Six id2 National Selection International Tour veterans participate in U.S. U-14 Boys Nat'l Team Camp

CHARLESTON, S.C. (June 25, 2010) – Six players from US Club Soccer’s 2010 id2 National Selection International Tour recently participated in the U.S. U-14 Boys’ National Team camp, held June 13-20 at the training grounds of PDA in Zarephath, N.J.
The 38-player camp was exclusively for those born in 1996.
The players are as follows:
Corey Baird San Diego Surf / Escondido, Calif.
Walker Dawkins West Pines United / Royal Palm Beach, Fla.
Declan McCabe Mass Premier Soccer / Weston, Mass.
Carter Richardson Crew Soccer Academy / Dublin, Ohio
Brandon Tetro PDA / Marlboro, N.J.
Wesley Wade NJ Rangers Lions / South Orange, N.J.
During the camp, the U-14s trained twice daily and scrimmaged against local club teams.
As a direct result of participation in US Club Soccer’s id2 program and standout performances on the 2010 id2 National Selection International Tour, Wade made his first appearance at a U.S. National Team camp.
Dawkins and Richardson initially parlayed their id2 National Selection International Tour experience into a call-up to the U.S. National Team camp held May 2-9 in Carson, Calif. Baird, McCabe and Tetro have previously attended U.S. National Team programs.
“Wes is just the latest player to turn his exposure from the id2 National Selection International Tour into an opportunity to reach the USSF National Team program,” said Gerry McKeown, US Club Soccer’s id2 Boys’ Program Director. “We are very excited to see our players use the id2 program to not only gain valuable experience, but to open other doors in their soccer careers as well.”
“Wes has always been a very humble and hard-working player who strives to learn and improve,” said NJ Rangers Lions head coach Phill Herbert. “The id2 National Selection International Tour was a fantastic opportunity for Wes to see the attitude and level of young aspiring European players, as well as the technical and tactical level that these players consistently demonstrated. This type of exposure has only increased his desire to reach his potential as well as his understanding of what is required. To be called up to his first U.S. National Team camp is outstanding for him and his family and I have no doubts that he will relish this opportunity and use it to enhance his game even further.”
During the 2010 id2 National Selection International Tour to the Netherlands and Germany, Feb. 5-14, a team of 18 boys born in 1996-97 from the fall 2009 id2 Regional Training Camps experienced the day-to-day culture of some of the world’s most well-known professional clubs and improved themselves via high-level training and game competition. The squad notched a 2-2 record on the tour, including a win over AFC Ajax’s C2 squad.
U-14 Boys’ National Team head coach Manny Schellscheidt scouted several id2 National Selection International Tour games in the Netherlands and Germany.
Recommendations are being accepted for the current id2 program, which will include three id2 Regional Training Camps for boys born in 1997-98 and girls born in 1996-97. Approximately 65 boys and 65 girls will attend each camp in the fall of 2010. Additionally, US Club Soccer will hold an id2 National Training Camp for 1994-97 girls in early 2011, which will take place in conjunction with the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). The specific dates and locations for the id2 Training Camps will be forthcoming.
About id2: [id2 Fact Sheet]
Established in 2004, US Club Soccer’s id2 national identification and development program provides an ongoing opportunity for the country’s top youth talent to be identified and developed for possible inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs.
Players are included in the id2 player pool as a result of an extensive scouting and recommendation program in which players throughout the country are identified in their own familiar training and game environment as they compete with their club teams. Affiliated and unaffiliated players are able to be recommended, and there is no cost to the player to be recommended or scouted for the id2 program.
From this pool, qualified players with National Team potential are invited to an id2 Training Camp, which bring together the nation’s top male and female youth players for four days of competition, evaluation and fun.
U.S. Soccer National Team staff as well as other elite coaches and players attend id2 Training Camps. In addition to the on-field sessions, id2 Training Camps feature guest speakers, lectures/classroom sessions and other offerings, which make for a complete experience.
The only cost to players selected for an id2 Training Camp is travel to and from the venue. Lodging, meals and training gear are provided by US Club Soccer and Nike.
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.
The inaugural id2 National Selection International Tour took place in February 2010, which provides the best 18 boys from the fall id2 Regional Training Camps the opportunity to play games against top international competition, conduct training sessions and experience the day-to-day culture of some of the world’s most well-known professional clubs.
Also recently introduced was an id2 National Training Camp for girls, which complements the fall id2 Regional Training Camps with expanded age groups.
Those interested are able to visit usclubsoccer.org/id2 for more information on the organization’s national identification and development program.
About US Club Soccer:
US Club Soccer is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop competitive club soccer in the United States. A member of the United States Soccer Federation since July 2001, US Club Soccer has grown to include member clubs and leagues in 50 states. In addition to sanctioning and administering tournaments, leagues and other competitions as well as offering a range of programs for its members, US Club Soccer annually conducts the National Cup and the National Collegiate Showcase. US Club Soccer also directs its own player identification and development program – id2.
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