Does anyone out there know how the members chosen for the Adidas ESP camp are broken down? I know some are chosen following the respective regional camps. How are the others chosen and what is the significance of being picked?
Adidas ESP is mostly basing things on ODP. If you have ever made your respective age group ODP regional pool in any year than you have a chance at being selected. Im not so sure they look at high school and club all that much though. It is basically just based on regional player caliber and above.
Not completely true ESP camp will give automatic invites to national players. Regional ODP players often get overlooked or placed on waiting lists. Not so many years ago, regional players were all invited. The last two years have been different. Teams who are high caliber and buy Adidas uniforms will get a set amount of invites per team. Many players who got full rides this year as freshmen were not in camp in 2002. You'll see the same this coming year.
Not really, i know a few guys who are not on adidas teams, or the national team,who were invited to ESP, one of which is only on the state team. So that just goes to show that it's basically just if you are on national-certain to be picked, or regional level than you DO have a high chance of being picked. But even if you are not you could still be invited. Even if you arent on an adidas team. Who knows i may be invited i was in the regional pool.
There were two different camps. One was the National Camp, which the members of the regional teams attended, some variations due to the ages and such. The ESP camp was invitational and except for a few exceptions ended up being the same players. Now it is only the ESP camp. I understand the slection process is the same as the old national camp.