PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Youth Soccer Association (OYSA) and the Portland Timbers today announced a new integrated and innovative youth development program, which will become the foundation of the state’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) and the Major League Soccer club’s youth academy. The program will provide elite youth players advanced training and competitive opportunities throughout Oregon. http://www.oregonyouthsoccer.org/st...unce-new-youth-development--academy-programs/
The article says- "The formation of the Timbers Academy teams will occur in the late Spring of 2012." This means that they won't join the USSDA competition until Fall, 2012, but that's actually pretty quick progress for a new MLS DA to get up and running.
So they figure their 96 ODP class is good enough to form an academy around? If they are fielding a USSDA team, then the ODP kids will all have to leave their clubs right?
That will be the beginning of the end of the state's best players playing ODP. It will be interesting how good there teams can be since that is a big soccer state.
