FRISCO, Texas (February 12, 2009) - US Youth Soccer's elite will compete at the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Championships to be played March 20 and 22 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.

 

State-level US Youth Soccer ODP Boys and Girls teams in the 1992 and 1993 age groups will play semi-final matches on Friday, March 20, beginning at 1 p.m., with championship and consolation matches to be played Sunday, March 22 beginning at 8 a.m. The teams competing have qualified by winning their respective age group at their US Youth Soccer ODP Regional Championships.

 

National Qualifiers
1992 Girls Teams:  Maryland, Kansas, North Texas, California South
1992 Boys Teams:  Eastern Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina, California North
1993 Girls Teams:  Virginia, Minnesota, North Texas, California South
1993 Boys Teams:  Virginia, Indiana, Oklahoma, California South

*Subject to change, please check USYouthSoccer.org for the most current schedule.

 

Eagerly seeking the top youth talent in the country, collegiate coaches will observe the US Youth Soccer ODP Championship players during these matches. The participants represent the future of American soccer at the collegiate and international levels.

 

The players must try out to qualify for the program's high-level training from licensed coaches through a series of trials at their local, State Association and then Regional levels. Those selected are exposed to the nation's best coaches, trainers and facilities.

 

US Youth Soccer ODP is the original Olympic development program and the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major League Soccer and Women's Professional Soccer as well as a majority of current and past national and youth team members, as alumni. And, with programs in all 55 State Associations as well as regional and national championships and participation in international tournaments, US Youth Soccer ODP continues to lead the way.

 

For more information regarding US Youth Soccer ODP and the US Youth Soccer ODP Championships visit USYouthSoccer.org.

 

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About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) US Youth Soccer -The Game for ALL Kids!^® is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

 

Media Request: When referring to the United States Youth Soccer Association, the largest youth sports organization in the United States, please refer to the association only as US Youth Soccer, and never as USYS or USYSA. We appreciate your cooperation.

 

About US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) - US Youth Soccer ODP, established in 1977, is the original Olympic development program in the United States. Formed to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team could be selected for international competition, selected players are exposed to the nation's top coaches from collegiate institutions, U.S. Soccer and the professional leagues. Programs exist in each state and with competitions such as the US Youth Soccer ODP National Championships, Interregional Training/Competition, Regional Camps and International play. US Youth Soccer ODP continues to lead the way in elite player identification and development. US Youth Soccer ODP is an approved program of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

 

Media Request: When referring to the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, the original elite player program in the United States, please refer to the program only as the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program or US Youth Soccer ODP, and never as USYSODP or simply ODP. We appreciate your cooperation.