United Soccer Leagues Super Y-League ODP National Camps for their ’92-’95 boys began this weekend at Ed Radice Sports Complex in Tampa, Florida. Joining six other Northern Virginia attendees, U16 Royal Gene Daniels gives a player’s perspective on the start of camp.
After arriving in Tampa and checking into Mainsail Suites Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, the seventh annual SYL ODP National Camps began with a 7:00AM (ET) breakfast Friday morning. After breakfast, players were bused to Ed Radice Sports Complex for their first of several training sessions with their teams. Players then broke for lunch from 11:30AM to 2:45 PM before competing in their first of four matches they competed in over the weekend.
Daniels: As the players filed out of the introductory meeting, there was one word stirring in all of our minds. That word was professionalism. At a new headquarters, the Mainsail Suites, and new facilities, Ed Radice Park, USL Senior Director of Youth League Development Jeff McRaney stressed the fact that in order to be treated as professionals, we must carry ourselves like professionals. In an attempt to sift through the players, put together an all star game, and eventually choose the ODP National Select teams, the camp has taken new form.
Emulating the US National team setting, the camp has fewer players per age group and a different training and playing schedule than in past years. Thursday, the first real day at camp, crept up quickly with an early hotel wake up call. After 7:30 breakfast and a 9:30 bus departure to the fields, the four teams were divided and our first training session began. After an hour and a half of heated intensity, we loaded up the buses yet again, ate lunch, and returned to Ed Radice for our first pair of matches.
The games, set up in two 30 minute halves, were the first opportunity for the players to showcase their talents in a match-situation. After the games we loaded the buses yet again and were at Mainsail for the night. As rooms were checked and lights went out players were preparing themselves mentally and physically for Day 2.
Joining Daniels at SYL ODP National Camp, Northern Virginia Royal U16 Chris Yantz earned honors for his previous season’s play. Northern Virginia ODP Camp attendee Andrew Whitlock is in Tampa for the second time in four months, reaching the semifinals of the SYL North American Finals last November on the U15 Royals. Timur Salah (U13 Royals) joins a trio of U14 Royals, Aaron Etienne, Ryan Flesch, and Tyler Kent at the prestigious event.
The four day camp selection process for elite Super Y-League players concludes this afternoon with the naming of the ’92, ’93 and ’94 Super Y-League Select Teams for the 2009 season. This is the second and final SYL ODP Camp for the 2009 season.
Selections from the 2008 season were made from the identification system by the Super Y-League National ODP Scouting Staff. The selection process was then finalized by the ODP Staff Coaches, and assembled by the USL office.
Northern Virginia Football Club, comprised of both the Northern Virginia Royals (male) and Northern Virginia Majestics (female) USL teams, is represented by the club record of both thirty-two players in SYL ODP Camp pool and five teams in the 2008 North American Finals. Nineteen players from the Royals and thirteen players from the Majestics Super Y-League programs comprise Northern Virginia’s representation.
