What is ODP?
ODP
The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, or ODP as it is more commonly known, is a National, Regional, State and District Team Identification and Development Program for high level players. In addition, it also serves as a recruiting opportunity for college coaches.
Ohio participates in the Midwest Region for ODP.
What are the Benefits of Participating in ODP?
- Exposure to Regional and National team coaches
- The opportunity to represent one’s District, State, Region, or Country in competition
- Exposure to college coaches
- Opportunity to participate in foreign tours
- Development as a player and the opportunity to train and play with the best players in one’s age group
- Quality instruction from licensed coaches
- Quality competition. For those who are selected for the state team, games against other State Association ODP teams
How Are Players Selected?
Players are selected on the basis of open tryouts and invitations. These tryouts are conducted by state association coaches who are recognized for their ability to identify and train players with superior skills. Selection of these players is not an easy task. The state association Head Coach or State Coach will, in most cases, be assisted in the selection process by several other qualified coaches.
Players are evaluated on the four components that make up a soccer player:
- Technique
- Tactical Understanding of the Game
- Fitness and Athletic Ability
- Attitude
There are several phases in the Ohio ODP program:
2008 – 2016 Birth Years only:
- There are 6 total training dates in Phase I (ODP District Training).
- Six training dates are in November (outdoors). These are held in five separate locations around the state: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo.
- After Phase I is completed in November, 2010 – 2014 District Teams are selected and players invited back for Phase II. District Team selections will be posted on the OSA website and players notified in December.
2008 – 2009 Birth Years only:
- There are 5 total training dates in Phase I (ODP District Training).
- Four training dates are in November (outdoors) and one in March (outdoors).
- After Phase I is completed, 2008 – 2009 State Pools are selected and players invited back for Phase III. State Pool selections will be posted on the OSA website and players notified.
- Please note: there is no Phase II for the 2008 – 2009 age groups; players will be selected straight into Phase III (State Pool camp) in June. The final training session is on the same weekend in the same location as Phase II for the other ages.
2010 – 2016 Birth Years only:
- Those players selected to represent their district (2010 – 2016 birth years only) will compete in the District Festival. This is a one day tournament on March 16, 2024. All players will be ‘scrambled’ on teams playing against each other.
- After the tournament is completed, State pools are selected and players invited back for Phase III. State Pool selections will be posted on the OSA website and players notified by mid April.
2008 – 2014 Birth Years only:
- Those 2008-2014 players selected to be part of the State Pool are invited to attend the OSA ODP State Pool Camp. OSA ODP State Pool Camp is three-day residential camp held in early June.
- For age groups dividing into Older/Younger, older State Pools are players born in the months of January through June. Younger State Pools are players born in the months of July-December.
- At State Pool Camp, players will participate in training and games as well as off-field educational programming on a variety of topics such as tactics, nutrition, college recruiting, and others.
- Upon completion of the event, State Teams are selected and identified players are invited to participate in Phase IV. State Team selections will be posted on the OSA website and players notified.
- Players not selected as part of the State Team are considered alternates for all State Team events and may be contacted to participate at any time.
- State Teams will attend the Midwest Sub-Regional event and possibly others.
2015 – 2016 Birth Years only:
- There will be a one-day event for the 2015-2016 birth year players, however the day and specifics will not be available until later.
2008 – 2016 Birth Years only:
- Girls & Boys Sub-Regional event is scheduled to be at Grand Park Sports Complex, Westfield, IN.
- June 13-15, 2025
- Schedule posted mid-June 2025
2008 – 2013 Birth Years only:
- All players selected for this event will be invited directly by the Midwest ODP Regional staff.
- Players will be selected based upon prior performances in Phase I – III ODP training, Phase IV Midwest ODP Sub-Regional, and prior year’s Midwest ODP Regional Pool/Team training.
What Parents Are Saying
What Should I Do If I Am Not Selected?
Tryout the following year!
The ODP program is for youth players who are developing technically, tactically, physically and emotionally. We all develop at different ages and at different rates. For this reason, it should be noted that the ODP process is completely new each year. Our teams are filled with players who were not selected in any given age group the year before.
