Coach John Napier and his ODP team at 2011 Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona

John Napier Reports on ODP 2011 National Championships in Arizona

The 2011 US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Champions were crowned at Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 6, 2011.

Comments from John Napier, Head Coach Cal South ODP Girls 95, on New Jersey 1 - 0 Cal South    Girls 2011 National Championships in Phoenix, Arizona

For my ODP 95 girls, we had a great weekend.  This journey started almost 2 years ago when I took over this age group. Our whole objective was to get our players recognized at the next level and to get to a National Final game, (this is our first year of eligibility).

This group has been a fantastic experience for me as a coach, the talent we have had in the last 2 years has been incredible, and a real pleasure for me and my assistant Eric Lona, (who is also a Carlsbad Elite Coach with Carlsbad Lightning Soccer Club) to work with.

Along the way we have had two summer camps in Idaho, have won two Regional Championships 2010 and 2011, six (6) of our players have progressed to the U.S. Women's National youth teams, we have had seventeen (17) girls get pulled into the Regional teams. 

For me, the main goal of our program is to get players identified at the Regional and National level, and I certainly think that has been achieved with this age group; there is no doubt in my mind that most, if not all of these kids will end up playing soccer at Division 1 (D1) colleges and universities. Some of our soccer players will continue with the U.S. Youth National teams, and it will be fun to watch their progress.

As for our fantastic weekend at the National Championships in Phoenix, Arizona, we played Illinois on Friday in the semi/final and won 2-0. It was a good performance and we were a comfortable winner on the night.  After that game, we had the opportunity to watch New Jersey play North Carolina in the other semi/final. New Jersey won 4-0 and it probably could have been more. We looked for their strengths and weaknesses, both Eric and I were very impressed with their possession game; they rarely gave the ball away, and every player was comfortable on the soccer ball and always trying to play out of trouble.

We knew the final was going to be a great game by two very good teams; and as it was, New Jersey dominated with their possession game early and we went behind in the 4th minute. We had adjusted out formation to match up better with their key players, and it was a real battle at times. Good soccer was played by both teams, and was back and forth for long periods of the game.

I was extremely very proud of our ODP girls; there were tears, as losing is always hard to take; but I think that New Jersey just about deserved their win, they were very technical, which I love to see in a young team, but I think we matched them in every department, and it was a game that could have gone either way at the end. Would not surprise me if these same two (2) teams meet up again in the 2012 finals.

I will be taking the girls one more time in a game against the U.S. Women's National U16 team later this month at the Home Depot in a friendly. Then my two years are over, and I think Eric and I accomplished what we started out to do.  Number one was to try to get our kids noticed, and number two try to get to a National Championship game.  We all succeeded at both.

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