Should I play ODP?

It is common for players and parents to ask the NH Classics coaching staff about ODP, how it works, whether it is worth it, etc., so the following information is provided.

Information on the NHODP program can be found at www.soccernh.org

NHODP is intended to be an identification program to identify the top players in NH to play on the NH state ODP team in the Region 1 ODP tournament www.region1.com held at Rider University each year, typically on the second weekend after Memorial Day Weekend in early June.  Region 1 includes states from Virginia up along the northeastern coast to Maine and each of these states sends their state ODP team to this event (some of the larger populated states send more than one team).  Players are also able to attend the Region 1 ODP camp (see the www.region1.com for dates and sites) during the summer months for additional training and play.  Through this process, the top players are selected to the Region 1 teams and national teams offered at various age groups. 

In New Hampshire, the NHODP staff is limited in their time that they can dedicate to identifying players at the club level and ODP relies on tryouts to select players.  Therefore, the NH Classics coaching staff works cooperatively to augment the efforts of the NHODP staff to identify the top players.

NHODP holds open tryouts in November and players are selected into the winter training program.   NHODP recognizes that the November tryouts and winter training program does not always draw the top players in the state during the winter period so there is an additional invitational tryout typically in early March.  During that period, NH Classics players are able to get recommendations from their coach to attend the invitational tryout for entry into the NHODP program at that time (at a slightly reduced cost).

It is also important to note that ODP uses a January 1st cutoff birthdate versus the August 1st cutoff used in club soccer.  This basically means that club players born August 1st through December 31st will play up one age group for ODP (compared to their club age).  Players born in the first part of the year, e.g. January through April as an example have an advantage in the ODP program as they will be the older players in the group.  There have been a number of studies done on this phenomenon which show national teams at U16, U17, etc., with rosters heavily weighted with players having birthdates in the months during the early part of the year.  (See the link for Relative Age Effect).  This phenomenom completely diminishes at the full national team level when players are in their 20's and fully matured.  So if your son or daughter is born in the later half of the year, don't be disappointed if they are overlooked at ODP for more physically mature or older players.  Many of the more technical (skilled) players who are physically behind and overlooked through their early years turn out to be the best players in the end.

Many NH Classics players have participated in the ODP program and have risen to high levels in the program, regional and national teams, etc., and have traveled abroad with these teams.  Many other top NH Classics players who have not participated in ODP but have also done very well going on to play at NCAA levels.  There is no clear cut path here but each player should train hard, play at high levels and get the grades in school.

NH Classics recommendation:  If you have the means, or are able to get financial aid from ODP and your son or daughter has the interest, then augmenting the strong NH Classics program with ODP team play at the Rider tournament, ODP summer camp, etc., is encouraged by the NH Classics staff.  The NH Classics staff is working with NHODP to enhance the following:

• Create a more active identfication and recruitment process to identify the best players in the state and draw them onto the state team.
• As a reward for being a top player and representing New Hampshire, work to create changes that provide a signficantly reduced fee structure to each player, e.g. $0 to a only few hundred dollars would be the ultimate goal rather than the current program of more than $1,000.
• Improve the identification and recognition of players born in the later half of the calendar year who are technically ahead but physically behind.

Certainly if you are a U13 to U15 player and one of the top players in the state, born in the first part of the year and you are able to go through the ODP process to be identified for the Region 1 ODP team pool, then you should absolutely stay with it.

If you are U16 or U17 (ODP age), you can use the ODP program in your efforts to get connected to college coaches of your choice as the ODP tournament draws many coaches to their tournament event.  Be sure to read “Playing in College" at www.nhclassics.org under “Premier and Club Teams“ so you understand the college recruitment process.

For all players whether you are selected to the Region 1 pool team or not, ODP offers another opportunity in addition to the NH Classics program to compete at higher levels of play.