It’s that time of the year again, where the entire softball world at every level come together under one roof for the NFCA Convention. This year the event is being held in New Orleans and you can expect some big things to take place. If you are attending the convention and haven’t visited the NFCA.org website Convention tab, you’re definitely going to want to do that. There is also a handy Convention Smart Phone App for an easy and accessible way to stay up to speed on what’s happening before, during and after the Convention wraps up.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) has hosted over 30 years of Conventions. We were able to catch up with Carol Bruggeman, executive director of the NFCA, for some background on the layout, who is going to be there, and the must-see events taking place at this year’s 2016 NFCA Convention in New Orleans.
This year’s convention is already on track to break previous Convention attendance records. “It’s the greatest softball show on earth,” remarked Carol, “it’s a gathering of anyone who is passionate about softball at all levels”. You can expect to see college coaches, club coaches, high school coaches, parent coaches, private instructors, NPF players, umpires and anyone else interested in the sport of softball at the Convention.
The New Orleans Convention takes place from Wednesday, December 7, 2016, and runs through Saturday evening. We have created an overview schedule below of the popular events as well as the **must see events recommended by Executive Director Carol Bruggeman. The entire schedule can be found on the NFCA Website here.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
- Pre-convention seminars
- Opening Welcome session @ 4:30pm**
Thursday, December 8, 2016
- College Caucus Meetings
- Exhibit Hall – Equipment and softball items to be tested
- Mentoring Workshop 7pm**
Friday, December 9, 2016
- Exhibit Hall – Equipment and softball items to be tested
- Speakers
- Softball Summit – groups talk about relevant softball issues**
- Hall of Fame Banquet **highlight of the entire convention – dress code
Saturday, December 10, 2016
- Champions Brunch**
- USA Softball Olympian Game**
The NFCA Convention serves as the perfect venue to network and grow the sport of softball. This year’s convention will be filled with a good combination of education, speeches, and speakers. The meetings serve the purpose of discussing the relevant softball issues among groups in attendance. Also, don’t forget about the many social events taking place. The convention is meant to be a fun experience that each individual will leave having learned something new. We have the privilege of attending this year’s event and look forward to touching down in New Orleans on Wednesday.
Photo Credit: Alex Demyan and NewOrleansOnline.com
