Frequently Asked Questions:
How is player eligibility determined?
Eligibility for ODP is determined by the player’s birth date, not their soccer year. A child born in 2002 or younger is not eligible to try out for the 2012/2013 seasons. A release is not necessary from the player’s Club team to participate in ODP. Players born in 1995 or older are considered to be “aged out”. Therefore, they are no longer eligible to participate in ODP.
When are Tryouts and Registration?
Tryouts and Registration for the 2012/2013 season will be held at TBD. Please see the NTSSA Events Calendar (located in red on the home page on the right hand side of the screen) for schedule information.
What is the cost?
Cost for tryouts is a one-time fee of $50 for ’00 – ’96 boys & girls; cost is $75 for ’01 boys & girls. Cost for Pool is $125 per season. Fees are subject to change from one year to the next. Selected teams attend one camp in the summer. Pool fees must be paid in full in order to participate in ODP and to be eligible for selection to camp. More information about the camps becomes available after the selection process.
My child cannot make it to one of the tryout dates, may run late, or may need to leave early. Is this okay?
We encourage players to attend all tryout sessions available if possible, but club takes priority over ODP. It is better for a player to arrive late, than not at all. Players may leave early if necessary. The more exposure they can get to the coaches during the tryouts process, the better.
For scouting consideration once tryouts are over, please have the player’s coach email a referral to Gary Williamson, NTSSA State Coach, at gary@ntxsoccer.org for scouting consideration. Scouting is at Gary’s discretion and not guaranteed. Otherwise, open tryouts will take place annually. Tryouts are announced in The Pitch. We highly recommend interested participants subscribe to The Pitch. It is a monthly newsletter provided free of charge. You can register for The Pitch at http://www.ntxsoccer.org/signup.aspx. Or, you can keep an eye on the Events Calendar http://www.ntxsoccer.org/ for tryouts information as it becomes available. If nothing is posted, tryouts dates/schedules are pending field availability and not yet available.
How many players will be selected?
There is not a specified number of players accepted to the pools. Pool players will be selected based on evaluation of performance and ability, in addition to attitude and behavior. Players are evaluated by multiple coaches for ODP selection.
Players selected to be in ODP, will be invited to the Fall Pool. They will then continue to train with their gender/age group. We have a Sub-Regional Competition at the end of the Spring season (date to be determined) that, if selected, players will compete against available teams from Region III (i.e. OK, LA, MS, etc).
· ’01 Girls selected to the Sub-Regional Competition will be invited to attend Developmental Camp in Norman, OK
· ’01 Boys selected to the Sub-Regional Competition will be invited to attend Developmental Camp in Clarksville, AR
· ’96 – ’00 Boys and Girls selected to the Sub-Regional Competition are selected to attend Region III camps in Alabama
How will my child know if he/she was selected for ODP?
All participants of the 2012/2013 ODP Tryouts will receive a Letter of Notification at the end of tryouts notifying them of whether or not they have been selected via email addresses in the player’s GotSoccer profile. As a result, it is crucial the GotSoccer profile is up-to-date and accurate at all times.
Is there any type of financial aid or fundraising available?
There are a limited number of scholarships available for Region III Alabama Camp fees only. MOST are PARTIAL scholarships. Scholarships are given on a financial need only basis. Application forms are available through the North Texas Office.
How often do we practice and where?
Trainings are scheduled 5 times per season on Sundays. We, like all others, are subject to cancellations due to inclement weather and/or tournaments receiving priority over our field reservations. Make-up trainings due to unforeseen cancellations are subject to field availability. Five trainings per season is not guaranteed due to possible field cancellations beyond our control. The parks and recreation department controls the cancellations, not our office.
*Players are required to attend a minimum of 4 (40%) of trainings per year for active participation to be eligible for camp selection.
Do we travel to tournaments?
Selected teams will only travel when attending camp in the summer or Sub-Regional Competitions we receive invites to attend. Our office handles ALL travel arrangements for players when traveling to out of the area ODP events which require travel by air (i.e. Region III Alabama Camp).
When is Camp?
Oklahoma State Soccer Association hosts the Girls Developmental camp that is held on the campus of the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Selected players will travel by bus to and from camp. They will be housed in the university dormitories. Date: in June TBA
Arkansas State Soccer Association hosts the Boys Developmental camp that is held on the campus of the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville. Selected players will travel by bus to and from camp. They will be housed in the university dormitories. Date: in June TBA
After their first year in ODP, selected pool players attend Region III Camp in Alabama. They travel by plane. The boys attend in Tuscaloosa; the girls attend in Montevallo. Once they attend camp in Alabama, they are re-evaluated during camp in the same way our tryouts are conducted for possible selection to the Region III team or National team. All accommodations regarding travel, food, and lodging for camp is made by NTSSA and cost is covered by the camp fee.
The fee schedule for last year was as follows:
· '00 Girls Developmental Camp in Norman, OK was $650
· '00 Boys Developmental Camp in Clarksville, AR was $575
· ’99 Girls in Montevallo, AL was $1,025
· ’95 – ’98 (’99) Boys and Girls in Alabama was $1,050
· Camp fees are subject to change from one year to the next depending on the cost of airfare and Region III camp fees. Region III Camp Date: June - July TBA
What if my child is not selected to attend camp in the summer? Does he/she have to go through tryouts again?
Once a player makes the Pool, they will be invited to continue in the Fall & Spring of the following year. As long as players remain in “good standing” by maintaining a current registration, their payments, and continuing their participation in their pool, they will continue to be invited back year after year without being subject to further tryouts.
Who do we contact if we have questions?
Please contact your Team Administrator. Team Administrators are volunteer parents with regular full-time jobs. The graciously volunteer countless hours to ODP to help ensure success to the program. Please be patient to allow them time to respond, often after hours from home. They can best answer questions specific to their pool.
Shawn Morgan, NTSSA ODP Administrator is the best contact regarding the administrative/clerical portions of the program and can be reached at 972-323-1323 Ext. 107, toll free 1-800-996-8772.
Last Updated: Sept 2012