US Club Soccer hosts id² Training Camp in Arizona

A total of 114 players from 71 different clubs participated in the id² Training Camp at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz., Dec. 10-13. This was the fourth and final id² Training Camp of the current age group cycle, which targeted boys born in 2002 and girls born in 2001-02.

Over the course of the four-day, invitation-only camp, players engaged in several training sessions and games, as well as off-the-field discussions focused on developmental themes.

id² directors Gerry McKeown and Rory Dames led the boys and girls groups, respectively. NPL General Manager Leo Garcia was in attendance to oversee the program.

The staff coaches who implemented training curriculum and instructed the boys players were: Victor Fernandez (Real Salt Lake), Matt Lawrey (Richmond Strikers), Claine Plummer (Real Salt Lake) and Andrew Ziemer (NorCal Premier Soccer). The coaches on the girls side were: Doug Landefeld (Michigan Wolves-Hawks), Hideki Nakada (Stanford University), Dave Robertson (NorCal Premier Soccer) and Tricia Taliaferro (U.S. Soccer).

Taliaferro, formerly the id² Girls Program associate director and now with the U.S. Soccer Federation full-time, was directly involved with training the girls. In addition to Taliaferro, U.S. Soccer sent the following scouts to monitor for potential invitations to youth national programming: April Kater, Brent Irwin and Todd Saldaña.

Players received evaluations from their id² coaches and left camp with tools and tips for personal success on the field.

Up next for the id² Program is determining id² National Selection invitations in 2016. Top performers from all four camps, (Spring: California & North Carolina | Fall: New Jersey & Arizona) will be invited to either the 2016 id² National Selection International Tour (Boys) or the 2016 Nike National Training Camp powered by ECNL and id² (Girls).

There is no cost to players to be identified for or participate in the id² Program. For id² Training Camps, all lodging, meals and training gear are provided at no cost by US Club Soccer and Nike. The id² Program is open to all players regardless of U.S. Soccer affiliation or lack thereof. It is an Olympic Development Program approved by the United States Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation.