New Jersey Olympic Development Program (ODP) player Sandro Cunningham has been named to the 2009 Boys roster for the US Youth Soccer ODP National Select Team. Cunningham, who plays his club soccer for Match Fit Academy, will now join the 2009 US Youth Soccer ODP Boys when they participate in the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup this February in Downtown Las Vegas.

“This is an amazing opportunity for Sandro,” said James Galanis, NJYS Director of Technical Operations. “He obviously deserves the selection. He is a magnificent player who will make NJODP and his club proud. We are cheering him on.”

The Las Vegas Mayor's Cup is a competitive tournament where teams are presented with the opportunity to play in front of college coaches and recruiters who represent various programs throughout the country. The matches are played on high quality fields that were constructed for soccer by the City of Las Vegas, and the tournament also utilizes soccer complexes built exclusively for soccer.

The Olympic Development Program is an identification system linked to the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. The program offers its players a pathway that could lead to representing Regional and U.S. Youth National Teams. Originally established in 1977, ODP was the first program in the country designed to identify potential youth national team players. ODP players begin initially at the local sector before progressing to the state, regional and possibly national levels. By playing with like-talented athletes, ODP offers the opportunity for players to advance in their personal development and to be scouted by college coaches.

For more information about New Jersey ODP, please email [email protected]. Also, make sure to visit the program online and like the official New Jersey ODP Facebook Page.