia,North Carolina and Tennessee. If you look at the cost involved it doesn't pay to do it in our opinion.



Pretty much had the same experience and agree. The only thing is I feel SC is "competing" with most states now as was witnessed in the regions this summer. However; I personally think that has more to do with other states putting more teams into the USSF Academy program thus less quality players playing odp than with SC getting stronger. There is no denying older age groups on the boys side took a hit because of South Carolina United. Quite frankly during the last year of our odp experience I can't say the training sessions were much different than any other average club ball training session. Some (hint - those with kids not playing USSF Academy) will tell you odp is as good a program as it ever was. Others (hint - those with kids playing USSF Academy and a lot of casual observers) will tell you the odp pool has been diluted by the Academy and thus not the program it once was. You pick. As far as being "seen" - your chances these days seem less because of the Academy on the boys side. As far as resume builder - the college coaches are on to what is going on and certainly not looking as much at odp kids as they once did. One last thing about odp that is a certainty - your experience is very much contigent on the coach you happen to be assigned - but isn't that the same with any sport?