3 TN players on Region 3 ODP tour of London

[Welshdragon]

2 High School Juniors and 1 High School Senior from Tennessee will this week be travelling with the Region III 92 ODP boys team to London to play four games, tour and train.

 

Paul 'Koolaid' Banks from Christian Brothers High School, Nick Dykes from Independence High School and Jack McCoy from Knox West High School were selected to represent the Regional ODP team. Region III consists of 12 States in the Southeast of the US, including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, North and South Texas and oklahoma.

 

The boys will be based at the Chelsea FC training grounds in Cobham, Surrey. They will be training at the Chelsea training grounds on three days during the tour with Chelsea Academy coaches, playing games against Fulham FC Academy, Crystal Palace FC Academy, Charlton FC Academy and finishing up with a game against Chelsea FC Academy.

[BigG]

Man, what an opportunity! Good luck, boys! Enjoy!

[DragonSoc]

Best of luck to the guys. Hope Nick doesn't come back wearing blue, he might not be let back in his house!

[mjuhb]

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/The_Acade ... 68,00.html

 

chelsea is in the fa youth cup final

 

i

[mjuhb]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/davi ... -academies

 

the bad thing about the youth academy's in england is 80% of them go on to play in the lower leagues

[Welshdragon]

Region III ODP played their first game of the tour against the Fulham Football Club Academy team today. Region III came away with a 2-1 victory, highlight of the game was Clint Dempsey coming into the changing room and meeting the team and getting them pumped upto to "beat the brits"!

[hamlet7478]

I wonder if our young men from TN have experienced any problems with travel?

 

Look at this excerpt from the US Soccer web site:

 

"The U.S. U-17 Men's National Team's trip to Europe, scheduled for April 15-May 2, has been postponed due to travel complications from the volcanic ash hovering over Europe.

 

Wilmer Cabrera's young squad, which had already made the domestic portion of the flight, will return to Bradenton tonight and await confirmation of travel changes. Early next week, the U.S. will bypass the England leg of their journey and fly directly to Italy for the International Tournament of Gradisca.

 

In Italy, the U.S. will play Mexico, Romania and Croatia on April 25, 26 and 27."

[DragonSoc]

They are scheduled to come home Thursday 4/22. Speaking with one of the player's mom this past weekend, she wasn't optomistic that it would be before the following Monday. It's going to depend on further eruptions and backlog of travelers one would assume.

 

I guess there are worse things that could happen to soccer playing teenagers during school term...afterall the EPL race is neck and neck and I don't think ODP gives pop quizzes!!

[hamlet7478]

Thanks for the update DragonSoc. Let's hope they get home safely and soon.

[Welshdragon]

Players are in a wait and see mode. If flight can get out on Thursday, they will be on it....if not, then that's where the problems arise. Could be into next week. They are enjoying themselves immensely...tour of Stamford Bridge yesterday, tour of Wembley today, trained by Chelsea Academy coach today, and play Charlton Academy tomorrow. Thanks for the thoughts....will keep you posted.

[Welshdragon]

The Regional team played on Monday against Charlton Academy, Region III won 3-0.

 

Hopefull for flights on Thursday!