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USASA Elite Player Program Benefits and Opportunities
Elite Player National Camp
National Championship for State and League Select Teams - George F. Donnelly Cup
USASA National Select Team
Games versus professional teams
Games versus international teams
Scouting by professional teams
Scouting by USSF National Coaching Staff
Evaluations by National
Staff Coaches
Games versus US National Teams
Add other benefits - e.g. competing against other players
of high level
From the inception of the USASA Elite Player Program, originally known as the Select Teams Program, a vast number
of players have been selected through the USASA Elite Player Program to participate in either the Men’s
and Women’s U.S. Olympic, National or World Cup Teams. Brian McBride and Clint Mathis are amongst a substantial
number of players that are or have been members of the Men’s World Cup Team. Many players have graduated to the
MLS and most MLS teams have several players on their rosters having benefited from the USASA’s Elite Player Program.
From our Women’s World Cup/Olympic Team, LaKeysia Beene, Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Tiffany Millbrett
and Jamie Pagliarulo are among those players who have been participants of the USASA Elite Player Program in addition
to our current Women’s National Team Head Coach, April Heinrichs. The USASA Elite Player Program was a large
contributor to filling every team’s roster in the now defunct WUSA. As was the case when the USSF decided to start
a Women’s National Team in the 1980’s and once again with the start of the WUSA, the USASA and its Elite
Player Program has been a key ingredient in their early successes.
More on the Elite Player Program
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George F. Donnelly Cup
The USASA National Select Teams Championships is also known as the George F. Donnelly
Cup. Annually, National State Associations and State Association Leagues are invited to participate at the George F. Donnelly
Cup. As part of the USASA Elite Player Program, in addition to teams playing for a National Championship in a tournament format,
players are scouted throughout the tournament by the USASA National Coaching Staff for recommendation to the National State
Association to represent that National State Association at the USASA Elite Player National Camp for possible selection to
USASA National Select Team.
This event was established in 1990 to determine a National Championship for State Select
Teams. In the past has been held during the Thanksgiving Day weekend, but in 2003 the tournament was changed to January
during the Martin L. King Holiday weekend. In 2009 this tournament will start a new era where League Select Teams within a
National State Association are also invited to compete for the National Championship.
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