USL News Release
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer Leagues Super Y-League opens its 2011/12 Olympic Development Program Boys National Camp Thursday, with 185 of the top U13-U17 players in North America set to descend on IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.
The boys’ camp will run through Sunday, February 26, with an experienced and diverse roster of coaches on hand to provide instruction and evaluation under the direction of USL National Technical Director Peter Mellor, who has spent the past 18 years as a member of the U.S. National Staff and 25 years as an ODP coach.
Among the coaches participating will be longtime University of Portland Director of Soccer and former US U23 WNT coach Bill Irwin, former Akron Yale, Old Dominion and Hartwick head coach Bill Killen, UC Santa Barbara’s Stuart Dobson, Stetson University’s Cristian Materazzi, and Ryan Brooks of Shattuck-Saint Mary’s Soccer Academy.
Players selected to attend the camp were identified as the top players in their birth year and among the top two percent of players in the Super Y-League. The ODP Program is a crucial component of the USL Super Y-League, offering the best players from the U13 to U17 age groups a chance to receive top-quality coaching and the opportunity to be scouted by U.S. National Team and college coaches.
On Sunday at 11 a.m., players chosen for the U17 ODP select teams at the camp will enjoy the unique opportunity to face the US U17 National Team, which is in residency at IMG Academies. Current US U17 National Team striker Wesley Wade was a 2011 SYL ODP National Camp participant as a member of the New Jersey Rangers.
IMG Academies is the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training facility for athletic, academic and personal development. During the span of 30-plus years, the Academy’s advanced training methods have helped countless youth, adult, collegiate and professional athletes improve in sport and life by providing an energetic and inspiring atmosphere on a 400-acre campus.
The 2011/12 SYL Olympic Development Program Girls National Camp will take place March 1-4 at IMG Academies.