ODP Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is ODP?
Created by US Youth Soccer, the Olympic Development Program (ODP) is a developmental program intended to enhance a player’s performance and supplement the training that players are getting with their full-time club teams. ODP is not intended to replace the training and games that a player gets with their club team; it is designed to act as a supplement.
Are the players assigned to a team, or teams, based upon their skill level?
ODP players belong to a Player Pool, not a team. The only time teams are formed is if we travel to play games in an event. Players are selected for ODP events based on good standing status, ranking in their Player Pool and availability. Selections are made by the head coach of each age group according to a player's ranking in the pool from the training session evaluations.
When and where are training events held?
Training events are rotated around major metropolitan areas in South Texas on Sundays. Training events consist of two training sessions per day; one A.M. and one P.M. sesson.
Player Identification Events
When are STX ODP Player Identification Events?
Player Identification Events take place annually in August. Registration for the events can be found on our website. Further information is also shared via our Social Media pages (@stxsoccer) and email blasts.
How much does it cost to participate in a Player Identification Event and what will they entail?
Player Identification Events cost $50 and consist of two sessions designed to evaluate a player’s technical, tactical, physical, and mental ability. These sessions are held on one day with a morning session and an afternoon session. Players also receive a numbered training shirt.
How will I know if my child has been selected for STX ODP after a Player Identification Event?
Players will be notified by email and pools will be posted on our website. Please ensure that your primary email and contact information is accurate when you complete your registration to ensure receipt of the email and information. If you have not received an email within two weeks, please email Denise Churchill.
My child was in STX ODP. Does he/she have to go through the STX ODP Player Identification Event again?
Players that are selected to the STX State ODP Pool will be invited to continue their participation the following year based on performance during the cycle. As long as players remain in good standing with regard to performance, attitude, commitment and maintaining a current registration, they will continue to be invited back without attending a Player Identification Event.
My child was in STX ODP but took a year off. Does he/she have to go through a player identification event again?
Some players will be pre-selected and invited to continue their participation the following year based on performance during the previous cycle. If the pre-selected players remain in good standing regarding performance, attitude, commitment and maintaining a current registration, they will be invited back without attending a Player Identification Event. If your child was not pre-selected, he/she must go to a payer ID event but will not pay the tryout fee again.
Eligibility
How is player eligibility determined?
Eligibility for STX ODP is determined by the player’s calendar birth year, not their school year. For example, a child born in 2010 is a "2010" in STX ODP.
My child plays on a Club or Rec. Soccer team. Can he/she still participate in STX ODP? If so, how many games will he/she play?
The Olympic Development Program (ODP) is a developmental program intended to enhance a player’s performance and supplement the training that players are getting with their full-time club teams. ODP is not intended to replace the training and games that a player gets with their club team.
Players who are selected from the Player Pool will play games in events that STX ODP attends, such as Friendlies, Showcases, International Trips or Sub-Regional events where they will play around 3 games per event.
What to Expect after ODP Selection
How do we accept the offer of a place in the Player Pool and register our STX ODP player after they have been selected?
Registration instructions will be sent in the Letter of Notification via email. Players will have two weeks to accept the offer and register for the ODP Pool.
What is the cost for the STX ODP Player Pool?
The 2024/2025 Pool Fee is $350 for the entire year. Players may pay in full at the time of registration, or they may select to pay in two monthly payments. Players may apply for financial assistance by contacting Denise Churchill.
What other costs should we expect?
Selected teams will be formed from the Player Pool to attend games. Like any other soccer event, costs of attending these events will be divided by the attending group and paid for by the players.
All Training Fees must be paid in full to participate in STX ODP, and to be eligible for selection to STX ODP events. More information about the dates and locations of these events can be found on our calendar page.
Training & Teams
My son/daughter is out with an injury (i.e., torn ACL, broken arm/leg/clavicle, etc.). How do I make sure they are not dropped from STX ODP for missing training sessions?
Injuries are part of the game, and we are understanding of these situations. All that we ask is for player injuries to be communicated with documentation. Please email Denise Churchill with a copy of the player's doctor's documentation and a timeline for when they will return to play so we know when to expect them back.
Once a player makes the ODP program, what is the time commitment?
Players selected to STX ODP will be invited to register in the Player Pool and train with their age/gender group. We schedule eight double sessions per ODP cycle: 6 on Sundays and 2 Saturday and Sunday with 4 double sessions in the Fall and 4 double sessions in the Spring. Players are encouraged to attend all the training sessions, but they are not mandatory if they have a club conflict.
Sessions are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather and make-up training due to unforeseen cancellations are subject to field availability.
My child cannot make it to one of the training dates, may run late or may need to leave early. Is this okay?
We encourage players to attend all training sessions available, if possible, but we understand that their Club/Rec team takes priority over ODP.
In order to ensure coaches are able to foster a productive training experience for all players, it is imperative that players communicate directly with their coach regarding their attendance.
Are the players assigned to a team, or teams, based upon their skill level?
ODP players belong to a Player Pool, not a team. The only time teams are formed is if we travel to ODP Game Events. Players are selected for ODP events based on good standing status, ranking in their age group Player Pool and availability. Selections are made by the head coach of each age group according to a player's ranking in the pool from the training session evaluations.
Does ODP take into account the players' team schedule when scheduling the training sessions?
We do our best to schedule with as few conflicts as possible for the majority of the Training Pools. However, with the multiple leagues/soccer programs in South Texas, and limited field availability at times, this is not always possible.
When and where are trainings held?
Training events are rotated around major metropolitan areas in South Texas on 6 Sundays and 2 Saturdays. 4 Training events. in Fall and 4 Training events in Spring. Training events consist of two training sessions per day; a morning and afternoon training session.
Communication
I did not receive my invitation email. Is there anything I should be aware of?
Some email servers block GotSport as SPAM. As a result, we encourage STX ODP families to check their junk mail folders and have multiple emails in their Got Sport player profiles so that if one email fails, one of the other emails will be received.
How do we know if a practice has been changed or cancelled?
We will send out a note using the communication app used at that time.