soccerNM.com

ALBUQUERQUE - The players who make the cut through the state’s Olympic Development Program have the benefit of some of the best coaching in NM.

But not everybody gets the chance to partake of that experience.

Until now.

Under the NM ODPs Player Development Program, players of all abilities now can be guided by those coaches.

“We want to give everybody in New Mexico a chance to play under ODP coaches,” said Heather Dyche, NM ODP director of coaching. “It’s a great opportunity for players of all abilities to train with some great coaches.”

Already, five such sessions have been held around the state ranging from Santa Fe to Alamogordo. Additional sessions are up coming in Gallup on July 25 and Clovis on Aug. 29.

More than 70 players recently went through two 90-minute sessions in Albuquerque, going through a series of drills, then breaking into a series of small-sided games with the coaches distributing liberal advice.

The sessions are aimed at the age groups of nine through 13. While the training is in no way a tryout for the NM ODP teams, Dyche did say that talented players are identified so that coaches can keep an eye on them.

“We don’t always get a chance to see all of the New Mexico talent,” she said. “We do want everybody that’s here to try out for the ODP team. I’ve seen players who are good and I want to see more interest in the teams.”

So while ODP is for the elite-level players, PDP is a starting point and possible stepping stone for players to move up.

Bosque School seventh-grader Aaron McAllister heard about Albuquerque’s PDP through a friend and was glad he attended.

“I love soccer and I want to improve my skills,” he said. “I think I increased all of my skills.”