U.S. Club Soccer: Details unveiled for 2012-2013 id2 national player identification and development program

U.S. Club Soccer has announced the details for the 2012-13 cycle of the id² National Player Identification and Development Program, which provides an opportunity for the country’s top youth soccer players to be scouted, identified and developed for possible inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s national team programs. The id² program is an Olympic Development Program as approved by the United States Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation.

Now in its ninth year, the 2012-13 id² program cycle currently includes boys born in 1999-2000 and girls born in 1998-99. (Girls born in 1994-97 will be scouted and targeted later in the 2012-13 id² Program cycle.) These specific age groups are targeted to align the id² program training camps with U.S. Soccer’s national scouting calendar and to maximize the opportunity for players to be selected to U.S. Soccer youth national team camps.

In the fall of 2012, id² program training camps will be held Oct. 11-14 at TD Bank Oakwood Soccer Park in Portland, Conn., and Dec. 6-9 in Arizona (location TBA). Each id² program training camp will include approximately 60 boys and 60 girls.

Specific dates and location for remaining programming and events, including the 2013 id² National Selection International Tour for 1999-2000 boys, will be released in the near future.

In the 2011-12 cycle, a team of 18 boys born in 1998 took part in the2012 id² National Selection International Tour to Spain, which was highlighted by matches against academy teams from top Spanish clubs FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, as well as attendance at a pair of La Liga matches featuring FC Barcelona.

Videos from the 2012 id² National Selection International Tour

“For nearly 10 years, the id² Program has been providing opportunities and exposure for top players without adding cost or requiring unrealistic demands on their time, and more and more players are coming through the program into U.S. Soccer youth national teams,” said U.S. Club Soccer executive vice president Christian Lavers. “Every year we continue to improve the program to provide more unique player experiences, and most importantly to offer more platforms that help players be seen for consideration at higher levels, and hopefully be inspired to work harder to reach these levels.”

U.S. Club Soccer encourages coaches to recommend players with national team potential for inclusion in the id² Program via the id²Player Recommendation Form. These recommendations will supplement U.S. Club Soccer’s own scouting process utilizing a network of key scouts at league games and competition events throughout the country. Early recommendation is encouraged.

2012-13 id² PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

Targeted Birth Years:

Boys born in 1999 and 2000
Girls born in 1998 and 1999; girls born in 1994-97 will be targeted later in the 2012-13 cycle

id² program training camps for 1999-2000 boys:

Oct. 11-14, 2012, at TD Bank Oakwood Soccer Park in Portland, Conn.
Dec. 6-9, 2012, in Ariz.
Spring Camp #1 (Dates and location TBA)
Spring Camp #2 (Dates and location TBA)

id² program training camps for 1998-99 girls:

Oct. 11-14, 2012, at TD Bank Oakwood Soccer Park in Portland, Conn.
Dec. 6-9, 2012, in Ariz.

Spring Camp #1 (Dates and location TBA)
Spring Camp #2 (Dates and location TBA)

id² National Selection International Tour for 1999-2000 boys:

Dates and location TBA

ECNL/id² national training camp for 1994-97 girls:

Dates and location TBA

ABOUT THE id² PROGRAM:

The id² program is based upon a comprehensive national scouting and recommendation process, which is used to form a player pool from which top players are invited to an id² program training camp.

Players are initially scouted within their club environment – where they are most comfortable – without additional demands placed on their competition and training calendars. There is no cost to be recommended or scouted for the id² program, which is open to all players regardless of affiliation, or lack thereof.

U.S. Soccer national team staff members are onsite to evaluate participants at id² program training camps, which provide an opportunity for players to work with some of the nation’s best coaches, and to play with and compete against some of the nation’s best players in their age group. In addition to on-field sessions, id²program training camps feature guest speakers, lectures/classroom sessions and other offerings.

There is no fee to attend an id² program training camp. Additionally, lodging and meals are provided by U.S. Club Soccer and gear is provided by Nike, the exclusive athletic apparel and equipment supplier to U.S. Club Soccer.

Aided by their time at US Club Soccer’s id² training camps, numerous attendees of past camps have advanced into U.S. Soccer’s national team programs.