Lidia Butt is a rising soccer star from Rhea County. She has excelled at every level
where she has competed and was just invited to the Olympic Development Program
Southern Regional camp in Charlotte, North Carolina, July 7-9.

As a fifteen year old, Lidia played on the RC3 U19 Girls Select team where she stared
as a center and outside back for Coach Daniel Gethin. Lidia also plays for the Rhea
County girls high school team where she started as a Freshman and was selected All
Conference. Even at a young age Lidia has helped her team win tournament
championships and advanced in state and conference competition.

Coach Gethin had this to say about Lidia’s play ““Lidia has been a joy to coach
because she combines natural ability with an outstanding work ethic. She consistently
challenges herself to get better and leads by example with her attitude, and always
gives everything in practice and on the field. Being selected for ODP Regional Camp is
a well-deserved honor, and we’re excited to see her continue to grow as a player. We’re
proud that RC3 Soccer has been a part of her development and look forward to
watching what she accomplishes next.”

The Olympic Development Program (ODP) was established in the U.S. to help make us
more competitive in soccer on the world stage. Players are selected in open tryouts in
each state. Those players then get high level training and the best are selected for the
Tennessee State Team. The state ODP teams compete against six other teams in sub
regional competition. From there the best players are invited to a Southern Regional
camp where they again receive high level coaching and compete against twelve other
teams in the Southern Region.

This is the first year that Lidia has participated in ODP so being invited to the Regional
Camp is a significant accomplishment as typically only one or two of the best players
are selected from each state.

Lidia had these thoughts about the ODP experience "ODP has been an incredible
opportunity to train with college coaches and gain experience playing at a more
physically and technically demanding level. It stretches me and helps me grow as a
player. Being invited to Region Camp is a huge blessing and I am really excited to be
able to represent Rhea County soccer in Charlotte in July!"

In addition to soccer Lidia is active in her youth group at New Union Baptist, where she
serves in the nursery and Vacation Bible school at church. She also works part-time in
the Childwatch program at Rc3 and she serves the community as a coach at the Rhea
County High School Summer Soccer Camp and as a huddle leader at FCA camp.

Press Release by Mark Palmer