Nix McIntosh, who plays for the Bainbridge Elite soccer team, has been named to the GA Soccer’s Olympic Development Program. He was selected to the team after competing in a tryout at the Peachtree City Athletic Complex outside of Atlanta last week.

McIntosh competed in the three-hour long tryout along with hundreds of the most talented soccer players from across the state. At the conclusion, the 15 year old McIntosh being selected to join the roster of about 40 players.

The Olympic Development Program (ODP) was created by U.S. Soccer more than 25 years ago for two purposes: to identify national team players early, and to provide development opportunities for these potential national team players.

“We are so proud of our son,” said Nix’s father Robert McIntosh. “He came up here with no expectation of being selected, but he wanted the opportunity to show everyone how we play down here in southwest Georgia. This is just the beginning of an exciting chapter in Nix’s life. It’s up to him now how far he takes this road.”

Robert credited Nix’s speed and aggressive playing style as two of the factors that got him noticed by the ODP coaching staff.

Nix is in 9th grade at Bainbridge High School. He began playing soccer at the Bainbridge YMCA at a young age, where he learned the fundamentals of soccer, and to love the game.

Nix played for the Bainbridge Middle School Bearcats team as an attacking midfielder for the past two years.

Last spring he was one of the founding players of the Bainbridge Elite Soccer Team, helping the Club win Dothan’s Peanut Capital Classic, and bringing home to Georgia the bronze medal in the Alabama State Games.

“Nix has broken a barrier for every kid in Bainbridge who thinks the Atlanta-area soccer machine excludes anyone else from advanced play,” Bainbridge Elite coach Pete Emmons said. “Nix is the trailblazer all the rest of our players are going to follow.”

Nix now begins three months of practice with the 16U ODP team.

In January, he will travel with the Georgia team to Winston-Salem North Carolina for the U.S. District III regional tournament where the regional team will be selected.

“BEST was founded to offer an advanced soccer program to the youth of southwest Georgia,” Emmons said. “We have players not just from Decatur County, but Grady, Miller, Mitchell and Seminole Counties as well. The club offers year-round competition-level soccer for all age groups.”

If your child is interested in trying out for the club please contact Pete Emmons at 246-7770 for more information.