US Soccer split the country into 4 regions for administrative and logistical purposes. The four regions are known as Region I (Northeast), Region II (Midwest), Region III (Southeast) and Region IV (West). Each region comprises 12-14 states. We are in Region III, together with GA, FL, SC, NC, TN, MS, LA, STx, NTx, OK, and AR. Each Region has a Region Board presided by a Region Director. Each Region also runs the Region ODP. The Regional Director appoints a Region ODP Administrator and a Region ODP Head Coach who, together, are in charge of running the ODP at the regional level.

 

The main purpose of Region Camp is to evaluate the players from all the states within our region and select a region pool of players in each age group for further evaluation and competition. All the states send their state teams to camp and play each other in front of the regional staff coaches.

The other purpose of region camp is to expose the players to a higher level of competition and contribute towards their personal development through challenging games and training with high level region staff coaches.

 

Region Camp is usually held in late June and early July each year. The two genders have their own separate camps, each at a different location. Since there are 4-5 age groups to evaluate, the camp is organized into 5-day-long sessions, with each session accommodating one or two age groups. At the end of the 5 day camp, a region pool is selected.

What is the player selection process at the region level?

At Region Camp, players play against other states each day and are evaluated for selection into the Region Pool in each age group. At the end of camp, a Region Pool of 30-40 players is selected. The Region Pool in most age groups is held over at camp for another 2-3 days to train under the Region Coaches. In the months after camp, Region Teams of 16-18 players will be selected in each age group to participate in National camps, Inter- Regional events, and/or international trips. The National Staff Coaches attend these events and evaluate players for inclusion into National Pools. Please refer to the section on Region Camp below for more details on camp format and regional selection process.

To provide some perspective here, since each region selects a similarly sized pool, when a player is selected for the region pool, he/she is considered in the top 120-160 players in the country in his/her age group. Once a player is selected for a region team, he/she is now considered in the top 60-70 players in the country.

 

Just as at the state tryouts, quality first touch is the most important technical indicator of skill. Can the player control the ball with one touch or does he/she need multiple touches to bring the ball under control? Does the player get away from pressure with first touch or does he/she get into trouble because of a poor touch? This is closely related to the ‘speed of play’ at the elite level. The better the players, the higher the speed of play. In order for players to survive at the higher level’s speed of play, they have to have a good first touch.

The speed of play at the region pool level is much higher than at the state level and requires players to think quicker and control the ball quicker. Since players at this level are physically and mentally sharper, they anticipate and close down on the ball quickly, which means players have to execute their moves in tight areas, often surrounded by multiple opponents who pounce on every poor touch.

Another important attribute is what we call ‘quick feet’, i.e. the ability to change direction on a dime and shift weight from one foot to the other and evade challenges with quick foot movements. This is, in the long run, an indicator of soccer specific athleticism which is more important than sheer size. As players mature at varying rates, size eventually evens out. But someone with ‘quick feet’ will always have an advantage and is more likely to develop into an ‘explosive’ player, which is so vital at the elite level.

Athleticism becomes very important at the highest level once players mature physically. It is no longer possible to just rely on superior skill without speed, strength and power, since all the players are highly skilled. The better athletes ally their physical attributes to their skill to rise to the top.

Lastly, ‘soccer smarts’ is also evaluated at the region level. Decisions on the ball and off the ball are scrutinized. Being able to ‘read the game’ and understand what kind of pass is needed, how to keep the ball under pressure, where to position oneself, how to help the team maintain a good team shape in attack and in defense, when to support the ball from behind and when to make runs ahead of the ball. All of these problem solving abilities separate the state level player from the region level player.

 

Boys and girls camp vary slightly, but players typically arrive and check in the afternoon of the first day. The state coaches run their own practice on the first evening, after which everyone attends the Opening Ceremonies and dinner. The second, third, and fourth days are similar in format, with one practice session and one game per day. The practices are run by the region staff coach. The fifth and final day typically has a game in the morning, after which the region pools are announced and the state teams depart around lunch time.

On some of the evenings, ‘region pool’ games are used, where players who excelled in the previous state vs state games are pulled from their states and organized into teams and play a game watched by all the region staff. These pool games are important for the selection process as they pit the best players in camp against each other to see who can handle the speed of play and belong at the next level.

 

The key objective in region camp is to maintain a good balance between work and rest, to make sure the players can show their best when it matters. For that reason, players have one game and one practice per day on full days (day 2 to day 4) and one practice or one game on half days (days 1 and 5). Whenever possible, players who are selected to play in pool games sit out their state team game so they don’t play two full games on the same day. It’s not fair on the players to make selections based on fatigue-induced performance since there is so much at stake.

The summer heat and humidity combined with the higher intensity and speed of play at region camp require significant rest periods between activities. Region camp is not like a standard college summer camp or a club tournament, where players are on the field for long periods playing or working on technique. Region camp is a test of ability, not a marathon of games. It’s about quality rather than quantity.

A fact often ignored is that games at region camp require a higher expenditure of energy than regular club games or scrimmages. The higher the skill level, the longer the ball is in play, the less time for recovery, the more intense the sprints and more wear and tear on the body. Games at the elite level require more rest and recovery. In lower level play, the ball takes longer to get from one area of the field to another and the ball is out of bounds more often due to inferior skill. This allows players to rest more and catch their breath while the ball is away from their area. Games against weaker opponents are also less physically demanding since the ball stays in the same half for long periods.

In the past, Region camp used to last six days and involved more games. Camp duration and number of games were recently reduced because mental and physical fatigue became an issue. The camp has evolved into a format that features less field sessions and more lectures and presentations to reduce down time and educate the players on the needs and requirements of elite athletes.

 

Region camp has many other benefits for all the players. It is a chance for players to challenge themselves and gauge themselves against the best in the region. Good players thrive on playing against quality opponents and region camp provides a competition level that is rare. Experts tell us that for elite athletes to reach their potential, they need to play around 30-40 quality games per year where they are pushed by equal or superior opponents. The typical ODP player doesn’t get a sufficient doze of such games at the club level because many of these club games are against inferior players. Other than a few top-of-the-table clashes or top club tournaments, club games lack quality on a consistent level. ODP activities and region camp provide additional quality competition to supplement the club competitions.

Region camp can be an aspiring experience.  Many players, who are used to being the best in their club team, get a rude awakening at region camp. They get exposed to the very best and become motivated to work harder and make the region pool the next time. For some players, region camp is a humbling experience. They come home highly motivated and with a new perspective. Player development is a long process, a journey affected by many factors and experiences, some positive and some negative. It’s hard to measure the impact each experience has on a player and hard to account for the intangibles. But many top American players look back on their experience at an ODP region camp as one of the turning points in their growth.

Region camp exposes all the players to the top college and national staff coaches. College coaches regard ODP participation and attendance in region camp as an indication of the players’ ability and ambition.

The opportunity to represent your state is another benefit. Pride in accomplishment, meeting players and coaches from other states, and learning a little about oneself and coping with adversity are some of the intangibles as well. If the players who ‘lift a trophy’ are considered the only beneficiaries of an event, everyone else would be missing the point.