US Club Soccer announces id2 national identification and development program details

As a player what do these things mean to you. Well, it means that you may want to have a conversation with your coach about where he thinks you stand in relation to being recommended to a program like ODP or US Club id2. You should be the best player on your team or, if you have a really strong team, one of the top 3 players. If he doesn’t think you are ready, work hard… you can get there. Set goals and work to meet them everyday.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 21, 2010) – US Club Soccer has announced the details for the upcoming season’s id² program, which provides an opportunity for the country’s top youth talent to be identified and developed for possible inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs.

Currently in its seventh year, the id² program now includes boys born in 1997-98 and girls born in 1994-97.

Player recommendations are being accepted; please use the Player Recommendation Form at the id² Web page on usclubsoccer.org. Early recommendation is encouraged to ensure that players are able to be properly evaluated.

Any coach is able to recommend qualified players with national team potential for inclusion in the id² program. These player recommendations supplement US Club Soccer’s own scouting process that utilizes a network of key scouts at the organization’s National Cup Regionals and Finals, during league play and at various other events and tournaments throughout the country.

There is no cost to the player to be recommended or scouted for the id² program.

Player recommendations and the results from US Club Soccer’s own scouting process will be used to form a player pool from which qualified players will be invited to an id² Training Camp. Three id² Regional Training Camps will be held for boys born in 1997-98 and girls born in 1996-97. Approximately 65 boys and 65 girls will attend each camp in the fall of 2010. Additionally, US Club Soccer will hold an id² National Training Camp for 1994-97 girls in early 2011, which will take place in conjunction with the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).

The specific dates and locations for the id² Training Camps will be forthcoming.

“The first id² National Training Camp co-sponsored by the ECNL in early 2010 was a tremendous success,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “The ENCL Player Identification Program worked to identify and bring players into the camp that either had not been identified previously, or deserved another opportunity for evaluation at a national level. The success of that camp, in which six players were invited into U.S. Soccer National Team programs, makes us tremendously excited to expand our relationship with US Club Soccer’s id² program in 2010-11.”

For the second successive year, a team of the best 18 boys from the fall id² Regional Training Camps will have the opportunity to experience the day-to-day culture of some of the world’s most well-known professional clubs while also improving themselves via high-level training and game competition as part of the 2011 id² National Selection International Tour. Details for the 2011 trip will be announced soon; click here for information and highlights from the 2010 id² National Selection International Tour.

“Last year marked significant gains for the id² program,” said id² Boys’ Program Director Gerry McKeown, who is also a U.S. U-15 Boys’ National Team assistant coach. “The 2009 id² Training Camps were all very successful, and the experience and knowledge that the players obtained on the 2010 id² National Selection International Tour was invaluable. We are encouraged by this and anticipate additional success in this program year with a more encompassing recommendation and scouting program.”

“We’re pleased that we’re able to expand the age groups for girls,” said id² Girls’ Program Director Rory Dames. “I am looking forward to the wide-ranging recommendation and scouting process that will take place throughout the year, which serves as the base for our id² success.”