Second Fall 2012 id2 Program Training Camp draws to a close in Casa Grande, Ariz.
Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz., was the site of the second Fall 2012 id2 Program Training Camp, which concluded Dec. 9 after four days of high-level training and off-field sessions.
The camp included a total of 52 boys born in 1999 and 2000 and 56 girls born in 1998 and 1999 representing 19 different states. The age groups for the camp were selected in order to align with the scouting priorities for the U.S. Soccer U-14 National Teams.
List of attendees: Boys | Girls
The id2 Program Training Camps are part of US Club Soccer’s id2 National Player Identification and Development Program and provide an opportunity for the country’s top youth players to be identified and developed, as well as to be scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs. The id2 Program is an Olympic Development Program as approved by the United States Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation.
Led by id2 Boys’ Program Director Gerry McKeown and id2 Girls’ Program Director Rory Dames, 12 coaches from across the country worked closely with the players to teach the technical, tactical, and psychological requirements for success and development at a national level. Additionally, U.S. Soccer staff members Ron Becerra and Mark Orr were at the camp outside of Phoenix.
“As we often see, the girls improved each day as they become more comfortable with their surroundings and more familiar with the other players,” said Dames. “From top to bottom, the depth and quality of the player pool this weekend was very impressive.”
For the fourth straight year, a team of the best 18 boys from the spring and fall id2 Program Training Camps will be selected to take part in the National Selection International Tour, where they will have the opportunity to train, attend professional matches and compete against youth teams from well-known professional clubs. An announcement on the dates and destination of the 2013 id2 National Selection International Tour will be coming soon.
“I think the quality of the players at the camp was exceptional in terms of technical ability and skill level,” said McKeown. “Looking ahead to the upcoming National Selection International Tour, our player selection process is going to be difficult because of the amount of high-quality players that we saw both here and in Connecticut, but we look forward to choosing the team of 18 players who we feel can best represent US Club Soccer.”
In the 2011-12 cycle, a team of 18 boys born in 1998 took part in the 2012 id2 National Selection International Tour to Spain, which was highlighted by matches against academy teams from top Spanish clubs FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, as well as attendance at a pair of La Liga matches featuring FC Barcelona.
2012-13 id2 PROGRAM DETAILS:
The 2012-13 id2 Program will feature boys born in 1999-2000 and girls born in 1994-1999. The program will include four id2 Program Training Camps, the National Selection International Tour and the ECNL/id2 Program National Training Camp for girls.
id2 Program Training Camps for 1999-2000 boys and 1998-1999 girls:
• Oct. 11-14 at TD Bank Oakwood Soccer Complex in Portland, Conn. (boys and girls)
• Dec. 6-9 at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.(boys and girls)
• Spring Camp #1 (specific dates and location TBA)
• Spring Camp #2 (specific dates and location TBA)
2013 id2 National Selection International Tour for 1998-1999 boys:
• Dates and Location TBA
2013 ECNL/id2 National Program Training Camp for girls:
• Dates and location TBA
