Ian Torney - NH ODP State Director of Coaching

Initial registration and player identification for the NH ODP 2007 season was held on Sunday, November 18th 2006 at the Northeast Athletic Club in Pembroke, and open tryouts continued all winter - players wishing to try out for the NH ODP may do so until April 1st. Players may be added to NH ODP rosters after that date only by invitation of the NH ODP Director of Coaching. As always, it is strongly recommended that interested players try out as soon as possible - contact the State Head Coach for your age-group/gender to arrange a tryout at the next possible training session, or call the NHSA State Office at 626-9686 for more information. During the winter the NH ODP Staff scouted and solicited nominations of top players from NHSA Competitive Clubs, for spring Invitational Tryouts held the first two Sundays of April 2007.

The NH ODP published the final State Team rosters on April 15th 2007. For the 2007 season Region 1 sponsored a Camp for U12 Boys, so in addition to the U13 through U17 boys and girls teams the NH ODP also sponsored a U12 Boys Team. The NH ODP sponsors State Teams at every age group (determined by birth year) for both boys and girls in 2007 - U13, U14, U15, U16, and U17.

In the winter NH ODP pools trained on Sunday mornings, typically twice a month at the Hampshire Dome in Milford. After state teams are named April 15th, NH ODP teams trained once a week on Wednesday evenings and participated in one weekend competition a month, at the new Northeast Athletic Club in Pembroke. In February the U16 and U17 boys and girls teams competed in an indoor college showcase jamboree at Hampton Arena; and the other NH ODP teams compete in an indoor 11 v 11 intra-squad scrimmage that same weekend. At the end of March the U13 through U17 boys and girls NH ODP teams capped their indoor season with a scrimmage versus their counterparts from Maine ODP in an indoor jamboree.

NH ODP named final state team rosters April 15th, and after that date trained every Wednesday at the Northeast Athletic club in Pembroke. In mid-May the NH ODP sponsored a Region 1 Mini Camp - Region 1 Staff were brought in to the state to train NH ODP players, and to take the opportunity for early identification evaluations. In late May NH ODP teams scrimmaged New England club teams in preparation for Region 1 competition. All NH ODP Teams traveled to Rider University in New Jersey to compete in the Region 1 Identification Tournament on the second weekend of June; and all NH ODP Teams participated in Region 1 Camps in July.

The NH ODP Administrative group for the 2007 season was comprised of Administrative Director Tom Niedzwiecki and Teams Administrator Ken Roberge, both returning to lend their veteran experience from previous seasons. Bob Willey oversaw the NH ODP and helps with the Administrative group as part of his role as the newly elected NHSA Executive Vice President.

The NH ODP Head Coaches for the 2007 Season were:

• U13 Girls - Deb McDonough
• U14 Girls - Julie Hemsley
• U15 Girls - Jeff Vogt
• U16 Girls - Gene Smith
• U17 Girls - Al Alvine
• U12 Boys - Stefano Franciosa
• U13 Boys - Anthony Marino
• U14 Boys - Craig Stam
• U15 Boys - Paul Vazquez
• U16 Boys - Rob Wright
• U17 Boys - Peter Steese

Complete biographies of each Head Coach - including their playing experience, coaching experience and licenses - can be found on the NH ODP web-site, at www.soccernh.com/odp. Also see a complete listing of District Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Associate Coaches at that site.

The NH ODP web-site has been updated, expanded and improved, and will continue to be upgraded throughout the season. Information available on the NH ODP web-site, found at www.soccernh.com/odp, includes a full schedule of the NH ODP season, tryout information and fees information, as well as NH ODP Staff contact information and NH ODP Head Coach biographies. The site also holds a wealth of information, including articles on "The NH ODP Mission, Philosophy and Methods" and several position statements from US Soccer. A NH ODP Registration Form can be downloaded from the site. Numerous additional announcements and other general ODP information are also available.

The NH ODP is expanding its fundraising and scholarship programs in an effort to make participation affordable to all, as the program's philosophy continues to be that cost should not be an impediment to participation. The NH ODP successfully re-introduced its yearbook ad sales program in 2002, and plans to accomplish the same goals via a "virtual yearbook" on the NH ODP website. The NH ODP expanded financial aid support by selling authentic NH ODP gear available through the NH ODP official supplier Eurosport, with all profits fro those sales to be used either as additional financial aid funds or to directly subsidize the program..

In 2006 the NH ODP achieved the unprecedented feat of qualifying two teams - the U16 Girls and the U17 Boys, for the Region 1 Tournament Semi-Finals, with a third team - the U17 Girls - nearly making it through as well!

FFinally, congratulations to the NH ODP players who have been identified to Region 1 call-back camp pools for their work during the 2007 ODP season; they are:

• U13/93 GIRLS: Paige Rachel and Lydia Simmons
• U14/92 GIRLS: Michaela Cowgill - also invited to the National Team Camp
• U15/91 GIRLS: Kailey Blaine
• U16/90 GIRLS: Jess Luscinski
• U17/89 GIRLS: Jillian Brown and Kristy Zurmuhlen
• U13/93 BOYS: Charles DeFeo
• U14/92 BOYS: Stefan Defregger and Jim Petrocelli
• U15/91 BOYS: Kristoffer Abildgaard
• U16/90 BOYS: Ken Kolbeck, Steven Palumbo and Eric Slingerland
• U17/89 BOYS: Robbie McLarney
• Respectfully submitted by Ian Torney - NH ODP Director of Coaching