Several changes were made to improve the Super Y- League ODP selection process in 2006, ensuring elite players are well represented at the national camp. Allotted roster spots now vary division-to-division in order to match the number of players. This change allows larger divisions, with larger pools of players, more roster spots. Smaller divisions have been downsized to strengthen the quality of their representatives. The Super Y-League also invited guest all-star teams from to advance play in each age group to provide an international component to identify players to U.S. National Team Programs.

"We’ve seen over the years how USL has helped produce talented players, many of which have gone on to the professional ranks in USL, and MLS, and climbed the national team ladder," said US U17 National Team Coach John Hackworth. “USL is a contributing factor to the success of the professional development of players involved in the national teams."

U.S. National Team Staff will be in attendance at this year’s Super Y-League ODP National Camps beginning in January of 2007 in Cocoa, Florida , for further identification of players.

“We’ve adjusted the selection process based off of different geographical areas,” said Super Y-League ODP Coordinator Vicente Bastidas. “A number of the recommendations came from U.S. National Team Program staff and our internal ODP Staff Coaches.”.

Another small improvement was made to the age range pairing system to help accommodate the U.S. National Team Staff. The former U13-U17 pairings at the SYL ODP camps will now be broken down into six groups based on birth year..

“The Super Y-League prides itself on having the most progressive ODP system,” said Bastidas. “If it is easier for the national team staff to identify players when they are paired in a certain way, then we are obviously going to make that change. In addition to the U.S. National Team identification, players also get the opportunities with the collegiate system.”.

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2007 Super Y-League ODP Camps in Cocoa, Florida

‘88, ‘89, ‘90 Boys – January 18 – 21

‘88, ’89, ’90 Girls – January 25 – 28

‘91, ‘92, ‘93 Boys – February 1 – 4

‘91, ‘92, ‘93 Girls – February 8 – 11

About the USL Super Y-League

The future of soccer lives in the USL Super Y- League, a professionalized system that is the first step for developing elite youth soccer players in North America . Affiliated with US Soccer and partnered with US Club Soccer, the league is designed for talented youth players destined for professional or international careers. The league contains the youth academies of USL First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League, W-League, and Major League Soccer clubs, as well as many of the established premier youth clubs. Through Olympic Development Program status events such as the North American Finals and National ODP Camps, the nation’s top players are identified for selection to US National Team Programs. The 2006 campaign features over 800 teams within the U13 – U17 boys and girls age groups competing within 10 geographic divisions of the and .

Web: http://www.uslsoccer.com