This is Micah his first year of playing soccer...at age 5.Mostly I am writing this for my sister...Allison. I think she is the only one who actually KNOWS what "ODP" is all about. LOL Since I can't call her right now, this was my next best idea.
Micah has been doing a very long drawn out series of try-outs to get on the Olympic Development Soccer Team (ODP). He started in November and has made it through cut after cut, keeping himself alive with his tremendous determination and raw talent. It's VERY hard to make this team. It's the top 16 kids in the entire state of Ohio who were born in 1995. They divide the teams up by birth year. Micah is a little unlucky in that aspect as he is born in December and so most of the kids are bigger than he is and a grade older as well. I've been driving him up past Cleveland every Tuesday for the 2 hour try out sessions. He is one of the smallest boys out there.
They started with hundreds of boys and have been slowly making cuts, eliminating 1/4 of the boys each time. I got an email this morning and Micah MADE THE TEAM!!! He isn't an alternate either...he is ON the main team!! When I told him, his eyes got soooo big and he just said, "wow". LOL He will be leaving us for a week pretty soon to go to the Regional Camp in Indianapolis. At Regional Camp they will be looking at the top 16 boys from 5 states and taking 20 of them to represent our region in the National Tournament. Honestly, none of us expect Micah to make the regional cut. Maybe in another year...when he can catch up in size...who knows. We are all pretty excited for him and proud of him for this HUGE accomplishment. I just wanted to share :)
They sent me some paperwork to fill out and they wanted to know how many years he's made the "state pool" and the "regional pool"...and how long he's played on an International team. Ummmm...he's never done ANY of that stuff. LOL The other parents in the crowd were shocked that he hasn't had any "real" training. I guess he showed them, didn't he? Sheer talent and hard work can get you pretty far.
2 comments:
WOW! Go Micah!! :)
:D :D :D WOOHOOOO!!! I remember we thought he was just going to make one more cut-off than last year and then maybe make it in next time. Way to go, Micah! Josh and I are uber-proud of you... especially Josh... I think he is a little sad he can't go to the games :)
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