New York West is pleaed to announce news on the following ODP Players.

Following the 94 Boys Regional Pool training in Delaware  March 14/15  Liam Callahan and Haille Marr were chosen to the Region 1 team traveling to Italy, April 4-13, for International Play. This is Callahan's second year being selected for this international event.

Following 95 Boys Regional Pool training in Virginia, Mitch Cancilla was selected to play on the Region 1 team for 95 boys in Italy, April 23-May 3rd.

Christina Sarokon 94G is traveling this week with the Region I girls team to Costa Rica and playing games with the Costa Rica Women's National teams.

Congratulations!

 

 

 

I’ve always had one dream in life, working hard and long, determined to achieve it.  Every year there is new opportunity at Region 1 ID camp at the University of Rhode Island, and every year I work very hard to make sure that I’m at my best when it rolls around.  Camp this year went really well, and I couldn’t wait to find out the big news at the closing ceremony.  I had imagined the moment at least a million times throughout the year and that week, and my heart and mind were set.  I was anxious and nervous at the same time, but I had a sense of security from the fact that I had been on the Region pool all week.  As I went to stand in front of all of my teammates and the rest of the camp, I suddenly realized that this was the moment.  And just as I had imagined it, it happened!  I was chosen to go to the US National I.D. camp in Pomona, California, to train with the best 100 soccer players in the .  Strong feelings of relief and joy swept over me, and I will admit that tears came! I couldn’t be more honored to be chosen to go and represent Region 1, and the !  I couldn’t wait to call my coach, and tell him what I had just accomplished. 

The ID camp was scheduled for July 27th to August 1st, and the plans were set. I would fly out to Seattle, Washington the week before I.D. camp to train at a goalkeeper camp with my coach, and then fly to LA for the National ID camp.  The trip to Seattle went well, except for when I was training, I broke my finger two days before I was leaving for the US ID camp.  I was truly crushed, and didn't want anything more than to just go and play with the broken finger.  Being unable, I had no other choice then to fly back home to Buffalo, and move on, only to use this disappointment as a character builder.  Two weeks after I got home, I got a call from US Soccer, saying that I was chosen for the US U14 girls’ National team, and that I was going to the Women's Nike Friendlies at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. They asked me if I would be ready to play, doctor said the finger would be healed by then, so off to LA I went.   I was ecstatic!!!!!!!!!!

Before I left for California, US Soccer shipped me many different Nike items, including shorts and shirts, a US backpack, a USA duffel bag, goalkeeper gloves, sneakers, and cleats.  I packed up all of my things and was off on my own.  The flights went great, Buffalo to Chicago and then Chicago to Los Angeles and soon enough I was in beautiful LA, with the rest of my teammates.  Upon arrival, we were taken to a beautiful hotel in the city, got our rooms, met our roommates, and then had lunch.  We were scheduled to go to the Home Depot Center that night to get our lockers in the Women’s National team locker room!! The locker room was so incredible.  Our names were on our lockers, and our training gear and uniforms were laid out for us every day. There were US symbols and posters of the past women’s team on the walls everywhere.  The fields at the Home Depot Center were perfect, and we had training for the first few days with the team.  Then the games began. There were two US U14 girls National teams chosen. We were in the U16 division playing 2 years up against 3 of the top U16 teams in the country.  My team, the Stripes, (the other team was the Stars) were scheduled to play the first game under the lights against Real So.Cal. U-16's.  We were ready to play, but I think that pre-game nerves got the best of us.  We ended up losing 4-1.  The next two games we played against Sereno U16 from Arizona, scoring two to win it 2-0, and then against PDA U16 from New Jersey, scoring 3 to win 3-1.  As the week progressed we came together as a team and really put on a good show.  Through all the busy schedule, we also had some relaxing time.  We did a lot of sightseeing, we went to Hermosa Beach, and we went to see the LA Galaxy play the Chicago Fire one night at the HDC.  At the time of the tournament, the Olympics were coming to an end, which meant that we watched the Women's final game against Brazil.  All the teams at the tournament were invited to come to the Home Depot Center and watch the game in a big room.  It was really special to watch the game, because I then realized that that was my next big goal.  After the women took gold, a special guest came in to talk to us, US National team player Cat Whitehill.  She really opened my eyes about college, and talked about the importance of it.

Training and playing with the best players in my age group in the country was the most incredible experience for me, one that I will never forget.  I had my dream come true, and realize I have to train hard and stay focused.  THANK YOU TO ALL of my coaches form Empire United, NY West, Region 1, and especially my ODP goalkeeper coach Mike Idland, who put in a lot of hard work and dedication to train me the last 3 years and help me to achieve my dream, and to Region 1 for choosing me for this event, I couldn't have asked for more than to have my dream come true!

      

During the week-long camps this past summer at various college campus locations, hundreds of players further developed by training with Region I and other licensed state staff coaches at the ODP Identification Camps.  Players were reviewed and assessed both at June’s Region I Tournament as well as at the camps for consideration to advance to the regional level.    At the completion of each camp the Region I coaching staff announced the players selected.

NYSWYSA player Jackie Firenze was selected at the Region I ODP Girls Camp this past summer as one of the top 18 players in her pool and writes a summary of her trip to Ireland this summer!  Congratulations Jackie!

Click Here to Upload Her Trip Report