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If I may say, this is the first year of a "new" approach to ODP, suggested (at least somewhat) by vague, general dissatisfaction with the old model. Perhaps some patience is required before program-wide consistency is achieved.

My thought would be that "younger" teams/pools should be larger, to encourage participation and to avoid "missing" anyone. Each subsequent year, the inevitable fallout and "survival of the fittest" should lead to smaller and smaller groups, until we're left with a single team of 16-18 players. ..




Well and good if this is the "new model". Let the net be cast wide and the pools be large at the young ages. I fully understand the thinking here. If this is indeed the new approach, then why not apply it to all the the young ages and to both boys and girls?

It appears that the new model is being applied selectively to the boys 98 and 96 teams but not to the boys 97 and not to the girls 98, 97 or 96 teams.

Secondarily, I still think that even if you have a large pool, that you would still select a first team to go to the regional camp rather than take 40 players...