There are a lot of misplaced complaints about ODP, imo. Most of these complaints probably come from parents who’s kids are on the bubble. Bubble kids are always going to feel slighted but they also likely will be cut from whatever the next selection is. I believe by the time the ODP Championships come around there may only be 10-15 spots open to the field of players in each age group for NTSC, mostly outside of CA kids. At NTSC, there are probably only 3-5 available spots for the national team.
Complaints that players aren’t on the correct team or given enough time to shine are completely wrong. The players have been evaluated for years through try-outs, zone evaluations/camps, outside of CA ODP tournaments, academy trainings, national team games, all club games, all HS games and then this tournament. This event does not occur in a complete information void or vacuum.
Furthermore, the request for a stats-based approach with an open rubric so parents and players can understand why they make or don’t make a team is laughable. None of those stats posted by trix are nearly enough to tell anyone if those are great, good or average players. These don’t include the three S’s: size, strength, smarts. Honestly, a 6’2 athlete will get the nod over a 5’8 athlete if all else is equal. There are many attributes and actions that I will lump into “Water Polo IQ.” Smart passing, smart defense, not taking stupid shots, rotating correctly, going to defense as hard as you go to offense, etc., etc. I believe coaches will take a high IQ player all day, every day over one who isn’t but scores more. Bad play that works today won’t work at the next level, what ever that next level is. Kids realize this when they age up every two years, go to HS or College. Adapt or fall behind. What may seem to be good to untrained eyes is actually glaring future weakness to other evaluators. Experienced coaches are going to spot that quickly and first impressions are probably important.
I’ve been around ODP for 8 years and I have never witnessed some of the apathy and disregard toward any players at any event as suggested in this thread.
These suggestions or complaints that the better teams are better because they have better players and their opponents aren’t as strong are just plain weird. That’s how sport works. If the weaker teams had the stronger players they would be the stronger teams. I agree with others that the final standings don’t affect the selections to NTSC. The strongest players are going to be chosen. The stronger teams have more stronger players that will be selected to move on. The 5th place team finished 5th instead of 1st because they didn’t have as many stronger players. The selection isn’t based on the result, the result is based on the strength of the team.
And no, I don’t work for USAWP.
