What Is The Olympic Development Program?
The Olympic Development Program is a national program, started in 1977 by US Youth Soccer, to identify, train, and develop youth players to represent their state, region, and country in soccer competition.
The ODP Purpose
The program was formed to identify players of the highest caliber on a continuing and consistent basis, which will lead to increased success for the U.S. National Teams in the international arena. Players are divided into training age groups by birth year and are led by ODP State Staff Coaches selected by Indiana Soccer’s Director of ODP, Todd Sheely.
Overall Goals
- Identify, train, and promote the top players in Indiana for National and Regional Pools
- Provide unique training and playing environments to enhance player development
- Develop a mechanism for the exchange of ideas and curriculum to improve all levels of coaching:
- Provide guidance in the college selection process.
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How ODP Operates
The Indiana Olympic Development Program operates on a year round calendar designed for the identification, selection, and development of top players in each age group. Please refer to the 2023-2024 Master Calendar for upcoming events. For a brief synopsis of the program, please see the ODP Progression Chart.
Player Development
Provide an atmosphere for the unfolding of ideas about the game of soccer
- Understand, learn, and develop the technical and tactical qualities necessary to advance one’s game to the State, Regional and National levels as well as the Club, High School, and Collegiate levels
- Expand Interpretation and Understanding of the Game from Different Perspectives (Systems and Positions)
Develop confidence in one’s ability, and encourage and foster the development of ideas to solve problems the game presents.
- Learn and develop problem solving skills to be applied in training and games
- Learn how to confront adversity and respond responsibly, maturely, and thoughtfully
- Learn how to effectively communicate with teammates and coaches
Provide opportunities for player growth through challenging, creative, and positive training environments
- Learn how your role may change playing in different systems and positions;
- Become a soccer player, not a system or positional player
Player advancement and placement to State, Regional, National and Collegiate levels:
- Expose players to the necessary requirements to play at the next level not only technically and tactically but also physically and psychologically.
Coaching Development Goals
- Provide a community for the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and coaching ideologies for the Olympic Development Program Staff and to the coaching community of Indiana
- Attract and retain the best coaches to meet the player development goals
- Provide coaching education to the staff in support of their continued professional growth
- Identify former players, less experienced or new coaches for the CIT (Coach in Training) program to pair with experienced license coaches for coaching development
