The OSA News Bulletin  

As President of the OSA, I want to reach out to you because it is very important that everyone understand that while positive change is necessary (and especially so in this case), it also tends to trigger negative reaction—and fear. When asked to adjust one’s approach and do something differently than what has historically been done, people may not always trust who is leading the change—or understand why they are moving in a new direction.

In this instance, the “elephant in the room” for some is that the OSA is moving away from an emphasis on scores and standings at the very early ages and also from the longstanding dependence on promotion and relegation. As such, this change will affect our current leagues and a new system or mechanism of team placement will be required to replace the traditional methods. In addition, a new league will be created, the Ontario Player Development League (OPDL), in 2014. So there is a lot of work to do in the next 12 to 18 months.

We at the OSA well realize this is all a major culture—and attitude shift—and understand the concerns many of you have. Recognizing that, I want to assure you that this is why together, all of us must take the time to do this “right” and in the very best way possible. This will take time. Our Technical Staff sees a six to eight year window to move LTPD forward, because they are not worried about the clock but rather following the compass.

I can’t guarantee that mistakes won’t be made, but as many of you know, our Chief Technical Officer has communicated regularly with Districts, Clubs and coaches for the past 18 months about this initiative. The next step is hosting the aforementioned scheduled meetings in the weeks ahead, so that staff can explain this shift in emphasis in greater detail and also hopefully address as many of your questions as possible.

For years, our members have asked the OSA to show real leadership. The Association is doing this with LTPD. Sometimes taking on leadership and creating a culture of change means not everyone will be happy. But we cannot delay progress and doing what we know is right—and what is already being done successfully in most of the soccer-playing world—simply because some are uncomfortable.

Please invest the time to become educated on this subject. For a start, review the materials available on our website. There are articles and documents from around the world on why LTPD—despite what some suggest—is in fact a proven philosophy when it comes to keeping youngsters in the game because they enjoy it—and at the elite level, developing better players with more skill who can some day compete with the best in the world. LTPD is about recreational and elite players, not one to the exclusion of the other.

Any time this kind of transition is undertaken, it is important to manage the change in a way that respects everyone involved. Our athletes, referees, coaches, administrators, leagues, clubs and districts are at the heart of this and all of us as members of the Association will aim to ensure that LTPD is implemented with everyone involved and foremost in our minds.