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OPDL: Game Day Outcomes

By OSA News, 05/20/14, 6:15PM EDT

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What is important to know with regards to expectations/outcomes on OPDL game days?

The OPDL is a development program, where the development of each player is of more important than the actual game result. As such, players will be encouraged to try skills, passing patterns or other techniques that they are learning in training that may not produce the desired outcomes at first.
It is crucial that all individuals involved understand this approach, support it and work hard to create a positive, encouraging game environment for all players.

Individual players learn to have confidence to execute what they have learned in training in a game environment. Playing according to both the attacking and defending principles of play takes priority over the end result, hence, the intent to execute with game awareness, creativity and purpose are far more important at the early stages of OPDL than execution and results on their own.

Above all, the result of the game does not matter as there are no scores kept and standings published at U-13. The development of each player does. Their skill development, psychological and social/emotional development as well as physical development is currently in the forming stages and shall be considered as such.

As players mature and move into different stages of development, the focus on outcomes will be adjusted accordingly, in order to fully support the developmental needs of the athletes.

Mirco Schroff | OSA Technical Director | 905-264-9390 | mschroff@soccer.on.ca