State Select Cup
Region III State Select Representative
Joseph Landry - Email: landryjoseph@bellsouth.net
Purpose
The United States Adult Soccer Association’s (USASA) Elite Player Program, originally known as the Select Teams Program, identifies players that exhibit skillful qualities with the intent of becoming a part of the USASA National Select Team player pool. Once selected, the player will be showcased in competitions against professional and international teams. The exposure that our elite players may gain by competing against those professional and international teams can result in professional opportunities for those players. In addition to identifying our elite players, the program provides our coaches the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in highly competitive game situations.
Structure
The structure of the Elite Player Program begins at the State Association level, where scouts or coaches are recruited to seek out the best available players in their areas. Once these players have been identified, they are invited to attend the USASA Elite Player National Camp. At the Elite Player National Camp players will be tested in training sessions and games to determine a USASA National Select Team. The USASA National Select Teams then schedules events/games during the following year to provide the players opportunities to display their talents in front of professional and international competitions.
In addition to players being invited to the Elite Player National Camp, all National State Association Select Teams and/or League Select Teams within a National State Association are invited to compete in the USASA’s National Select Teams Championship, also known as the George F. Donnelly Cup.
George F. Donnelly Cup
The USASA National Select Teams Championships is also known as the George F. Donnelly Cup. Annually, National State Associations and State Association Leagues are invited to participate at the George F. Donnelly Cup. As part of the USASA Elite Player Program, in addition to teams playing for a National Championship in a tournament format, players are scouted throughout the tournament by the USASA National Coaching Staff for recommendation to the National State Association to represent that National State Association at the USASA Elite Player National Camp for possible selection to USASA National Select Team.
This event was established in 1990 to determine a National Championship for State Select Teams. In the past has been held during the Thanksgiving Day weekend, but in 2003 the tournament was changed to January during the Martin L. King Holiday weekend. In 2009 this tournament will start a new era where League Select Teams within a National State Association are also invited to compete for the National Championship.
USASA Elite Player Program Benefits and Opportunities
1. Elite Player National Camp
2. National Championship for State and League Select Teams - George F. Donnelly Cup
3. USASA National Select Team
4. Games versus professional teams
5. Games versus international teams
6. Scouting by professional teams
7. Scouting by USSF National Coaching Staff
8. Evaluations by National Staff Coaches
9. Games versus US National Teams
10.. Competing against other players of high level
USASA National Select Teams
This year the USASA made great strides in establishing annual events for both Men’s and Women’s USASA National Select Teams. The Men’s National Select Team, after an absence of over ten years, went back to Europe and played a two game series against the Ireland National Amateur Team in Ireland with games on July 25, 2007 in Cork followed by the second game on July 29, 2007 in Tipperary Town. Our National Select Team was successful in both games by winning 1:0 and 2:0 against a well-respected team that has been very successful in European international competition over the last several years.
The Women’s National Select Team will be in Mexico at the end of the year for a set of games similar to the games which were played in the previous year when our National Select Team played to a 2:2 tie against the Mexican National Team in Mexico City and a second game versus Mexico’s U-20 National Team where our team was victorious with a 3:0 win.
These type of events give our professional and U.S. National Teams programs an up close and personal opportunity to evaluate USASA players in a direct setting wherein the USASA players showcase their talents against the very players they hope to join.
The United States Adult Soccer Association’s (USASA) Elite Player Program, originally known as the Select Teams Program, identifies players that exhibit skillful qualities with the intent of becoming a part of the USASA National Select Team player pool. Once selected, the player will be showcased in competitions against professional and international teams. The exposure that our elite players may gain by competing against those professional and international teams can result in professional opportunities for those players. In addition to identifying our elite players, the program provides our coaches the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in highly competitive game situations.
Structure
The structure of the Elite Player Program begins at the State Association level, where scouts or coaches are recruited to seek out the best available players in their areas. Once these players have been identified, they are invited to attend the USASA Elite Player National Camp. At the Elite Player National Camp players will be tested in training sessions and games to determine a USASA National Select Team. The USASA National Select Teams then schedules events/games during the following year to provide the players opportunities to display their talents in front of professional and international competitions.
In addition to players being invited to the Elite Player National Camp, all National State Association Select Teams and/or League Select Teams within a National State Association are invited to compete in the USASA’s National Select Teams Championship, also known as the George F. Donnelly Cup.
George F. Donnelly Cup
The USASA National Select Teams Championships is also known as the George F. Donnelly Cup. Annually, National State Associations and State Association Leagues are invited to participate at the George F. Donnelly Cup. As part of the USASA Elite Player Program, in addition to teams playing for a National Championship in a tournament format, players are scouted throughout the tournament by the USASA National Coaching Staff for recommendation to the National State Association to represent that National State Association at the USASA Elite Player National Camp for possible selection to USASA National Select Team.
This event was established in 1990 to determine a National Championship for State Select Teams. In the past has been held during the Thanksgiving Day weekend, but in 2003 the tournament was changed to January during the Martin L. King Holiday weekend. In 2009 this tournament will start a new era where League Select Teams within a National State Association are also invited to compete for the National Championship.
USASA Elite Player Program Benefits and Opportunities
1. Elite Player National Camp
2. National Championship for State and League Select Teams - George F. Donnelly Cup
3. USASA National Select Team
4. Games versus professional teams
5. Games versus international teams
6. Scouting by professional teams
7. Scouting by USSF National Coaching Staff
8. Evaluations by National Staff Coaches
9. Games versus US National Teams
10.. Competing against other players of high level
USASA National Select Teams
This year the USASA made great strides in establishing annual events for both Men’s and Women’s USASA National Select Teams. The Men’s National Select Team, after an absence of over ten years, went back to Europe and played a two game series against the Ireland National Amateur Team in Ireland with games on July 25, 2007 in Cork followed by the second game on July 29, 2007 in Tipperary Town. Our National Select Team was successful in both games by winning 1:0 and 2:0 against a well-respected team that has been very successful in European international competition over the last several years.
The Women’s National Select Team will be in Mexico at the end of the year for a set of games similar to the games which were played in the previous year when our National Select Team played to a 2:2 tie against the Mexican National Team in Mexico City and a second game versus Mexico’s U-20 National Team where our team was victorious with a 3:0 win.
These type of events give our professional and U.S. National Teams programs an up close and personal opportunity to evaluate USASA players in a direct setting wherein the USASA players showcase their talents against the very players they hope to join.