DA vs. ODP

There is a big difference between ODP and DA. ODP is for those that just want extra touches and play time. You meet new parents and your BB gets to play with new kids. There is. I chemistry but everyone on the top ODP team are good. Is it worth all the money you pay ... the answer is no. But if you have extra money and feel like letting your BB play and practice more than it's worth it. You will have the parents whose kids werent selected to ODP bad mouth ODP and blame it on politics. My BB did it for 2 years and was selected to Alabama. We past on going to Alabama since he was already selected for DA.

DA you practice more, play against the top team against the top players. It's well worth it. I would recommend it to the BB who want to take their soccer career to a higher level. You will get exposure and it's well worth the sacrifice.

Soccer27 wrote:There is a big difference between ODP and DA.

At the top of ODP there isn't much difference between it and DA. A few years ago, 6 kids on the Region 3 team now play regularly for MLS and non-MLS DA's.

earbucket wrote:

Soccer27 wrote:There is a big difference between ODP and DA.

At the top of ODP there isn't much difference between it and DA. A few years ago, 6 kids on the Region 3 team now play regularly for MLS and non-MLS DA's.

A few years ago, eh Montgomery Burns? Makes me reminisce about taking my car to the station to fill it up with petroleum distillate and re-vulcanize my tires.

If those kids you mention are from NTX, well I think that time has passed as ODP appeal has slipped. '99 parent perspective different from '03 parent perspective. I would agree that when you get to the top of the Region 3 team you get kids that look similar to DA kids. Just based on having seen some of the best FL/GA/NC kids play at camp. But those aren't NTX kids. And even if the cream of ODP is equivalent to DA kids, there is still a big difference in the programs. One is a side activity and the majority of your time is spent prior to it being filtered to the ostensibly high-level kids at regional level, and the other is a full-time soccer job with high-level kids.

I'm pretty sure the demise of NTX ODP is somehow reflected in the demishing number of meaningful discussion on this forum. Seems that each year there is less substantive communication in ODP thread

I think it is reasonable that MLS clubs aggressively recruit ODP's top players as well as any other resource. Colorado Rapids were scouting Dallas Cup teams last year.

The six I'm referred to are 99s and were added well after the PA/DA phenomenon. And your are right 13, only two were NTX players.

I will agree that the individual player on the top 03 ODP team are DA caliber. But the team as in whole isn't DA caliber.
4 players of the top 03ODP team are playing DA for the same club.

Soccer27 wrote:I will agree that the individual player on the top 03 ODP team are DA caliber. But the team as in whole isn't DA caliber.
4 players of the top 03ODP team are playing DA for the same club.

Yes depth!, is a huge difference.

This is from the Top Drawer article "Top U18 surprises in DA" (behind a paywall).

"Lonestar deserves mounds of credit for building its infrastructure enough that this year’s U18 side is off to a 5-0-1 start without a single major star."

Lonestar hired two coaches in March last year from two separate successful programs. The program director was hired from Phoenix, AZ area and the current U18 coach was hired from Georgetown Hodor. Notice how many of the regular starters for Lonestar's U18 team are first year DA players. Not hard to imagine that these players were significant members of a classic level team that competed in Region 3 playoffs last year losing out to Solar Red. Lonestars also added a really good player from FCD.

Good coaching includes having good players.

earbucket wrote:This is from the Top Drawer article "Top U18 surprises in DA" (behind a paywall).

"Lonestar deserves mounds of credit for building its infrastructure enough that this year’s U18 side is off to a 5-0-1 start without a single major star."

Lonestar hired two coaches in March last year from two separate successful programs.  The program director was hired from Phoenix, AZ area and the current U18 coach was hired from Georgetown Hodor.  Notice how many of the regular starters for Lonestar's U18 team are first year DA players.  Not hard to imagine that these players were significant members of a classic level team that competed in Region 3 playoffs last year losing out to Solar Red.   Lonestars also added a really good player from FCD.

Good coaching includes having good players.  

They are scoring a lot of goals and making waves in the U16 DA as well.

ODP is more for extra touches. If you attend just make sure not to get frustrated. Its not always high level practices nor games.  They usually end up with players that did not make DA or players just wanting to get more practices in. Do your homework. Everyone has their on opinions.  From what I see the FCD academy is bringing in more and more kids from out of town. (Mexico, Guatemala, Miami and El Paso) So that may push more kids out from the DFW area.
At the end of it all its about the money and growing the club. (business). I think both are good depending on what you are looking for.

IMHO, if you just want extra touches, just play HS soccer in addition to club. If HS soccer is not of interest, then DA is the way to go (if you can commit to the practice schedule and the possible long drive to the practices numerous times a week).

Interestingly, many DA players were once Top ODP kids...