Eastern New York’s 1999 Boys South ODP Team in Phoenix to Play For the National Championship
Last June, the 1999 Boys South Olympic Development Program (ODP) Team from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) qualified for Nationals by winning Regionals with an undefeated 5-0-0 record.
Tomorrow in Phoenix, Eastern New York will play in the national semifinals against North Carolina. The winner of that game takes on the winner of the Minnesota-Washington State semifinal for the national championship on Sunday, February 28.
Ralph Pascarella coaches the team of boys born in 1999 who live in either Long Island or New York City and he is assisted by Graham Radcliffe.
“The team is worked very hard to prepare for the upcoming Nationals,” said Coach Pascarella. “We’ve had several indoor training sessions focusing on the ODP principles we implemented last spring, emphasizing possession and building from the back. In addition, we are organizing our boys plus reviewing the tactics and strategies which we hope will enable us to come home as national champions.”
Eastern New York’s team administrators were able to secure indoor facilities for the team to train and Adelphi University provided great support in making their outdoor turf fields available for the team to practice on after the snow cleared.
ODP is considered the highest level of competition in the state. Each year, players must be re-evaluated by the ODP professional staff of coaches for a position on each age-specific team. The identification process ends each summer with the most elite players within Region 1 competing for a position on the regional team. Players are then identified by United States Soccer Federation (USSF) staff coaches for possible entry to the national teams program. Yet even those players who do not make the Region 1 or the national teams often use ODP as a springboard to college scholarships and even on to professional soccer.
“We are very fortunate and excited to have this opportunity to represent Eastern New York and Region 1 in this prestigious national tournament,” commented Coach Pascarella. “This group is a very special team, a once in a lifetime group. Win or lose, they are unbelievable kids with great talent and even better character and commitment.”
Also representing Eastern New York at ODP Nationals is the 2000 Girls South ODP Team which you can find out more about by clicking here.
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) stretches 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.
All levels of soccer are offered–from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Special Children. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association.
