By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
April 2, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Angelo O’Connor has been selected to the Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Team.
The Scotia resident, from a very young age, fell in love playing with a soccer ball and would pass it between his feet all the time, even sometimes when eating meals with his family. This helped develop his exquisite ball skills that Angelo has used mainly as a left wing for ODP, club team NY Elite and Scotia-Glenville High School. Now in 9th Grade, Angelo started playing for the high school boys varsity soccer Spartans since 7th Grade against opponents much older and bigger than he is.
“I have enjoyed my time playing ODP,” Angelo stated. “Each step in the ODP process has brought wonderful moments, like when I was picked to attend the ID Camp last summer. After the ID Camp, I moved on to the Inter-Regional Program, where I played against other ODP Regional Teams. But the biggest moment was when we received the e-mail that I had made the ODP National Team and will be traveling to play in Portugal this spring.”
ODP is the highest level of play in every state association. Eastern New York has a particularly strong ODP and three current members of the US Women’s National Team––Sam Coffey, Claire Hutton and Phallon Tullis-Joyce––all developed their skills playing in our program.
With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border, east of Route 81. ENYYSA encourages the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/