Illinois ODP camp value?

If she is hurting in confidence going into ODP summer camp- it'll most likely only get worse... Very intense, competitive, and in your face twice daily ratings. You don't mention her age.

If she does love the game, is in high school, and is thinking of possibly continuing to play in college- a college camp would be better. If she is a reserve on her club team or barely hanging onto a starting position- then you should try to work on her weaknesses- be it skills, saq, strength training, etc.

 

These regional camps are totally a money maker. 95 group will go up to the camp, there is no holdover camp for these guys. Regional camps, they are looking for the top 2 or 3 kids from each state. The other kids in my opinion are cattle. You should take the money and do private lessons, you would get more bang for the buck. Take 36 kids to the camp from each state? That is like 18K total, seems like a hell of a lot of money to me.

 

If this is her first year to go to the ODP regional camp, I would recommend it for the experience only. If she doesnt like it or she doesnt get a look for the Regional team, then dont go back the following year. Let her experience playing with and against some of the best in the region. Its a eye opener for some, its a real gut check for others. But let her go out there and compete. Isnt this what its all about?? Good Luck

 

I am not sure what is involved in the Illinois camp for 95's; however, for AL, GA, NC, SC, and TN there is a sub-regional camp for 95's. The cost this year for TN is $300.00, and that includes a training session before going to camp. ODP doesn't usually generate money, from all that I have heard. I am a coach and I could make more working a camp. It last from Thursday midday until Sunday midday. Meals and dormitory lodging are included and it includes training sessions and games. There is regional team staff that also does training sessions. There is also player identification for the top players for the full regional camp the following year. It is always good to receive good coaching from a different voice.

Part of the experience will depend on your daughter’s expectations and what she takes from the camp. If a player uses the camp as motivation to improve and to make a commitment to work hard to compete with the top players, it is useful. Players that haven't been playing for good coaches that can develop good technical and tactical players will be exposed to better coaching and might realize the need to play for a good coach. Finally, I think it's a good measurement of where a player is comparatively. If you ask me, this much better than any camp you could go to and you play and compete with a good number of the top players in the region. Not sure if IL works this way.

 

I agree with Jumbo, Iowa is run about the same way, the players go to a local college and spend 2 nites there training for 3 days prior to going to Regional camp. Cost is almost the same.

I really like the part about playing in front of better coaches than what you are use to, very good point. Some of these parents and players are so use to there own club coach that is all that they know, there are so many other coaches out there that can raise your players abilites.

I know a player, U16G, that made the Regional team 2 yrs ago, last yr she wasnt picked nor is she in the pool, her club coach teaches (or lacks training) long ball. This player doesnt know how to play a lick of any other brand of soccer. Sad, but true. And you cant tell the parent that she is in the wrong training enviorment. Only coach they have known. This player cant be moved from Forward to the Midfield or the back line, she is lost at any other position.

 

For anyone who ends up on this old post my daughter was on the state, regional teams and in National camp and I think it is not a good value. Even with all the extra perks she received you are much better spending your $$ on other camps and if they are interested in playing in college going to 1 and 2 day elite camps that have 15 to 20 coaches attending. These elite 1 and 2 day camps are what will get your kid recruited in the end. At least in IL don't waste your money

 

Amen... ODP is a complete waste of time and has been circling the drain for years. The top players will find themselves in the top clubs and in your case - clubs who participate in NPL and ECNL and there is always something to do for them which trumps ODP by a wide and fair margin.

That's not to say that ODP does not benefit the league only team (IWSL) which ranks in the C to AB ranks. It can have value for those players.

But maybe they should change the name from ODP ro RDP for Regional Dev Prog.

 

Our 5th u15 girls team just played Indiana's ODP team last week and lost 1-2. Frankly we should have won that game 4-1 but kept hitting the crossbar. One of their goals did not cross the line and the ref called it even though he was 20 yards off.

I think that shows where ODP is today IMO.

 

I don't know how Indiana does it, but in Ohio we are still in the district ID portion of the ODP process. There are three districts in Ohio South, each with somewhere around 30 kids in the 99 age group. They will take those 90 kids and bring it down to 18 to send to camp this summer.

No one has been cut yet in Ohio South so it wouldn't surprise me if this collection of kids didn't play well as a team. I don't think that can be an indictment against the entire ODP system, at least not at this stage.

 

ODP is what it is. There is no reason for it if your daughter is ECNL or your son is academy, they'll be found either way.
My son has done ODP off and on, and he is doing it for the last time (1997 is oldest this year for our state). It's not beyond our budget, he knows kids on the team, and it lets him play with kids his own age since he is now playing up two years on his club team.

If you are looking for a value, look elsewhere. If you are looking for something to put on your kid's soccer resume, fine, do ODP. Most colleges still ask if the player has done state or regional ODP.

As for a club team beating an ODP team, of course. Do you think Man U could beat England? Do you think most MLS teams could beat the US MNT? Club teams that have been together for years or pick the cream of the crop have nothing on state ODP teams, especially in the current downtrend where ECNL and USSF academies are destroying state ODP teams.

 

The team my daughter played on (keeper) is the 5th u15 team for the club with 2 other league teams ahead of it, an NPL team and ECNL team ahead of even them. Prior to the game against IN ODP we played the 7th ranked team in the State and from what I could tell the differences between the two were accurate in terms of the ODP being a better team and style of play.

 

I don't know how I would know the style of play from my daughter's ODP team at this point. There are two ECNL players, one of them a national pool player from last year, on the team but there are also a few players that I would think aren't even high level club. The overall style they have been teaching is a possession-oriented style.

But again, the team they select to go to regional camp in July won't be selected until late June so you can't really say anything about their quality until you know who is on it.

 

IN ODP was possession style while the 7th ranked team was simply run and dump and very physical. About right between the two teams - at least from where my expectations based on experience is concerned.

I know that even some ECNL teams are playing the run and dump in the u15 age group this year. In our division it seems like the Michigan Hawks and Sockers FC play a nice possession style as well.

Always more fun to watch.

 

Actually, I think ODP can be very helpful - if it's approached strategically. If you're depending on a "volume" approach to college recruiting (be seen by as many coaches as possible, field as many offers as possible, and then choose the best offer you receive), then there are better venues. But if you take a "targeted" approach and choose the colleges you want to target, then ODP can be very valuable - provided that the coaches of your target schools will be at regional camp.