MVLA 00B Player Selected for ODP Regional Team

Diego Pedrayes from MVLA 00B Dortmund Blue Selected for ODP Regional Team

Congratulations to Diego Pedrayes (16), for being selected in the final traveling team of the 18 boys representing Region IV in the ODP soccer program. Diego will be traveling to Florida at the end of the year to participate in the ODP National Camp. Once a player is selected for a region team, he/she is now considered in the top 60-70 players in the country.

Diego currently plays for MVLA Dortmund Blue under the coaching of Carlos Menjivar Jr. and as a High school junior for Bellarmine College Prep Varsity team under the coaching of Connor Salcido and Brandy Chastain.

The Olympic Development Program (ODP) was created by US Soccer around 25 years ago to provide development opportunities for potential national team players. College coaches consider a player’s participation in ODP as an indicator of talent and soccer ambition.

The ODP is divided into four regions where each region comprises 12-14 states. At Region Camp, players play against other states during 5-day-long sessions being continually evaluated by coaches where finally 16-18 players are chosen to be in the Region traveling team to participate in National camps.

Players at this level are physically and mentally sharper anticipating and executing their moves in tight areas often surrounded by multiple opponents. Although Soccer athleticism and their physical attributes of speed, strength and power are important, being able to ‘read the game’ and problem solving abilities is what separates the state level player from the region level player to rise to the top.