TTi Soccer Staff Reflect on ODP Weekend

October 11th 2019

On Sunday October 6th, TTi Sporting Director Lee Cullip travelled to San Marcos, TX to lead sessions for the 2005 girls South Texas Olympic Development Program (ODP). Ed Shone, TTi Sports Scientist also worked with the groups, observing and assessing the need for Sports Science within the ODP Program.

Players from across South Texas were in attendance to be put through their paces in a morning sessions focused on building play from the back before applying the principles they had learned into an afternoon session based around 11 v 11 play. The sessions were heavily based on the principles of Define - Develop - Recover - Defend adopted by TTi Soccer. In addition there were activities designed to test their 1 v 1 and finishing abilities.

“The standard was high, but most importantly the players were eager to learn” Said Cullip of the sessions. The enthusiasm of the players makes everything else so easy when you are teaching. Overall the players work rate in the heat was admirable and positive - I will certainly look forward to working with them again soon” Cullip concluded.

The players were also given heart rate monitors and GPS vests during the first session to monitor their effort and intensity throughout a hot and humid day. Doing so gives the coaching staff opportunity to educate players on the physical demands that playing soccer can put on their bodies.

It was an opportunity to not only work with some talented regional players, but also introduce them to principles of playing that at close to the TTi methodologies; being technically proficient with both feet, having the ability and confidence to go 1v1 against an opponent and solving problems on a field by “playing soccer”.

Gareth Glick, STYSA ODP Director Said “We are excited to add Lee Cullip to our ODP staff as a lead coach with our girls 2005 age group. Lee is an innovative coach with a wealth of knowledge and his principles of player development align with those of our ODP program. There is no doubt that our players will benefit tremendously from working with Lee” Glick continued “We are also excited to add Ed Shone to our ODP staff to work with our players in the area of Sports Science. We feel this is an area with huge potential benefits and we believe that Ed’s knowledge will have a positive impact in the long term development and education of players in our program’ Glick concluded.

The next South Texas ODP training pool sessions are on November 10th 2019 at Houston Sports Park.