CULLMAN, Ala. – A Cullman County teen has taken an exciting step toward her soccer dreams. St. Bernard Prep eighth grader Josie Lamote received an invitation to attend a U.S. Club Soccer “id2” identification event in Charlotte, North Carolina, this weekend, where she will be evaluated for possible membership in the organization’s youth national team program. Through that program she could eventually be considered for a spot on an upcoming Olympic team.
According to U.S. Club Soccer, “The id2 Program is invitation-only. The scouting process relies on a network of scouts throughout the country who evaluate players during competitions and in their local markets. US Club Soccer also receives recommendations from Directors of Coaching for player leads.”
U.S. Club Soccer offered this description of the program:
US Club Soccer is preparing its id2 Program to identify and develop the next generation of youth players with a schedule of 2024-25 id2 programming targeted to boys and girls born in 2011.
NPL member leagues and other top leagues will co-host id2 Selection events in the fall and winter, supplemented by various Player Development Programs (PDP) and nationwide scouting, including of ECNL events. Those efforts lead to a pair of regional id2 Training Camps in December and January. The progression of id2 programming gradually narrows player pools until the final stage: the acclaimed id2 National Selection International Tour in March/April 2025.
The id2 Program is a leader in player identification and development, as it provides opportunities for elite athletes to be identified, developed and scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s youth national team programming. The id2 Program is an Olympic Development Program approved by the United States Olympic Committee and the U.S. Soccer Federation. There is no cost for players to participate or be scouted, and all meals, lodging and gear are provided by US Club Soccer and Nike. This approach to eliminating barriers to entry helps ensure the best players are able to participate.
Lamote currently plays in the North Alabama Soccer Coalition and South Atlantic Premier League, where she competes as a forward and goal keeper, and has played both of those positions in the Alabama Olympic Development Program since 2022. In the one-on-one “Keeper Wars” series across six states, she has earned a gold, silver and two bronze medals in a little over two years, and made her way to the playoffs of the 2024 national championship before the tournament was suspended.
Lamote earned the Cullman United 2011 girls Golden Boot Award in spring 2023 with a season high goal average of 53%, and was named the Cullman United 2011 girls Offensive MVP in that same season.
“Josie is fast,” said proud mother Amber Lamote, “I mean really fast; accurate shot, powerful, with long range precision.”
Amber Lamote wants to make sure that her daughter stays in a good position to advance in the sport, a view about more than winning games.
She shared, “Sure, getting the ‘W’ – the win – is fun and feels good, but what did Josie learn? How did she improve this game? I am all about putting her in an environment that she and the team can rise to the top, work hard, and take the hits to develop skill levels that achieve a higher bracket and a first place finish. I know Josie isn’t solely responsible for bracket advancement and going from last place to first place, but she was part of the team that took the journey together. I saw it in Keeper Wars, I saw it with Cullman United, now NCU, where their 2011 girls are first place in the State League in the top bracket! I love this for those girls!”
Lamote works with coaches Emmanuel Stephens of the Stephens Soccer Academy and Chris Shumate with the North Alabama Soccer Coalition. Both are proud of their shared player.
Shumate shared, “I am very proud of what Josie has been able to accomplish during her time with NASC. Josie is a fantastic athlete and a skilled soccer player with a great attitude. She always shows up ready to compete and is always striving to improve. Josie is very competitive and this attitude has led to her creating a large number of opportunities for her teammates to score, but also for her to score goals. We are glad to have a player like Josie on our team!”
Stephens told The Tribune, “Josie is such a kind and caring young lady; her positive spirit shines through in everything she does. She’s consistently one of the fastest players on the field, and her competitive nature pushes her to keep improving. I’m incredibly grateful that Josie and her parents trust me to be a part of her soccer journey. With her grit and determination, there’s no doubt in my mind that she’s destined for greatness.”
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