Eastern New York ODP Takes On the Best From the Long Island Junior Soccer League
New York Youth Soccer News: ODP plays friendlies vs. PDP
New York Youth Soccer News: In the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and the other state associations across the United States, the Olympic Development Program (ODP) is considered the highest level of competition. Eastern New York ODP graduates are currently playing in pro soccer around the world plus Crystal Dunn and Allie Long are competing on the Women’s World Cup champion US Women’s National Team.
Eastern New York ODP has a long history of playing games in the soccer hotbed of Long Island, from the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Select Tournament at LIU Post in the 1980s, to Liberty Cup USA and before Long Island Rough Rider games at Mitchel Athletic Complex in the 1990s. Over a decade ago, Eastern New York ODP South played friendly games against the LIJSL Select Program at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview.
The successor to the LIJSL Select Program is the LIJSL Player Development Program (PDP) and the friendly games have been revived this spring under the leadership of ODP Chairperson Jim Volpe with ODP playing PDP at the Collins Soccer Park in our version of Monday Night Fútbol.
On Monday night, April 9, the teams played one another, both boys and girls on adjacent fields, of players born in 2002. On Monday night, April 16, boys and girls born in 2003 will be playing. ODP and PDP players born in 2004 will be competing on April 23, those born in 2001 and 2005 are playing on April 30 and those with a 2006 birthdate conclude the friendlies on May 7.
“These friendlies give the players on both teams the opportunity to play a local game at a high level while also giving us a chance to look at all the players, including the PDP players who could progress to ODP,” Volpe stated.
Eastern New York ODP, both North, and South, is looking to take on similar programs of our member leagues so if interested, please contact Volpe at 516-805-3765.
Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association: With over 100,000 youth soccer players–both boys and girls–and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) reaches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 11 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees, and administrators.
