US Youth Soccer continues to develop top talent
>
> RICHARDSON, TEXAS (September 12, 2002) - US Youth Soccer, the world's
> leading youth soccer organization and the nation's largest youth sports
> association, announces the renaming of its Olympic Development Program
(ODP)
> to "US Youth Soccer ODP". The change, which is effective immediately, is
> due in part to the U.S. Olympic Committee recently granting ODP status to
> other U.S. Soccer affiliated organizations, and will help further
> differentiate US Youth Soccer's 25-year-old elite program from others.
>
> Along with the name change, US Youth Soccer recently sought approval of a
> new ODP logo to represent the organization's program. Upon approval, the
new
> logos will be used to identify US Youth Soccer ODP teams during the
numerous
> domestic and international events and tournaments in which these teams
> compete.
>
> US Youth Soccer ODP is not only the first and original ODP program but
also
> the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major
> League Soccer and Women's United Soccer Association, as well as a majority
> of current and past national and youth team members, as alumni. And, with
> programs in all 55 State Associations as well as regional and national
> championships and participation in international tournaments, US Youth
> Soccer ODP continues to lead the way.
>
> To meet the ODP goal of identifying a pool of players in each age group
from
> which a United States National Team can be selected for international
> competition, US Youth Soccer ODP has created a time-tested and US
> Soccer-approved method of identifying and maximizing the skills of the
most
> talented soccer players in the United States.
>
> Via a selection process involving open tryouts, scouting of US Youth
Soccer
> Regional and National events and leagues and US Youth Soccer state
> association league and club play, US Youth Soccer ODP has continuously
> identified the most talented soccer players in the country.
>
> Through a program featuring interregional competitions and camps,
SNICKERS®
> US Youth Soccer Regional and National Championships, the US Youth Soccer
> adidas Cup, and the adidas US Youth Soccer Elite Soccer Program (ESP)
camps,
> US Youth Soccer ODP members receive extensive coaching and training in a
> highly competitive environment while also competing for tournament and
> national titles.
>
> Additionally, by participating in international tournaments from Asia,
> Australia, Europe and Central and South America members of the US Youth
> Soccer ODP gain invaluable competitive experience against some of the best
> competition in the world in their age group. In the last year alone, US
> Youth Soccer ODP teams have competed in Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica,
> England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Scotland, and Spain.
>
> US Youth Soccer ODP teams have also competed against some of the world's
top
> youth club teams, including Ajax Amsterdam (Holland), Ajax Cape Town
(South
> Africa) and Bayer Leverkusen (Germany), in such events as the adidas Super
> Group at the Disney Soccer Showcase.
>
> To learn more about US Youth Soccer ODP visit usyouthsoccer.org
> <http://www.usyouthsoccer.org> .
>
> US Youth Soccer-The Game for ALL Kids!® is the largest member of the
United
> States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United
States.
> US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.1 million players annually, ages 5
to
> 19, in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a
fun,
> safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.
>
> - US YOUTH SOCCER <http://WWW.USYOUTHSOCCER.ORG> -