News Events

August 2008 - US Youth Soccer ODP a Common Thread Among Men’s Team in Beijing (read more)

January 2008- The Dr. Thomas Fleck, US Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Education Award Recipient Announced

US Youth Soccer announced that James “Jay” Hoffman is the recipient of the Dr. Thomas Fleck, US Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Education Award. US Youth Soccer Excellence in Youth Coaching Education Award, "The Dr. Thomas Fleck Award" was designed to honor a lifetime of dedication where one has with integrity, honor, humor and humility made extensive and far reaching contributions to the process by which youth soccer coaches are educated in America.

Jay Hoffman will be honored at the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala on Friday, February 8, as part of the US Youth Soccer adidas Workshop in Pittsburgh.

For the past 30 years, James “Jay” Hoffman has been a vital asset to US Youth Soccer. During that time, as a USSF Coaching License instructor he helped to co-author the USSF Coaching License Manuals and the USSF Men’s and Women’s National Teams High Performance plans (Project 2010 and Project Gold). Hoffman is an experienced coach at every level: youth, collegiate, professional, Men’s and Women’s National Teams and the Paralympic team.

He currently serves as the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Region I Boys Head Coach.

“Jay’s passion for developing players and educating coaches is what separates him from most of the coaching community. He was one of the original national staff coaches and he is one of the few of that group that is still currently an active member of the U.S. Soccer instructional staff,” said John Ellinger, the Technical Director of US Youth Soccer. “His tireless worth ethic and passion for teaching the game continues to keep him at the top of the upper echelon of world class coaches in the United States.”

As an involved member of the Virginia Rush Soccer Club, Hoffman has taken an active role as the Director of Academy Coaching and dedicated himself to sharing his knowledge of coaching education and player identification and development.

Hoffman is an educator who has dedicated his life to the good of the game. Since 2003, Hoffman has coached the US Men’s Paralympic Soccer Team and is currently training for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games at Beijing, China.

While with the United States Soccer Federation, Hoffman helped lead the U.S. Women’s National Team to the World Cup gold medal and a Women’s Pan AM gold medal. His dedication to the game has taken him around the world as an inspirational leader.

In 2006, Hoffman was voted the Virginia Youth Soccer Boy’s Coach of the Year. In 2007, he was inducted into the Virginia Youth Soccer Hall of Fame.

Hoffman has also co-authored the USSF Coaching License Manuals and the USSF Project 2010 and Project Gold, the men’s and women’s national team high performance plans.

November 2006 - Region I Director Bob Palmeiro announced that, effective November 21, 2006, Jay Hoffman will become the Region I Boys ODP program Head Coach.

Hoffman was an assistant coach of the United States U17 men's side that finished seventh in the FIFA U17 World Cup at Japan in 1993. He was head coach of the United States U20 men's side that went to the 9th World Youth Championships at Malaysia in July 1997. He was head coach of the 1999 U.S. Women's Pan American Games team that won the gold medal, and assistant coach to the Women's National Team that won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. He holds the USSF "A" license and also serves as the coach of the US Soccer Para Olympic team.

June 2006 - Seven players from Region I were included on the the twenty three player roster that traveled to Germany to participate in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

December 2005 - The NSCAA announced their selections for the Boys All Americans Team for 2005. See a list of US Youth Soccer Region I players that were selected.

December 2005 - All-Stars Named from 2005 US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregionals

US Youth Soccer today announced the US Youth Soccer All-Star Team from the recently completed US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregional in Austin, Texas from November 25-28. The 19-man rosters for the 1989, '91 and '92 All-Star teams were selected based on outstanding performance during the annual interregional event.

The annual event brings together the four US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Regional Teams for player development through competition and training. In addition to the US Youth Soccer ODP Boys teams, the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) sent the U17 and U14 men's national teams in to participate with the US Youth Soccer ODP Boys and the U16 Lone Star Soccer Club of Austin.

"This week marked yet another highlight for the players and those who are furthering their development in the game from US Youth Soccer ODP and their respective club systems," said Bob Bounpane committee chairman of US Youth Soccer ODP Boys. "With exposure to over twelve U.S. Soccer National Staff Coaches and more than 75 collegiate coaches, US Youth Soccer ODP continues is history as the premier elite player identification and development system."

The US Youth Soccer Region I ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregional All-Stars are as follows:

1989 US Youth Soccer All-Stars	1991 US Youth Soccer All-Stars	1992 US Youth Soccer All-Stars
Andrew Giallombardo - New Jersey	Scott Caldwell - Massachusetts	Lester Dewee - Maryland
Jeff Leach - Connecticut	Uwem Etuk - Virginia	Austin Holbrook - Delaware
Sam Petrone - New Jersey	Bonny Londono - New Jersey	Chase Miller - Eastern Penn
Lucas Swertloff - Eastern NY	Dylan Mencia - Eastern Penn
John Tardy - Eastern NY

December 2005 - The US Youth Soccer Region I Boys ODP Administrator has announced that US Soccer U17 Men's National Team Coach John Hackworth and his staff will be at Region I 1990's Penn State Christmas Training event. This event is used to select the roster for the Argentina International Festival during which the four US Youth Soccer Regional ODP teams and the best Argentinean club teams will square off against each other.

October 2005 - Many former US Youth Soccer Region I ODP players are now currently playing in MLS or competitive leagues overseas. Click here for the list of these players.

September 2005 - Eight US Youth Soccer Region I ODP players have been selected to participate in the US Soccer U17 Residency Program in Bradenton, FL. Read the full details of the program here.