ODP - worth it or not?

[Unregistered]

Before there was ECNL and DA, there was ODP. It dates back to the 70’s. The “O” stands for Olympic. ODP always was just a marketing gimmick shakedown of parents who were gullible enough to be wooed by the word “Olympic” in relation to their kids. As in “wow my kid made ODP and is good enough to play in the Olympics”. To a certain extent ECNL has used the same marketing gimmick and has preyed upon the same weakness in parents only instead of using Olympic as a hook, it is D1 college. There just meaningless letters and acronyms that have zero relationship with your kids soccer ability and everything to do with how gullible you are and willing you are to write a check.

Playing ODP in the late 1980's and 90's was a great way for a higher level player to be seen by coaches outside their community. Back in that time period college coaches coached ODP, and the also the regional and national teams. Today, ECNL and DA have replaced ODP as a way to be seen by college coaches. Unless playing in front of 40 to 80 college coaches at DA or ECNL national events is meaningless, then yeah, it's just meaningless letters...

[Unregistered]

Playing ODP in the late 1980's and 90's was a great way for a higher level player to be seen by coaches outside their community. Back in that time period college coaches coached ODP, and the also the regional and national teams. Today, ECNL and DA have replaced ODP as a way to be seen by college coaches. Unless playing in front of 40 to 80 college coaches at DA or ECNL national events is meaningless, then yeah, it's just meaningless letters...

So you at least agree that today ODP is worthless. I’d like to clarify my comments about ECNL. I do think there is some value to it if your kid plays for a top club, but if your kid plays for a bottom of the barrel ECNL club like Delco or Bucks it is pretty worthless. Hard to imagine 40-80 coaches watching a Bucks or Delco team play when PDA has two teams playing on adjacent fields.

[Unregistered]

So you at least agree that today ODP is worthless. I’d like to clarify my comments about ECNL. I do think there is some value to it if your kid plays for a top club, but if your kid plays for a bottom of the barrel ECNL club like Delco or Bucks it is pretty worthless. Hard to imagine 40-80 coaches watching a Bucks or Delco team play when PDA has two teams playing on adjacent fields.

Both my children played ecnl and one of them is playing D1 now. They didn’t do ODP. College coaches watch all the games at these showcases. It doesn’t really matter the ecnl club per say. My son didn’t play for the best club or team but still got tons of exposure just being on an ecnl team and now plays D1 soccer.

[Unregistered]

So you at least agree that today ODP is worthless. I’d like to clarify my comments about ECNL. I do think there is some value to it if your kid plays for a top club, but if your kid plays for a bottom of the barrel ECNL club like Delco or Bucks it is pretty worthless. Hard to imagine 40-80 coaches watching a Bucks or Delco team play when PDA has two teams playing on adjacent fields.

I do not think odp is required anymore but if you want even a sniff from D1 schools then Ecnl or DA is a MUST. It’s a prerequisite now. I wouldn’t get hung up on top ecnl or bottom ecnl team as they all get looked at by a large amount of colleges at the showcases and various ecnl events. Ecnl is the best league in the country for girls and DA is the best on the boys side.

[Unregistered]

Both my children played ecnl and one of them is playing D1 now. They didn’t do ODP. College coaches watch all the games at these showcases. It doesn’t really matter the ecnl club per say. My son didn’t play for the best club or team but still got tons of exposure just being on an ecnl team and now plays D1 soccer.

Didn't know your son could play in ECNL. Must be one of those
transgender thingy. My sympathies....

[Unregistered]

I do not think odp is required anymore but if you want even a sniff from D1 schools then Ecnl or DA is a MUST. It’s a prerequisite now. I wouldn’t get hung up on top ecnl or bottom ecnl team as they all get looked at by a large amount of colleges at the showcases and various ecnl events. Ecnl is the best league in the country for girls and DA is the best on the boys side.

Aren’t there plenty of girls from regular clubs going D1?

[Unregistered]

Aren’t there plenty of girls from regular clubs going D1?

Not top D1 but #150 and below in D1 rankings?

[Unregistered]

Not top D1 but #150 and below in D1 rankings?

False. ODP is still worth it and still gest a good amount of top coaches. Plus you can travel abroad if you want with your state organization and if you get chosen for the Regional team, can play in some great international tourneys. Coaches still like that.

http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org...ional/coaches/
A lot of top 100 schools too (Princeton, ND, Fl/Gators, Missouri, Louisville, VT, Vandy). Oh, yea of little faith. And, not all college coaches register. Some are coaches of teams as well. And the coaches know all the college coaches as some coach in college, too. It's another small soccer recruiting cell to tap into.

And, I disagree with the previous poster. You don't NEED to do ECNL and GDA. If you want FSU, UNC, Stanford, sure. But we are talking about the majority of kids. And there are many kids that play ECNL and GDA that don't get DI offers and are playing DII and DIII.

If you are considering ODP, check it out. If you don't like it then move on.

[Unregistered]

False. ODP is still worth it and still gest a good amount of top coaches. Plus you can travel abroad if you want with your state organization and if you get chosen for the Regional team, can play in some great international tourneys. Coaches still like that.

http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org...ional/coaches/
A lot of top 100 schools too (Princeton, ND, Fl/Gators, Missouri, Louisville, VT, Vandy). Oh, yea of little faith. And, not all college coaches register. Some are coaches of teams as well. And the coaches know all the college coaches as some coach in college, too. It's another small soccer recruiting cell to tap into.

And, I disagree with the previous poster. You don't NEED to do ECNL and GDA. If you want FSU, UNC, Stanford, sure. But we are talking about the majority of kids. And there are many kids that play ECNL and GDA that don't get DI offers and are playing DII and DIII.

If you are considering ODP, check it out. If you don't like it then move on.

Sorry, here's the link (2018 event)

http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org...ional/coaches/

[Unregistered]

Not top D1 but #150 and below in D1 rankings?

Aren't there kids that did ECNL and GDA that are also on #150 or below DI ranking college teams? Just wearing a league name doesn't get you an automatic in anywhere. It's the kid not the badge.

[Unregistered]

Aren't there kids that did ECNL and GDA that are also on #150 or below DI ranking college teams? Just wearing a league name doesn't get you an automatic in anywhere. It's the kid not the badge.

Its a HUGE leg up when your child is playing ECNL / DA (regardless of which ecnl/da club) because these leagues are top leagues in the country. Colleges recruit from these showcases. The players are playing on a stage in these leagues that no other league provides.

I think odp is an ok option if not playing ecnl/da.

I agree ecnl league is best in country for girls while da is best for boys.

[Unregistered]

Sorry, here's the link (2018 event)

http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org...ional/coaches/

This just isn't true anymore. ODP is dead. If you play ECNL or GDA you get way more bang for your buck and it's been this way for years. The coaching at EPA ODP is bad!

[Unregistered]

Didn't know your son could play in ECNL. Must be one of those
transgender thingy. My sympathies....

ECNL has boys and girls now.

[Unregistered]

Its a HUGE leg up when your child is playing ECNL / DA (regardless of which ecnl/da club) because these leagues are top leagues in the country. Colleges recruit from these showcases. The players are playing on a stage in these leagues that no other league provides.

I think odp is an ok option if not playing ecnl/da.

I agree ecnl league is best in country for girls while da is best for boys.

West coast parent here. I have to disagree with you. The club does matter,
even with ECNL or GDA. If your team is weak, they will never make it to
the national playoffs where the coaches will be watching. There are
showcases, but they are matched to relative strength. Of course, coaches
recruit players, not clubs. But being on a good team is alot easier to be
discovered versus being an excellent player on a bad team.

My dd is on relatively bad ECNL team, if you compared to the PDA or
Slammers. She does ODP and CSP (formerly PDP) and she has to
work extra hard to be noticed. Moving to another club means joining
GDA which she will not give up hs school. So, this is how it is.

[Unregistered]

West coast parent here. I have to disagree with you. The club does matter,
even with ECNL or GDA. If your team is weak, they will never make it to
the national playoffs where the coaches will be watching. There are
showcases, but they are matched to relative strength. Of course, coaches
recruit players, not clubs. But being on a good team is alot easier to be
discovered versus being an excellent player on a bad team.

My dd is on relatively bad ECNL team, if you compared to the PDA or
Slammers. She does ODP and CSP (formerly PDP) and she has to
work extra hard to be noticed. Moving to another club means joining
GDA which she will not give up hs school. So, this is how it is.

This is simply not true. My son who’s team never made the ecnl playoffs still got D1 offers and is playing d1 currently. How did that happen then? They get noticed at the showcases and playing at the highest level in the country.

I think odp is fine. It can help get you child noticed if they don’t play ecnl or da. If they are on a local team playing in the other leagues then odp is great.