Thi spastPr esi dent ’ sDayWeekend,f i veNebr askaODP( Ol ympi c Devel opmentPr ogr am)boyst eamst r avel edMemphi s,TNf ort he2017ODP I nt er r egi onalt our namentagai nstot herst at eODPt eamsi nRegi onI Iand Regi onI I I .Ourt eamscompet edwel lagai nstAl abama,Tennessee,I l l i noi s, Kansas,andKent ucky ,t onameaf ew.Whi l et heexper i encewasposi t i vef or ever yonewhopar t i ci pat ed,t heeventwasal soanoppor t uni t yt obei dent i f i ed f orRegi onalandNat i onalpr ogr ammi ng. Ever yagegr ouphel dan“ Al l St ar ”gameofsor t s,ast oppl ayer sf r om each st at epl ayedwi t handagai nsteachot heri nami xedscr ambl egame. Nebr askahadpl ayer sf r om ever yagegr oupr epr esent edi nt heseagegr oup poolgames.TwoofNebr aska’ s2004ODPpl ayer sst oodoutamongstt he deepandt al ent edagegr oup—Sal atMukumoandZamer eI ssaka. Whi l east hi sevent ,U. S.Soccerscout ,Car lSchmi dt ,cont act edNebr aska ODPDi r ect or ,Mar enMcCr ar y ,af t ert he2004poolgameaski ngf ormor e i nf or mat i onaboutSal atandZamer e,andbot hpl ayer swer et henext endeda chancet oat t endani nvi t eonl yNat i onal Tr ai ni ngCent ert r yout . “ Thi si sver yexci t i ngf orSal atandZamer e,aswel lasf orNebr askaSt at eSoccerandourOl ympi c Devel opmentPr ogr am!Thi si sapr i meexampl eofaODPonl yeventt hatal l owedt wopl ayer st oget seenandr ecogni zedonanat i onall evel , ”Sai dMcCr ar yaboutt henews. Sal athaspl ayedf ort heOmahaHousi ngAut hor i t y( OHA)SoccerAcademysi ncehewas5year sol d. “ Sal ati sagr eatt al entandIam ext r emel yexci t edt obeapar tofhi scont i nueddevel opmentandt osee hi mr eachhi sf ul l estpot ent i al !Hepossessesspeed,powerandbagsoft echni calabi l i t yandcant ur na gameoni t ’ shead! ”sai dLukeBaxt er ,Nebr askaODP04boys’ coach. Zamer ehasal sopl ayedf orOHAsi nceage5andal socur r ent l ypl aysf orSpor t i ngOmahaFC.Baxt er hast hi st osay ,“ WhenZamer ei sonhi sgame,hei sunst oppabl e.Zamer epl ayst hegamehowwewant al lourpl ayer st oo,wi t hasmi l eonhi sf ace!Iam ext r emel yexci t edf orhi mt oenj oyt hi sexper i enceand gr owt hasapl ayer . ”
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