Bakari Williams Takes His Soccer to the Next Level
Recently Bakari Williams was named to the Olympic Development Program's state team for boys born in 1990.

This program has a district, state, regional and national component for players 12-21. Players must pass a rigorous evaluation at each level. The final step in the ODP program is the team that competes in the men's or women's World Cup. Danville has had several players make the district team, and until now, only one has made the state team.

Virginia is divided into four districts, and the closest district center is in Roanoke. Each district holds tryouts in the fall for boys and girls in each age group, and about fifteen to twenty players in each age group are invited to train at the O.D.P. district center. Selected players then attend eight practices run by the district's best coaches. In Williams' age group, there were six other players who grew up in Danville's youth program on the district team: Cabell Maddux, Drew Whit, Walton Milam, Collier Wiseman, Chris Jones, and Carter Bauman.

Bakari's district coach, Marc Nicholls of Roanoke says, "Bakari possess all of the tools that could see him go far in the game. His athleticism is obvious to anyone but he is also very neat on the ball and has a good understanding of the game. He is also a quality person with a first rate attitude and work ethic and is a credit to the Danville Soccer Club who have done a tremendous job with his development."

Each December the four districts come together in Richmond for two weekends to pick the state team. Once a player makes the state team, there is another series of games and practices with the state's best coaches. State level players also travel to play other states, and sometimes even other countries.

Patrick Wales was the first Danville player to have made the O.D.P. state team. Wales played for G.W. and then for Radford University. More recently, Danville product Ryan Russell made the '91 state team last year as a keeper. This year he is playing his club soccer with Roanoke Star, and he has made the state team again.

Out of the current 32 state pool players, Williams will be part of the top 16 to play against the North Carolina 1990 squad January 7-9. The next step for Williams is the regional tryouts, which will occur in June.