2011-2012 Timbers Academy/ODP (part 1)

[Unregistered]

My understanding based on looking at FIFA and MLS rules for player development is that the whole motivation behind the DA is not this charitable notion of let everyone play for free, rather the DAs are trying to create home grown players. With a home grown player you do not have to draft them, and they may be exempt from the Salary cap.

The second portion MLS is banking on is transfer fees. If you transfer one player to a big European club for several million dollars you have covered the cost of your youth academy. There is an often overlooked FIFA rule that states that on order to charge a transfer fee the player must have never paid to play with his current club. This is why MLS is pushing all the teams to have DA's. It is a corporate decision.

Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but call it what it is. I would be surprised to see them care about college or GPAs, etc. They are looking to develop a workforce. For the 20-30 at an age group this may be life-changing, or they could wash out at 19, poor grades, no focus on college etc...huge opportunities usually accompany huge risks. Be sure you are aware of both.

What will be different then regular club/ODP will be year round training with the top players as well as consistent tough competition in meaningful games. What will be the same is the players and parents will have to continue their focus on academics so college is an option if the parent, or another club does not sign you to a contract. That will not change. It's up to the families to see to their kid's academic education; it's up to the Academy to see to their soccer education.

[Unregistered]

And what about the girls?

There isn't a WPS team near us. Most people don't even know the Portland Rain exist.

Who is going to step up and promote the top end of girls soccer in Oregon?

[Unregistered]

My understanding is that the girls side will need to rely on the ODP program as it exists. I have heard rumors that the OPL will start its own ODP program and there may be a club that will make a run at the ECNL. I can't imagine the academy model coming out of the OPL because it would canabalize their teams (ie some of the best players would be gone). There is no change for girls and if the OPL does start its own ODP program or puts together a select team in an attempt to minimize ODP participation then I dont see it as a good thing for those girls that have been successful in ODP. We will have to wait and see. IN the mean time each parent is on their own in finding opportunities for their girl players.

[Unregistered]

Little more clarity

in a complicated jigsaw effort by OYSA and their ODP arm.

If your boy is a birth year 98 or 99 then the Regional Training Centers (Vancouver Wa./Eastside (ESUFC/ Westside (WSM)/ Eugene/ Medford & Bend) might pass the litmus test as a 'feeder' to future Timbers USDA Academy teams. These centers will train once a week on Sunday's within the framework of the OPL playing calander. Hopefully it's free of charge for these sessions and can serve as a model to attract the best and the brightest youngstes from this geographic regions. Coaching at these will not be a big draw for participants due to the limited budget the OYSA ODP has to spend on ODP Staff. Evaluation will be key. Unless the Timbers supplement the pay of the RTC staff.

Older birth year boys 97, 96 & 95 only have the same O sam O Oregon ODP teams to play with until late 2012. If the ODP program wants to gain crediblity please be honest with these prospective older aged players in these age groups and tell them that by wearing the Timbers jersey/this year this in no way translates into any actual placement on the USDA teams when they arrive. Or does it actually improve or hurt there chances. It's simply a branding effort to improve a program that has been gutted by the USDA across the country. Especially since the 95's will have little if any presence in the future USDA Timbers due to there status a HS seniors in year one of the USDA.

Identification is the challenge for the USDA Timbers moving forward. For good or bad they(Timbers) have a short term marriage with the OYSA/ODP.. no fault of the timbers--the oysa has suffered a massive exodous of players and clubs from with the formation of the OPL as a result they (OYSA) have no budget or quality staff to pull off this gigantic exercise.

For the good of the game hopefully the OPL can help the OYSA out in there shoestring efforts of player identification without charging families just to wear a timbers uniform.

It's always nice to dream.

[Unregistered]

Clarity would be Nice

Is involvement with ODP really necessary to be given fair consideration when the academy comes together. My suspicion is the answer will be no; but as a practical matter, the answer is yes. And, yes, there are players out there who could be on ODP that chose not to be.

[Unregistered]

And, yes, there are players out there who could be on ODP that chose not to be.

I apologize, but I cringe every time I hear this type of statement. Being on a team involves many things. Certainly skill is high on the list, but there is also the commitment to being a part of the team, If you choose not to be, then you exclude yourself, and you cannot be on the team. To be on the team, you need the ability, the desire, the discipline and the focus, absent any of these, you are not on the team.

As parents It is important we teach our kids to understand this. How many of us as adults want to be the person who says "Oh I could have been a doctor but I chose not to" Or "I could have been an astronaut but I chose not to"

[Unregistered]

That's Ok

I apologize, but I cringe every time I hear this type of statement. Being on a team involves many things. Certainly skill is high on the list, but there is also the commitment to being a part of the team, If you choose not to be, then you exclude yourself, and you cannot be on the team. To be on the team, you need the ability, the desire, the discipline and the focus, absent any of these, you are not on the team.

As parents It is important we teach our kids to understand this. How many of us as adults want to be the person who says "Oh I could have been a doctor but I chose not to" Or "I could have been an astronaut but I chose not to"

You can cringe if you want to--that's fine. But what does that have to do with the question that was presented. It looks like the poster was looking for a specific answer without all the ODP I think the question was do you need to do ODP to be fairly considered for the academy team?

[Unregistered]

You can cringe if you want to--that's fine. But what does that have to do with the question that was presented. It looks like the poster was looking for a specific answer without all the ODP I think the question was do you need to do ODP to be fairly considered for the academy team?

I would say no, you don't need to do ODP. But you probably need to be better than everyone else and fit in with the system they're running. Will doing Timbers/ODP help younger players get better in order to make the Academy team? For some, maybe; for the best, probably not. That is the question.

[Unregistered]

Makes Sense

I would say no, you don't need to do ODP. But you probably need to be better than everyone else and fit in with the system they're running. Will doing Timbers/ODP help younger players get better in order to make the Academy team? For some, maybe; for the best, probably not. That is the question.

Hopefully the players who make the academy team are the best players. That's probably my biggest concern with ODP. There's a strong and understandable bias in favor of last years' team. You'd think that's something the Timbers would be trying to move away from and get a fresh start.

[Unregistered]

Hopefully the players who make the academy team are the best players. That's probably my biggest concern with ODP. There's a strong and understandable bias in favor of last years' team. You'd think that's something the Timbers would be trying to move away from and get a fresh start.

The Academy is a different deal altogether. Results matter. I think there will be less politics and club favoritism and more emphasis on pure talent, skill, athleticism, and fitting in with their system. I'm pretty hopeful it will not be like ODP at all. It will be a pro Academy, not a ID program.

[Unregistered]

The Academy is a different deal altogether. Results matter. I think there will be less politics and club favoritism and more emphasis on pure talent, skill, athleticism, and fitting in with their system. I'm pretty hopeful it will not be like ODP at all. It will be a pro Academy, not a ID program.

That's the issue. It doesn't look like it's being set up that way at least the beginning anyway.