LAGOC’S MIA WOOD MAKES ODP SQUAD!

LAGOC G01 Premier Cruz player Mia Wood was selected as a member of the Cal South Olympic Development Program squad.

Mia was scouted during the Fall season by ODP scouts, and asked to participate in a winter tryout attended by 70 girls from Southern California. She was observed by the ODP coaches, who identified 22 potential players to compete in the 2018 ODP West Championships.

The central defender was then chosen as part of an 18-player roster who prepare for the tournament by playing against the Philippines Women’s National Team.

The girls travelled to Phoenix, Arizona for the Championships that kicked off on Friday January 5.

The US Youth Soccer ODP Program was formed in 1977 to identify a pool of players in each group from which a National Team will be selected for international competition. Each State Association holds ODP tryouts on an annual basis and selects a pool of players to represent their respective States.

Mia said: “Training and playing with the ODP squad was an amazing experience. We achieved the perfect balance between the intensity needed to perform against the fierce competition we faced on the field, and fun with the team off the field”.

“This experience definitely developed me as a player and person”.

Mia’s Cal South team topped their group in the tournament with victories over ODP teams from Arizona, Washington and Oregon, scoring eight goals and conceding zero.

Mia captained the team and played the full 80 minutes in all of the five tournament games, which culminated in Cal South defeating Cal North 1-0 in the Final.

LA Galaxy OC’s Director of Operations, Tim Woodcock, said: “We are very proud of Mia being selected to represent Southern California. She is a credit to the club. The LAGOC girls program continues to go from strength to strength, and Mia’s inclusion in the ODP squad is evidence of that”.

Congratulations, Mia!