Ian Torney - NH ODP Director of Coaching

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (please forward) - Monday October 31st 2005:

The U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP) is a national identification and development program designed to identify and develop top youth soccer players in this state, to represent the New Hampshire Soccer Association in Region 1 competition, and for possible identification to Region 1 and National Team pools, with the ultimate goal identifying the best players in this country to represent the United States in national and international soccer competition; additionally, ODP serves as a college soccer player identification and recruiting program. The New Hampshire ODP represents the highest level of youth soccer being played in this state. Congratulations to the 2005 NH ODP players who were identified to the Region 1 pools - they are:

• U13/'92 Boys: Will Poole and Josh Vlasich
• U14/'91 Boys: Kevin Genecco
• U15/'90 Boys: Robby Mclarny
• U16/'89 Boys: Joe Derosa
• U17/'88 Boys: Zeljko Jagodic-Kuridza
• U13/'92 Girls: Michaela Cowgill and Kailey Blain
• U14/'91 Girls: Annalise Lawrence
• U16/'89 Girls: Kristy Zurmuhlen
• U19/'87-86 Girls: Sarah Peteraf and Hailey Blackburn

The New Hampshire Olympic Development Program seeks to build on its recent successes in looking forward to the 2006 season. In 2006 the NH ODP will follow a schedule similar to what the program has kept to for the last few years. Following open tryouts and winter pool training, NH ODP final State Team Rosters will be published on April 15th 2006, for spring/summer training in preparation for Region 1 competition and events, which include: the New England ODP Jamboree on the last Saturday in April; Region 1 Mini Camps in May; the Region 1 Tournament the second weekend in June in New Jersey, and Region 1 Identification Camps in July.

Initial Registration and Open Tryouts will be held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving - Sunday November 20th 2005 - at St. Paul's School, Concord: player registration will be from 10:00AM to 11:00AM in Memorial Hall; state pool tryouts will be on the fields from 11:00AM to 1:00PM; and a Parent Meeting will be held from 11:00AM to 12noon in Memorial Hall. There are four ways by which a player may be identified onto a NH ODP state team: via Open Tryouts; via tryouts arranged during winter pool training (contact the state team Head Coach to do so); via participation in the "NH ODP Invitational Tryouts" in March, by invitation of the NH ODP Director of Scouting and Player Identification; and after final rosters are named April 15th, by invitation of the NH ODP Director of Coaching. Players are strongly encouraged to try out as early in the process as possible! See the NH ODP website under "NH ODP Tryouts" for more information.

During the winter season, NH ODP pools will again train on Sundays at the New England College Indoor Facility in Henniker, NH - for specific dates and times by team see the NH ODP website under "Schedules." The winter season will culminate with the "Northern New England ODP Indoor Jamboree" in mid-March, which entails scrimmages versus Maine and Vermont ODP teams. From that tournament, the top three players in each age group from all three states will be selected for the "Northern New England Centers of Excellence" - an early identification event held the next weekend that brings together the top players from the northern New England states to be trained and evaluated by the US Soccer Region 1 Directors, National Staff coaches Jeff Pill for the women and Bob Jenkins for the men.

In a new player identification initiative for 2006, the NH ODP will sponsor the "NH ODP Identification Indoor Jamboree" on Martin Luther King Day - Monday January 16th 2006. The goal of the event is to give NHSA youth soccer members a single venue in which to play and compete, and so that NH ODP Staff can observe and evaluate and identify players for invitation to winter pool or "Invitational" tryouts. Age group teams may register for this player-scouting event as organized by birth year, male and female, in the following age brackets: Under-13s born in 1993, Under-14s born in 1992, Under-15s born in 1991, Under-16s born in 1990, Under-17s born in 1989, and for girls only Under-19s comprised of players born in either 1988 or 1987. To enter, each team must pay an entry fee and submit a roster on-line via the NH ODP website by January 10th 2006 - see the NH ODP website under "NH ODP Identification Indoor Jamboree" for more information. Clubs or schools may enter as many teams as they would like, and may include guest-players, or teams may be formed just for the purposes of this competition; however, teams must be organized by birth year following the ODP team structure (and not by the calendar year that governs USYS club play). NH ODP Staff will be present to observe all matches in their age group, to evaluate and identify players; and there will be a reception at the event for all NHSA and NHIAA coaches to meet with the NH ODP Staff, to nominate players for the "NH ODP Invitational Tryout" in the early spring.

In continued efforts to utilize multiple methods to identify the top players in the state, the NH ODP will again host the "NH ODP Invitational Tryout" in March, but this year over two weekends - on Sunday March 19th and on Sunday March 26th 2006, times and locations TBA. NHSA youth soccer players can be identified for invitation to this event via several methods: via being scouted and invited to attend by either a NH ODP State Team Coach or the NH ODP Director of Scouting and Player Identification, or via nomination by an NHSA Club Coach or NHIAA Coach to the NH ODP Director of Scouting and Player Identification. All nominations must be received by March 1st 2006 (see the NH ODP website under "NH ODP Invitational Tryout" for further information), and invitations to this tryout will be sent via e-mail by March 10th 2006.

Once final state team rosters are selected and published April 15th 2006, NH ODP teams will train outdoors once-a-week on Wednesday evenings at the Northeast Athletic Club in Pembroke. In continued efforts to work in conjunction with the scheduling of NHSA clubs events and minimize conflicts, NH ODP squads participate in only two major weekend events during the spring/summer season - the New England ODP Jamboree Saturday April 29th 2006 at Keene State College in Keene, NH, and the Region 1 Tournament June 9th through 11th at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. In May the NH ODP will sponsor both Region 1 Mini Camps and the NH ODP/NHSA Club Jamboree on regular Wednesday ODP training days; and in July (after state-cup competitions are complete) all NH ODP players have the option of attending Region 1 Camps.

Also new for the 2006 season, and in an effort to reduce player costs, the NH ODP commitment for players is required only through the Region 1 Tournament - players may choose to pay an additional fee to attend Region 1 Identification Camps; the NH ODP strongly recommends participation in Region 1 Identification Camps - the best summer camps in the northeast! - and especially for those players who might be identified to Region 1 or National Team pools. For more information see the NH ODP website under "NH ODP Fees" and also see Region 1 Camp information at www.region1.com. Financial aid support is also available - the NH ODP gave over $6000 in support in the 2005 season, and additionally the NH ODP Yearbook ad sales program is a vehicle by which players can help defray costs.

For the 2006 season - and in addition to long-time sponsor "adidas" - the NH ODP is proud to announce that "EUROSPORT - the fabled soccer traders" is now the official supplier of the NH ODP. To help supplement NH ODP financial aid, EUROSPORT will donate a percentage of all sales made via a link on the NH ODP website to those fundraising efforts - please help support NH ODP players by making all soccer purchases via this website link! Also new in 2006, additional NH ODP financial aid fundraising events will include a charity golf tournament in May - check the NH ODP website for details and updates.

NH ODP players enjoy exposure to and instruction from some of the top high school, club, college, Region 1 and National Staff coaches in the state. All NH ODP Head Coaches hold at least a USSF "C" License or the FIFA equivalent, and many NH ODP Staff Coaches hold USSF "B" and "A" Licenses as well as ACEP, NSCAA and FIFA coaching licenses, making the NH ODP coaches collectively the most qualified instructional staff of any soccer organization in the state; additionally, almost every collegiate program in New Hampshire, as well as a few Massachusetts college programs, are represented on the NH ODP Staff. The NH ODP coaches (including years served on the NH ODP Staff, USSF licensing, and coaching qualifications information) for the 2006 season are:

• Director of Coaching - Ian Torney (15th season, USSF A, St. Paul's School Boys Varsity Head Coach and USYS Region 1 Staff Coach);
• U13 Girls - Deb McDonough (12th season, USSF C, former Trinity High Girls Varsity Head Coach), assisted by Anthony Marino (2nd season, USSF C, U-Mass Lowell Women's Assistant Coach) and Doug Blair (8th season, USSF C, Lebanon High Girls Varsity Head Coach);
• U14 Girls - Julie Hemsley (3rd season, USSF C, St. Anselm College Women's Assistant Coach, MISL Head Coach, and former English Women's National Team Assistant Coach), assisted by Els Van Woert (1st season, St. Paul's School Girls Varsity Assistant Coach, and former Vermont ODP Coach and Middlebury College All-American goalkeeper);
• U15 Girls - Jeff Vogt (10th season, USSF B, John Stark High Girls Varsity Head Coach), assisted by Jay Vogt (9th season, USSF D, Bow High Girls Varsity Head Coach);
• U16 Girls - Glenn Christofori (2nd season, USSF A, former Massachusetts ODP DOC, and current Massachusetts Stars SC DOC and USYS Region 1 Staff Coach); assisted by Gene Smith (2nd season, USSF C, Plymouth State University Women's Head Coach and former Vermont ODP Coach);
• U17 Girls - Al Alvine (1st season, USSF C, St. Anselm College Women's Head Coach and former Vermont ODP Coach), assisted by Kevin Walsh (5th season, USSF C, Pembroke High Boys Varsity Head Coach);
• U19 Girls - Tony Wallis (8th season, USSF D, St. Anselm College Women's Assistant Coach and SUSC Head Coach); assisted by Emily Houghton (3rd season, USSF C, New England College Women's Head Coach);
• U13 Boys - Mark Ruest (9th season, USSF A, NHSA Director of Coaching Education, and USYS Region 1 Staff Coach), assisted by Stefano Franciosa (2nd season, USSF D, Endicott College Men's Head Coach) and Joe Donnelly (3rd season, USSF D, St. Paul's School JV Boys Head Coach);
• U14 Boys - Craig Stam (7th season, USSF B, Bishop Brady Boys Varsity Head Coach); assisted by Mike Zahn (3rd season, USSF D, NH Technical College-Concord Men's Assistant Coach);
• U15 Boys - Paul Vazquez (3rd season, USSF C, New England College Men's Assistant Coach); assisted by Dave Decew (2nd season, USSF D, New England College Men's Head Coach);
• U16 Boys - Rob Wright (4th season, USSF A, Plymouth State University Men's Head Coach and Play Soccer Camps DOC), assisted by Donovan Bruenig (6th season, USSF D, Daniel Webster College Men's Head Coach);
• U17 Boys - Peter Steese (19th season, USSF B, Colby Sawyer College Men's Head Coach), assisted by Grant Fuller (2nd season, USSF A, former Louisiana ODP DOC);
• Goalkeeping Coach - Tobias Svantesson (4th season, USSF D, Southern New Hampshire University Goalkeeper Coach and All-American goalkeeper), assisted by Jeff Bokum (2nd season, USSF D, Bishop Brady High Goalkeeper Coach);
• Director of Scouting and Player Identification - Tom Johnson (7th season, USSF A, Oyster River High Boys Varsity Head Coach), assisted by Paul Stinson (3rd season, USSF C, Colby Sawyer Women's Head Coach).
• NH ODP 2006 Associate Coaches include, among others: Jeff Pill - US Soccer Women's National Staff Coach and Region 1 Director; Tony LePore - SUSC Director of Education, USYS Region 1 Staff Coach, and US Soccer U15 Men's National Team Assistant Coach; Jeff Cook - Dartmouth College Men's Head Coach; Kelly Martin - UNH Women's Assistant Coach; Ron Butcher - Keene State College Men's Head Coach; Jeff Cousineau - Derryfield School Boys Varsity Head Coach and USYS Region 1 Staff Coach; and Rob Thompson - UNH Men's Head Coach and USYS Region 1 Staff Coach. For complete NH ODP Staff listings, contact information, and profiles see the NH ODP website.

NH ODP Administrators for the 2006 season include NH ODP Administrative Director Tom Niedzwiecki, NH ODP Teams Administrator Ken Roberge, and NH ODP Director of Publicity and Special Events Carla Nastri. More information about the NH ODP can be obtained by referring to the NH ODP website at www.soccernh.com/odp or by calling the New Hampshire Soccer Association State office at 626-9686.

Try out for the NH ODP today! We look forward to seeing you "on the pitch" and striving to compete at the highest levels of youth soccer, to represent the state of New Hampshire in Region 1 Competition and for possible identification to Region 1 and National Team pools.

Yours in soccer - Ian W. Torney, NH ODP Director of Coaching