Hello
to all,
Below
is our 2008 Olympic Development Program (ODP) plan for 2008. The plan is
very similar to the 2007 plan, with the exception of the changes of the name and
ages to our age group national teams and increasing the number of athletes
selected at the Zone Championships. Being an Olympic year I would like to
limit the amount of change to our program. I believe we have run a very
productive and successful program and through the years we have made changes,
but the changes do take a fair amount of organizational time and time is
somewhat limited when we are in residential training for the Olympic
Games. I thought we made significant progress in 2007 and I still believe
our program will be even better in 2008.
2008
ODP Plan
Age Group National Teams
Due
to FINA changing the age of the Junior National Team from 20 & u to 18 &
u the Youth will now be Junior and Cadet will now be Youth.
2008-09
Junior age will be 1991 and under
Youth
age will be 1993 and under
ODP Zone Teams
Junior
Players born in 1991 and 1992.
If a player born in 1993 was one of the 24 selected to
the Junior Team training camp the weekend of November 30-December 2, then that
player will compete at the Junior Zone Championships and Selection Camp.
Kiley Nueshel, from the Coastal Zone and Maggie Steffens
from the Pacific Zone are the two players who are born in 1993 and were selected
for the camp. All other players will compete at the Youth Zone
Championships and Selection Camp.
Youth
Players born in 1993 and under
All
teams 12 field players and 2 goalkeepers.
ODP Zone Championships and Selection
Camp
May 24-27
Junior Location: Southern Pacific (Inland Empire)
Youth Location: Pacific Southwest
Schedule remains the same as 2007.
May
24
PM Arrival
PM Meeting: 5:30-6:00
PM Educational Component 6:00-8:30
May 25
Zone Championships: AM
Educational
Component: PM
Zone Championships: PM
May
26
Zone
Championships: AM and PM
Selection Process for Junior and Youth National Training Camp:
PM
May
27
Selection
Camp for Junior and Youth National Training Camp: AM and PM
Announce training camp players: PM
Closing: 2:15-2:30
Depart: 2:30
All players are required to compete
at their respective Zone Championships and Selection Camp in order to be
selected for the National Training Camp
National Training Camp
We
are increasing the numbers for the National Training Camps.
Junior: 40 athletes (a minimum of two players per zone)
Youth: 52 athletes (a minimum of three players per
zone)
The camps are for 4-5 days and are scheduled during the week of June
23rd.
Junior and Youth National Teams
Junior: Common Training with Canada in July
Youth: Junior Pan American Championships in late July or early August in South
America
ODP Zone Coaches
ODP
Zone Coaches Seminar at the Annual Meeting in Ventura; January 25-27
Schedule
January 25th: Session 1
11:00-1:00
January 25th: Session 2
2:00-4:00 (Observe and Interact Olympic Team Training
Session)
January 26th: Session 3
8:00-10:00
January 26th: Session 4
4:00 USA vs. Canada Exhibition
Game
January 26th: Session 5
7:00-9:00
January 27th: Session
6
10:00-12:00
Agenda will be similar to last year with the exception
that the Olympic Team will be at the annual meeting. We will add a
training component and an exhibition game against Canada. In addition, we
will be producing a new DVD covering our system of play that will be better than
the 2007 product and we will provide a manual that will be updated from
2007. Also, we will have breakout sessions to determine the goals for
training, identification and Zone Championships for each zone. I thought
we made great progress in 2007 and I want to further our connection with the
Zones. I believe this model will guarantee our long term success.
Ten of our Olympic Training roster of fifteen started their journey with
their respective Zone teams. All of our players on our 2007 Junior World
Championship team came through the Zone team pipeline process.
I
would like to know all the coaches by November 16th. I know that date is
fast approaching, but I want to make sure that each coach has enough time to
plan ahead and attend the ODP Zone Coaches Seminar. I would like to ask
the coaches that I worked with last year to continue. The earlier we know than
the sooner we can announce the ODP Zone Coaches and make a big deal out of it.
I would like the ODP Zone Coaches Seminar to be mandatory if at all
possible.
I
believe we need to discuss whether to have 12 or 16 teams at the Zone
Championships. I will contact Andrew to discuss and then we can determine
what the next step is to finalizing whether to have 12 or 16 teams; conference
call or email. If you wish to discuss with me directly please feel free at
anytime.
SNT B
Team
Since
the change to Junior National Team we will start a B Team. We will have an
invitation only camp for 28 athletes, May 24-27 at the National Training
Center. The B Team will be for players born in 1990 and older. It is
possible for a player born in 1991 & u to be invited to the B Team
Camp. Players born in 1989 & u will play in the Global Championships
in July in Australia. We will also select six to eight players to form an
Olympic Scout Team. These athletes will train with the Olympic Team in the
months of June and July. The twenty eight invitations will be sent out the first
week of May.
Thank
you for your time in reading this lengthy email. Please feel free to
contact me at anytime.
Take
care,
Guy