Player Deveopment Statement

South Side Elite FC would like to be known as the elite soccer club in Northern Illinois and Region II recognized for its excellence in program and player development. The clubs goal is to proivide Collage scholarships for individual players in soccer. In the future we would like to open a soccer facility to run our soccer operations from that will be located in the South Side of Chicago, IL. Moving ahead we would like to offer a sponsorship program for players from low income families that can not afford the high costs of club soccer. Our club is looking to reach out to the communities of Englewood, Blue Island, Washington Heights, Morgan Park, Chatham, Chicago Lawn, and Marionette Park children. The club will be working with religious groups, schools and leaders in the community in those areas to better serve the communities. 

Players that show great ability and skill will be recommended by the club to compete in the below programs. 

Olympic Development Program (ODP)

The Illinois Olympic Development Program or ODP is the start of the identification process for the National and Olympic Teams. The Illinois Youth Soccer Association conducts the program for US Soccer under the jurisdiction of the US Olympic Committee. The purpose of this prestigious program is to identify players on the basis of open tryouts and develop them to represent their state, region, and the United States in soccer competition. 

ODP teams are formed in each of the 55 US Youth Soccer State Associations and four regions and are made up of the best players in the various age groups. At the state level, players are selected to participate in pool trainings and competitions against other state teams throughout the winter and based on their performance at those trainings, players are then invited to attend the one-day Illinois ODP State Combine.

The State Combine is the final selection process for the Illinois ODP Teams. Teams, made up of 18 select players, will participate in the Region II ODP Camp to train and compete against the ODP teams from the 14 State Associations in the Midwest. At this camp, players will be identified to the Regional Pool from which they can be invited to represent the Region at national and international competitions. At the national events, players are seen by national staff coaches.

Any soccer player is eligible to participate in the ODP process provided he or she is age eligible for the specific calendar year age group.

ODP Curriculum 

Illinois Youth Soccer will follow the US Soccer guidelines. 

What it takes to be a successful ODP Player (US Youth Soccer)

How are players evaluated and selected for the State team?

Tryouts and training sessions are conducted by Illinois ODP staff coaches who are recognized for their ability to identify and train players with superior skills. They include club, high school, college and international coaches who have at least a National ’D’ license although the majority have the top level A’ license. The coaching staff and selection process is overseen by the Illinois Youth Soccer Director of Coaching.

Players are evaluated by four major components:

• Technique 
• Tactics 
• Fitness and Athletic Ability 
• Attitude 

Illinois ODP is for serious soccer players who love the game and have hopes of playing in college, professionally and for the US National team. EVERY YEAR THE PROGRAM STARTS FROM THE BEGINNING – NO ONE IS GIVEN A SPOT. 

Players change each year physically and emotionally. Players who may be physically mature at an early age may be surpassed as others mature. Any player can be released and replaced during the process. We DO NOT select players based on their club affiliation or their club team’s record. The focus of the ODP is a player’s overall development, not tournament wins.

Players are expected to participate in as many ODP events that they can make, behave responsibly, conduct themselves in a professional matter and always challenge themselves to get better.

What are the benefits of participating in Illinois ODP?

Although there are many good soccer training sources, the ODP process is the one most recognized throughout the United States as the best way to identify top quality players who can perform in a changing environment and still cope with everyday demands.

Direct benefits for players are:

• Development as a player 
• Quality Instruction from nationally licensed coaches and special sessions held by professional coaches 
• Quality competition and opportunity to train and play with the best players in your age group 
• Exposure to regional, national and international coaches 
• Opportunities to represent Illinois, the Midwest and the US in national and international competitions 
• Exposure to college coaches and international scouting network through Tosh Farrell Soccer Development Center

In addition to our top-level staff coaches, over the years Illinois ODP players have taken part in special training sessions lead by:

• US National Staff Coaches 
• Manchester United Academy Coaches 
• Chicago Fire Staff Coaches 
• Chicago Red Stars Staff Coaches and Players 
• Everton FC Youth Academy Director, Tony Farrell 
• Everton FC Youth Academy Development Officer, Robbie Anderson 
• Derby County Academy Coaching Manager & Wigan Athletic First Team Coach, David Lowe 
• Director of Hamburg Football Club Academy, Stephan Hildebrandt 
• Hamburg SV Director of Youth Programs and Soccer Academy, Jens Todt 
• Charlton Athletic Football Club Youth Academy Coach, Steve Avory 
• US Women’s National Team Assistant Coach, Lauren Gregg 
• England Women’s National Team Goalkeeper Coach, Keith Reece 
• Royal Netherlands Soccer Federation Technical Coordinator, Nico Romeijn 
• Royal Netherlands Soccer Federation National Team Coach, Ruud Dokter 
• Royal Netherlands Soccer Federation Academy Coach Nico Labohm 
• Royal Netherlands Soccer Federation Coach Arno Pijpers 
• Fortuna Sittard Head Coach & Technical Manager, Pim Verbeek 
• Liverpool Head Coach & Technical Director of the French National Soccer Federation, Gerard Houiller 

Illinois ODP has seen it’s players exceed at the regional and national level with players regularly selected for the Regional Pool and National Pool Events.

For more details about the Illinois Olympic Development Program call 847-290-1577 or email odp@illinoisyouthsoccer.org

National ID2 Development

About:

Established in 2004, US Club Soccer’s id2 National Identification and Development Program provides an opportunity for the country’s elite youth soccer players to be identified and developed, and scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs.

The id2 Program is an Olympic Development Program (ODP) approved by the United States Olympic Committee and the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Note: Effective fall 2013, with the creation of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-14 age group, full-time U-14 Academy players are not eligible to participate in the id2Program. This is due to U.S. Soccer rules that prohibit full-time Academy players from participating in outside soccer leagues and events. Developmental players in the Academy’s U-14 age group, however, are still eligible to participate in the id2 Program.

FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF THE ID2 PROGRAM:

• The id2 Program is open to all players regardless of U.S. Soccer affiliation or lack thereof.
• There is no cost to players to be identified for or participate in the id2 Program. For id2 Training Camps, all lodging, meals and training gear are provided at no cost by US Club Soccer and Nike. For National Selection programming, airfare/travel is also provided at no cost.
• Players should be initially scouted within the environment they are most comfortable – their club training and competition environment. Clubs have the largest impact on player development, and club coaches and club competitions must be an integral part of the id2 Program.
• Players are rated and evaluated for inclusion in the program based up on a combination of: (i) objective and independent scouting information; and (ii) information from the players’ regular trainers and coaches.
• The id2 Program does not create significant additional demands on the calendar of the elite player.

The Cycle:

Targeted birth years are established every year in consultation with U.S. Soccer in order to align with the scouting priorities for the U-14 National Teams.

The current cycle targeting boys born in 2003 and girls born in 2002 includes four id2 Training Camps in 2016 and National Selection programming in early 2017.

The previous cycle, which targeted boys born in 2002 and girls born in 2001, included four id2 Training Camps in 2015 and will include National Selection programming in early 2016.

Training Camp:

A comprehensive national scouting and recommendation program is used to form a pool from which top players are invited to attend an id2 Training Camp. At the camp, players work with some of the nation’s best coaches, play with and against some of the nation’s best players in their age group, and are scouted by on-site U.S. Soccer staff. In addition to on-field sessions, the camps feature guest speakers, lectures/classroom sessions and other offerings, which make for a multi-faceted learning experience.

For more information on id2 Training Camps, please visit the applicable cycle web page.

http://usclubsoccer.org/programs/player-identification/id2-program/