Is ODP Worth the Time and Money?
Hey friend! We’re smack dab in the middle of the summer, which—for us—means plenty of soccer. Our second son was asked to play in a 3v3 league throughout the summer, and our oldest son is in his third season of ODP soccer, which stands for Olympic Development Program.
First of all, what is ODP? Well, according to the US Youth Soccer website, ODP is “an identifying program of choice for players and coaches with a focus on development.”
Who can play ODP? Each year, USYS holds state tryouts in the fall to identify the players who will represent their state in soccer at their age level for that soccer season. Check out this infographic on Georgia Soccer’s website for more basic information about the ODP program.
Our Experience
So, is it worth it? In short, I’d say absolutely.
Here are my top 10 reasons why ODP has been well worth the time and money we’ve invested so far:
High level training—our son has received great training in a very fast-paced environment that has upped his stamina and his skill level overall. It has exposed him to a pace-of-play and skill level that is hard to find at the local club level.
Networking—Jack has met coaches and been exposed to other members of the larger soccer community that he likely wouldn’t have met otherwise.
Versatility—part of joining the state ODP team meant that he had to change positions, because obviously not everyone can play one position! He was forced out of his comfort zone in midfield (which he plays on his club team) to play right back, making him a more versatile player.
New Friends—he now has friends who live all around our state! We run into them at club tournaments or even sometimes at school sporting events, and he enjoys catching up with these friends from the other teams.
Different Expectations—since ODP training is only once or twice a month, every practice matters a ton. The expectations are different from your local club practice, where it’s ok if you have an “off night” or maybe even need to skip for some reason. Club teams are like family; they know you and know your abilities even if you’re not showing it that night. ODP, on the other hand, is like a job. You come to play every time you step on the field, and if you don’t play well, you run the risk of losing your spot on the roster for the next game. It just is what it is; every spot is earned. Don’t get me wrong…player development is still strongly emphasized at ODP training. They just don’t have enough practices for him to waste one!
Opportunity to Play Overseas—last summer, our ODP team traveled to Greece for an amazing 8 day soccer trip that we’ll never forget! Our son started a gofundme, and within a week he had raised enough money for two plane tickets and our accommodations; I couldn’t believe it! Not all ODP teams take these international trips, but all teams get opportunities for domestic travel. In traveling to these games, our kids have seen many places around the country that we’d otherwise probably never see.
Adversity—for gifted athletes, sometimes adversity is hard to come by in their own little “bubbles.” They don’t worry about whether or not they’ll make their middle school basketball team or if they can finish that 5K you signed them up for. But being humbled by not being the most skilled player on the field builds character, and we relish opportunities for him to experience that type of adversity that will ultimately drive him to work harder. It also helps him relate better to the struggling players on his school or club teams, because now he knows what it feels like to struggle.
Confidence in Communicating on the Field—when he first started ODP, he was hesitant to vocalize on the field. However, as his soccer IQ has grown and he learned to speak up to a different group of teammates, his confidence also grew.
Exposure to Different Coaching Styles—naturally, he has had to get used to a different coach than he has on his club team. This means he is exposed to a wider base of soccer knowledge, as he learns from different coaches.
Family Memories—since we have a big family, we don’t always all go watch his ODP games. But when we do go watch him, we turn it into a nice family trip! Our younger boys love watching their older brother blaze this path, and they learn from his experiences on and off the field with his teammates. I have no doubt that we’ll all look back fondly on these years and feel that the trips were well worth our time and money!
So what about you? Does your kid play ODP soccer, and does it feel like time and money well spent? We live in the Southern region, which includes twelve states; we have lots of opportunities to play in cities around our region. Sometimes, these are pretty big tournaments and require a fair amount of prep on my part…check back for my upcoming post on what to pack for tournaments. Thanks for stopping by, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with ODP or other travel sports groups…feel free to add some comments below for your bestie in the bleachers! Also, remember to pin this post and share with the friends in your bleachers!
