New Jersey Youth Soccer Kicks Off Registration for Young Olympians
The Young Olympians Program gives talented youth soccer players a chance to shine and develop — and offers a fabulous opportunity to learn the ropes for advancement.
New Jersey Youth Soccer has opened registration for its Young Olympians Program, which is an introductory stage for players who aspire to compete at a high level while providing a pathway to participate in New Jersey ODP. Conducted in four regions of the state (south, shore, central and north), Young Olympians provides training in each area and also offers a 4v4 and 9v9 tournament.
Each session of Young Olympians will be covered by a consistent core of NJYS coaches who will be following an age-appropriate curriculum and methodology at each location. This effort will establish uniformity in training sessions and related player evaluations.
“This is a great opportunity for young players to get a feel of the training environment we provide at ODP and give themselves a chance to play in front of our state staff,” said James Galanis, NJYS Director of Technical Operations.
The NJYS Young Olympians Program is designed specifically for players born in 2011 and 2012 (boys and girls). The goal of the program is to facilitate a high-level training environment while offering participants an opportunity to compete with other aspiring players from around the state. Additionally, it allows players to become familiar with the ODP training curriculum as well as showcase their abilities in front of the ODP coaching staff. Each participant will be assessed by the ODP coaches, and the sessions will be segmented where players are training with others of similar ability. The focus of Young Olympians is to improve each participant’s technical ability and tactical awareness while exposing the player and their parents to the ODP environment.
The cost of registration for Young Olympians is $150 per player. As a bonus, registered players will receive complimentary access to the Techne Futbol training platform (beginning in March). Techne Futbol was founded by Yael Averbuch, a former New Jersey ODP standout and U.S. Women’s National Team member. The Techne Futbol platform serves as a resource for players in their individual training.
Register for Young Olympians: Click Here
Young Olympians does not conduct tryouts as part of its training program, and it is designed to supplement, not replace, the club experience. Each region is limited to 50 participants on a first come, first serve basis. This limited enrollment is implemented to ensure an optimal training environment. If demand exceeds capacity, NJ Youth Soccer will create a waiting list and seek solutions for those individuals who wish to participate in the program.
Young Olympians is divided into the following four regions, and field locations will be confirmed prior to the start of the program in March.
- North (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic and Sussex)
- Central (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren)
- Shore (Monmouth and Ocean)
- South (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
For more information about Young Olympians and New Jersey ODP, please email odp@njyouthsoccer.com. Additionally, make sure to like the official New Jersey ODP Facebook Page.
