National Soccer Academy

My three favorite memories of the Nomad weekend were getting to meet the whole team, playing soccer with my new friends, and hanging out with everyone on Monday. Thanks for a GREAT weekend and a chance to make new friends.
Sincerely,
Kendall Ransom : )

I had a great time at Nomads. The most memorable moment for me was winning the championship game because it was our third time winning the tournament. I was so relieved when the ref blew the whistle . The semifinal game was also memorable because in the first couple minutes of the game we were really flat, and the other team scored. We woke up and were up 2-1. Later they came back and tied, and I knew that we would have to work hard to regain the lead. Thank God, we soon scored and won the game 3-2. I was sooo happy!! I will always remember my friends from this tournament. We had alot of fun hanging out with each other, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope that I get to see all of my friends again!!!! I love you guys!
Meghan

I just wanted to thank you from Kristen for the opportunity to participate in the Nomads tournament with NSA. It was a great experience and Kristen had lots of fun playing and meeting all the girls. I really enjoyed watching the team “gel” after only one half of a game. Great to see them connecting passes and actually looking like they had played together. Thanks again for inviting Kristen and allowing her competitive spirit to shine. It would be neat to connect again in the future possibly for europe next summer. In the meantime best of luck to you and thanks again.
Sue McNabb

My favorite Nomads things:

1. Getting to meet new soccer friends
2. Playing as hard as I could
3. Playing different teams from America

Spenser Jaye #9 u-11 Danville, CA

Going to the NOMADS tournament in San Diego has left me with many memories, some of them being getting potato pins from the state champions of Idaho after playing them, shutting out a team 5-0, taking a mixed picture with my team and Burlingame after we beat them in the championship game, going to the beach and going into all the shops along the boardwalk, hanging out with my team at restaurants, spit ball fights, and much more.
thank you for the opportunity,
Helena

Congratulations. NSA girls won the Nomads Showcase tournament AGAIN !

This group of NSA players has now won the Nomads Showcase Tournament at U11G, U12G and U13G. Could 4 times be a charm for 2007?

• The U12G NSA team won their group and advanced to the semi finals.
• The U11G NSA team (which was mostly U10G) had a great learning experience.

Thanks to the Mary Kaliff and the Nomads organization for another fun weekend.

Back row: coach Fred, Megan Cooney, Helena Jordan, Morissa Lindsey,Lauren Reeves, Christen Chalmers, Emily Irion, coach Brad
Middle row: Morgan Edwards, Brooke Apodaca, Lindsey McCall, Katherine Beattie, Christina DeLeon, Brooke ten Bosch
Front row: Rogan Dolan, Ally Churich

The following players (from California, Hawaii, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon) represented NSA at the Nomads College Showcase in March 2007

1. Nicole Adams CA
2. Aliska Berry CA
3. Kianna Billman HI
4. Holly Brown CO
5. Jackie Chalmers CA
6. Anastasiya Chevtchenko OR
7. Kaisha Chu HI
8. Christy Cooper CA
9. Kylie Drexel CA
10. Alexandra Fidler CA
11. Tiana Fujimoto HI
12. Anna Maria Gilbertson CA
13. Spenser Jaye CA
14. Jaclyn Knott CO
15. Keala Makekau-Bird HI
16. Kalei Mau HI
17. Brenna Mockler CA
18. Kaimipuakealani Morreira HI
19. Cari Anne Nada HI
20. Madison Nagle CA
21. Jennifer Onaga HI
22. Corie Owen CA
23. Josi Pearson CO
24. Savanna Pearson CO
25. Janida Penn CA
26. Kendall Ransom CA
27. Kallyn Redona NV
28. Gabrielle Romero NV
29. Nikki Romero NV
30. Nichole Slaughter CA
31. Lindsay Stebbins CA
32. Zoey Stephenson NV
33. Jahna Tascon HI
34. Drew Tattam CA
35. Nalea Trujillo HI
36. Chloe Tucker NV
37. Lauren Uehara HI
38. Brittany Ward CA
39. Hope Whitman CO
40. Rachel Wilson CA

Staff

1. Fred Hsu CA
2. Lisa Ward CA
3. Brad Jordan CO
4. Jose Romero NV
5. Jeff Jaye CA
6. Ann Block CA
7. Lana Billman HI

3 memorable moments:

1. Making new friends from all over who are committed to playing soccer and have fun doing it.
2. Learning a new style of soccer that has helped my overall game
3. Playing on a team in which every player is top notch!

Lindsay Stebbins

Hi Coach Fred,

First of all, thank you so much for inviting me to play for you in the Nomads tournament. It was a great experience for me and I had a great time. The tournament was so fun and the three most memorable moments in the tournament were, one, meeting new friends and playing a game the day after we met. Two, the shoot out that we had in the semifinal game against Thunder, it was my first time as goalie in a shoot out, ever!! And three, coming in first place in the tournament. Winning the tournament was a unforgettable moment. We were so happy and excited. I really cannot forget that moment! Thank you so much for inviting me to this great experience.

Aloha & Mahalo,
Cari Anne Nada

I loved meeting all my new teammates and friends from Hawaii and Nevada and California …I want to go and visit them and play with them this summer! The way we beat the girls from Colorado who played dirty after we were down 2-0 and came back and beat them 3-2 in the last minutes of the game…. The dinner we all went to and had Mexican food..all the NSA girls together ..we had so much fun! NSA YOU KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NSA U13G teams won the Nomads College Showcase … AGAIN.
In the past 5 years, NSA has won at least 1 championship every time we have participated in the Nomads College Showcase.

by Steve Sampson,
Technical Director of CYSA-S, explaining some of the innovations that he has introduced in 1999.

THE OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (ODP):

REFORMS, FUTURE AND PHILOSOPHY

ODP breaks new ground:

The Olympic Development Program has never known greater success than what the CYSA-South State teams experienced the spring and summer of 1999. The effort of the players and couches was rewarded with overwhelming success in both the Reebok Cup and regional camp. This past spring CYSA-South dominated Northern California and Oregon in the annual Reebok Cup by winning seven out of the nine age groups for boys end girls. In July, our state teams demonstrated why they are the best in the west by winning almost every age group (seven out of nine) and by placing more players on regional teams than in any other year in the history of ODP in Southern California.

The reason for such great success is evident every day when we observe the quality of players our coaches are developing in our club system here in Southern California. Furthermore, with the new philosophy in CYSA-South that ODP will not conflict with official club competitions the ODP has won the support of club coaches and officials. And because of this new relationship between ODP and the clubs coaches ore more willing to release their best players and to promote them to participate at the state level.

Restructuring ODP:

CYSA-South has also implemented a new scouting program as a means to identify the best players in Southern California. The scooting program hires unaffiliated scouts which promotes greater objectivity in the selection process. The scoots must have played and/or coached professionally or at the collegiate level as a requirement to be hired. Identifying players in their natural environment under highly competitive conditions has already proven successful with CYSA-south having placed dozens of scouted players on current regional teams. This program is

A pilot program for the rest of the country and is supported by US Soccer’s 2010 committee, It has been granted a minimum of $150,000 on a matching fund basis for this fiscal year with additional funding to be announced sometime next year.

In August of 1999 the scouting program will replace District trials to identify the state team pools. All club coaches in Southern California will also be invited to participate in the identification process by recommending players to the state scouts. Once a player has been recommended by a club coach, it is the responsibility of the scouting program to go watch the individual play with their club team. Recommendation forms can be obtained via the CalSouth.com web site. Scouts will be observing players (boys and girls) in tournament, league, State Open Cup and National Cup competitions. In November the final pool of 40 players per age group will he announced. However, the pool will be adjusted throughout the year depending on the level of play of the existing pool and the play of others outside the pool. This will keep the competition within the pool at its optimum while also providing an avenue for players that develop throughout the year an opportunity to be added to the pool. A state coach will be able to select 18 to 22 players from the pool at the time of State, regional or national competition much like a national team.

National ODP Championship

USYSA has announced that there will be a National ODP Championship for 1982 and 1984 boys and girls. The four state teams will compete in January 2000 fur the regional Championship and if they qualify will compete in the National Championship in February 2000. Both the regional and national championships will take place in Phoenix. It is proposed that USYSA expand its national championship to four different age groups for 2001. The 1982 and 1984 state teams for boys and girls will attend the regional and national championships in lieu of regional camp. National scouts and national team coaches will be in attendance for the regional and national championships to select players to the national pool. All other state teams will continue to attend regional camp in July of 2000.

With the national ODP championship occurring at the some time that high school soccer competes in Southern California we will have formal GOP training and competition during the high school season. CIF allows for ODP training and competition however effort will be made to work with the high school coaches such that ODP does not conflict with their programs. Training and competition will take place en the weekends and when there is a conflict with official high school competition the high school will be the priority with the exception of the regional and national championships.

Once high school ends ODP training and competition will cease until the Far West regionals for National Cup has ended in late spring. The state Scouting program will once again observe players in the Open and National Cup to look for new talent and to reconfirm the players that were originally selected to the pool.

Players that will be competing in the Snickers Notional (championship in Orlando in July will be exempt from state team training and competition due to the fact that national scouts will be in attendance in Orlando. Participating in a national championship with your club team is such an honor and a privilege that ODP should not interfere with that once in a lifetime opportunity.

CYSA-South ODP Philosophy

The development of players in Southern California is the responsibility of the clubs and that ODP should not interfere with that development. It is the responsibility of CYSA-South to supplement that development by identifying and allowing tire best players in the stare to play along side each other against other select teams domestically and internationally. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of CYSA-South In aid in the promotion of its best players te the youth national teams, the MLS, project 40, the A league and the best college programs in the country.

The success of ODP is a direct result of the quality of players, coaches and level of competition in Southern California. We have initiated a new ODP program that hopefully will be the standard for the entire country but it will continue to need cooperation from everyone in order for it to truly succeed. We look forward to working with club officials, club roaches and the parents for the benefit of the players. Questions can be addressed to: CYSAS@aol.cam.

Thank you,
Steve Sampson

Technical Director, CSYA-Sooth

Bobby Howe suggests ways that player development can be effective

Bobbv Howe U S Soccer’s director of Coaching Education writing in the Oregon Youth SA newspaper Goal Lines outlined some thoughts on needed changes in the ODP program.

This is a preview of an article that I have just written for US. Soccer Magazine addressing some of the criticism that has been leveled it the Olympic Development Program. I have also provided some suggestions for improvement. My opinions are based on much experience in the program for the past 15 years at all levels from district tryouts to national youth team coaching.

Undoubtedly ODP in its present form has to change. The article is meant purely as a starting point for discussion and to assist those states that are not clear in their ODP direction.

For many years ODP has served as the primary selection process for national teams in the United States. The program has served this country well. However as soccer has grown, several cracks have developed and much criticism has been leveled at the ODP structure and operations

Some of the points made by critics:

• The program is expensive and much of the cost is borne by the parents of the players Soccer at this elite level has become a sport for the middle and upper classes and therefore has excluded many players.
• As many of our most experienced coaches work full time with clubs, they do not have the time to devote to ODP. Consequently, in many states, players participating in ODP are not exposed to the highest level of coaching available.
• As club programs have developed to create more year round activity, incredible scheduling problems have occurred for administrators, too much unnecessary traveling time has occurred for players and a tug-of-war for players’ loyalties has developed.
• ODP has become administratively driven. More time has been devoted to the rules and finances of the operation than to the well-being of the players and, hence, to the progress of the game. Soccer should provide an equal opportunity for all players to participate, regardless of ethnic heritage or financial background. The only criterion for participation at the next level must be ability, with the understanding that there is no such thing as equality; some players are naturally better than others. At this time ODP does not recognize this simple fact.
• Development occurs when players of similar abilities are able to compete all year. As ODP is seasonal and sporadic, too often our best players are asked to play at inferior levels.

There is no easy solution or magic formula that will eliminate criticism. The following suggestions are offered in the spirit of providing simpler, more efficient development opportunities for our players.

As clubs emerge and grow stronger, they must hear the responsibility for the development of our players. Club coaches have regular access to the players and must be judged on their ability to develop players. This will create much more accountability than already exists. Players must be encouraged to try out for club teams.

• Players should be scouted for their State teams in league and cup competitions by the state coaching staff. Players identified should be invited to try out for the state team.
• District tryouts and therefore district training should be eliminated. Not only would this ease scheduling, it would eliminate the majority of criticism at the state level. At this time a players first experience of ODP is at district level where there exists the lowest level of experience in player identification and coaching ability.
• In those states that have strong club programs, state team training should be eliminated to avoid scheduling conflicts. In those states that have weak club programs, the state staff should bear the responsibility of training its best players. It should be the responsibility of all states to schedule games with other competitive states throughout the year (weather permitting) to provide competition. When there are scheduling conflicts between clubs and ODP, state ODP must take priority except for state, regional or national club competitions.
• Regional identification / development camps must be eliminated to be replaced by sub-regional tournament play. Not only are the existing camps expensive, they serve no developmental purpose. At this time players who are selected at these camps receive no more than 8 to 10 days of realistic soccer activity Regional players should be selected at state friendlies and sub-regional tournaments. Regional training should be eliminated to avoid scheduling conflicts, but regional teams should have more games throughout the year. In regional/state/club conflicts, the region must take priority except for state, regional or national cup competitions. At state and regional levels, year-round match play is a much more important development tool than training.

The ODP has served its purpose well. Like the game itself, however, it must evolve to provide more efficient developmentally sound and less expensive playing opportunities for the elite players in the United States.

Soccer Journal July/August 1999