Is ODP Worth it?

[Unregistered]

Care to elaborate????

You do not have to do the ODP course if your club/coach is getting you in the tournaments, if not ask why, a change may be needed. Sure it has its good points but not till around the 9th grade, pretty much a waste or toot your horn thing. The coaching is so mediocre its laughable and the practice time is even more idiotic. Some players that have that Special something to go to the next level are few, but as way to get extra field time its OK but spendy. My children did it and both thought it was a waste of time, and am hearing the same on both sides as the Timbers have taken over and has not improoved a thing except the price. Most of these ODP teams would be beaten by the top club teams 2 out of 3 times.

[Unregistered]

Care to elaborate????

Just stay tuned.

[Unregistered]

Just stay tuned.

Cmon give us a hint. Play fair

[Thattman]

Funny

I have been a long time supporter of ODP. My DD participated up until this year when she chose to try ECNL. As it turned out ODP tournaments and training conflicted with ECNL making it only possible to attend the regional championship. It came down to an issue of time and money so we decided it was not worth it this year. Even so, I am not aware of any other avenue currently available to Oregon female soccer players that will get you noticed (outside our lovely state) as ODP has the potential to. ODP was very good to my DD and as such I believe it was worth it.

I truly hope that the ODP system can remain a resource for other young athletes who desire to play at a higher level. I do believe that it has become somewhat cost prohibitive for some and I am not speaking of the $350 per year fee to participate rather I am talking about the cost to travel with ODP. This is unfortunate because it can (not always) erode some of the talent at the older ages. Last year we spent almost $4000 traveling with ODP, ODP regional, ODP national camp and so forth. That is alot of money and quite simply not an option for all players. So, if I could change one thing about ODP it would be to make it more affordable to the masses.

That's funny , I have the same story, my DD was forced to make a decision this year on ODP or ECNL but it only became an issue when they announced the state pool tournament was the same weekend we have league games in N. Cal. And ODP would not allow that as an excused absence, which is fine but we already paid the training fees this year and bought the uniform kit. we choose the ECNL route also. I think that the exposure you receive with ECNL is just as if not greater than what you will get through ODP. Throw in the ID camps, I think it's the right decision. I also agree that ODP is a great avenue for these players if that is the one that suits them. ODP regionals is how we ended up on ECNL. Good luck to you and your DD.

[Unregistered]

You do not have to do the ODP course if your club/coach is getting you in the tournaments, if not ask why, a change may be needed. Sure it has its good points but not till around the 9th grade, pretty much a waste or toot your horn thing. The coaching is so mediocre its laughable and the practice time is even more idiotic. Some players that have that Special something to go to the next level are few, but as way to get extra field time its OK but spendy. My children did it and both thought it was a waste of time, and am hearing the same on both sides as the Timbers have taken over and has not improoved a thing except the price. Most of these ODP teams would be beaten by the top club teams 2 out of 3 times.

IMHO, you don't do RTC for the training, or for the uniform. : - )

You do it for the chance at making the state team. MAYBE at that point it will be worthit.

[OrSoccerMom]

My DD is now a college sophomore. When she went to national camp, tournaments, etc., it was entirely paid for by them. Not so any more?

Those days are over!!!!

[OrSoccerMom]

That's funny , I have the same story, my DD was forced to make a decision this year on ODP or ECNL but it only became an issue when they announced the state pool tournament was the same weekend we have league games in N. Cal. And ODP would not allow that as an excused absence, which is fine but we already paid the training fees this year and bought the uniform kit. we choose the ECNL route also. I think that the exposure you receive with ECNL is just as if not greater than what you will get through ODP. Throw in the ID camps, I think it's the right decision. I also agree that ODP is a great avenue for these players if that is the one that suits them. ODP regionals is how we ended up on ECNL. Good luck to you and your DD.

ODP regional is how my DD ended up in ECNL too. Good luck to your DD!!!

[Unregistered]

My DD is now a college sophomore. When she went to national camp, tournaments, etc., it was entirely paid for by them. Not so any more?

Yep, times are a changing. With the reduction in revenue to OYSA from the departure of the OPL teams/clubs, the program needed to stand on it's own (pay to play). Then you have the Timbers muscling in on only the very top level of training/play and OYSA hands em the ODP program. MP/GW/Timbers are not a 501C3. They are in business, to be in business and make money. They know that once they have a product that has no competition, they are basically free to set the market place value, until which time that only a select few can participate and they frankly dont care one way or another. More players = more coaches = more teams = more profit.

If you could go back and look at all those original threads that spoke of the ramifications of their departure, one such impact immediately was ODP.

You got the Comp group saying they dont want Rec to have any say so in what they do. You got Rec saying they dont want to pay for ODP, but do want coaching clinics for free.

ODP fees were based upon a certain number of participants in all OYSA sanctioned activities (Top Soccer, ODP, Rec, Comp, Premier, etc.). Some of those revenues were spread across a number of different programs and services offered by OYSA (free coaching clinics, reduced ODP costs, ODP scholarships, etc.).

Many can sit here and point fingers at OYSA and blame them for the all the troubles we now are facing. They were fat with staff/overhead and because there was no alternative, we thought their offerings were degraded, antiquated and slow to react.

Then the OPC/OPL raises its hand and says "Come with us. We will do it better and it will cost less. We are the experts and we will show you how things should be done"

Well it's 4 years later and I have not seen any reduction in costs whats so ever to play premier soccer. I dont see the OPC/OPL having anything to do with an increase in fields, playing surfaces and quality of referees to make the game better, nor scheduling timeliness. The same coaches were around then, as they are today and the cost of ODP has risen by 30+ %.

Just my $.02 today.

[Unregistered]

Cmon give us a hint. Play fair

maybe next week

[Unregistered]

maybe next week

Youre full of it. You dont know jack

[Unregistered]

Yep, times are a changing. With the reduction in revenue to OYSA from the departure of the OPL teams/clubs, the program needed to stand on it's own (pay to play). Then you have the Timbers muscling in on only the very top level of training/play and OYSA hands em the ODP program. MP/GW/Timbers are not a 501C3. They are in business, to be in business and make money. They know that once they have a product that has no competition, they are basically free to set the market place value, until which time that only a select few can participate and they frankly dont care one way or another. More players = more coaches = more teams = more profit.

If you could go back and look at all those original threads that spoke of the ramifications of their departure, one such impact immediately was ODP.

You got the Comp group saying they dont want Rec to have any say so in what they do. You got Rec saying they dont want to pay for ODP, but do want coaching clinics for free.

ODP fees were based upon a certain number of participants in all OYSA sanctioned activities (Top Soccer, ODP, Rec, Comp, Premier, etc.). Some of those revenues were spread across a number of different programs and services offered by OYSA (free coaching clinics, reduced ODP costs, ODP scholarships, etc.).

Many can sit here and point fingers at OYSA and blame them for the all the troubles we now are facing. They were fat with staff/overhead and because there was no alternative, we thought their offerings were degraded, antiquated and slow to react.

Then the OPC/OPL raises its hand and says "Come with us. We will do it better and it will cost less. We are the experts and we will show you how things should be done"

Well it's 4 years later and I have not seen any reduction in costs whats so ever to play premier soccer. I dont see the OPC/OPL having anything to do with an increase in fields, playing surfaces and quality of referees to make the game better, nor scheduling timeliness. The same coaches were around then, as they are today and the cost of ODP has risen by 30+ %.

Just my $.02 today.

My DD is toward the end of all this so I don't particularly have a dog in the fight. She did ODP and thought it was good for the most part, though a bit costly. She did enjoy the level of play, her teammates, and the coaches. What is troublesome to me is that with the split there is nothing to replace it. OPL/OPC do not encourage ODP and there has been an obvious increase in costs for ODP as a result of the split. ID2 is not a replacement - apples to oranges.

So the ODP program got watered down and the opportunities for the younger players is more limited - at least on the girls' side. ECNL is definitely a nice alternative, but that is limited to about 8 or so girls at this point. Also, ECNL is not a state team, which our DD actually enjoyed.

I do believe there is a place for ODP - excellent competition (even with the loss of some players), decent cost for the most part, good (maybe not great) coaching, and an opportunity to move up. It certainly is not the sole place to be seen by college coaches, but it is a nice complementary program. Until OPC and US Club present an alternative program, I think it has an awful lot of value.

[Unregistered]

Youre full of it. You dont know jack

Nice hook, buy your missing the bait, nor the experience to land a BIG one like me. Just stay tuned here and around the camp fire.....or just wait for the fireworks

[Unregistered]

Youre full of it. You dont know jack

Now unlike the famous FC/THUSC Merger thread and all it's BS posts, I do know lil something about this subject. There are plans in the works at this time.

[Unregistered]

You do not have to do the ODP course if your club/coach is getting you in the tournaments, if not ask why, a change may be needed. Sure it has its good points but not till around the 9th grade, pretty much a waste or toot your horn thing. The coaching is so mediocre its laughable and the practice time is even more idiotic. Some players that have that Special something to go to the next level are few, but as way to get extra field time its OK but spendy. My children did it and both thought it was a waste of time, and am hearing the same on both sides as the Timbers have taken over and has not improoved a thing except the price. Most of these ODP teams would be beaten by the top club teams 2 out of 3 times.

There is no way a top club team would beat ODP on the boys side. That is just false. The one time I saw a scrimmage with a top club team it was 5-0 at the half. I sometimes wonder if the boys side drew more talent given the channel that boys have into the Academy and potentially MLS. Maybe with the Thorns that will change.

[Unregistered]

There is no way a top club team would beat ODP on the boys side. That is just false. The one time I saw a scrimmage with a top club team it was 5-0 at the half. I sometimes wonder if the boys side drew more talent given the channel that boys have into the Academy and potentially MLS. Maybe with the Thorns that will change.

The problem as I see it, the Timbers have probably caused as much damage (in the short time theyve been around) to their "elite" program on the girls side, that they might not ever recover. Until their is a clear and precise channel to the pros for the girls, Im afraid anything the Timbers do that looks, smells or tastes anything like their doing today will just flounder.