Welcome To Indiana
And The NSCAA Convention.
Welcome to Indianapolis and the 2013 NSCAA Convention. It seems like it was only last year we were here. Actually, it was 2007.
The convention returns to Indiana this year after being held a year ago in Kansas City.
This convention marks the third time the convention has been held here. Next year the convention returns to Philadelphia for a two-year run.
Other than New York City, where the convention was held from 1941 until 1971, Philadelphia has hosted the world’s largest single-sport coaching association more times than any other city. Nine times!
Philadelphia and Baltimore have become the most frequent hosts in recent years. Philadelphia will host back-to-back conventions in 2014 and 2015. The convention will return to Baltimore in 2016 and 2020.
A year ago the convention returned to the NSCAA’s hometown of Kansas City, MO, with approximately 3,500 attendees. The last Indianapolis convention drew nearly 4,000 coaches among the over 7,000 attendees.
That number is expected to increase this year with the addition of the US Youth Soccer Workshop registration.
In the past, US Youth Soccer has held its own Workshop, drawing youth coaches and administrators from every state. This convention marks the first time the Workshop has been merged with the NSCAA.
In the early days of the NSCAA New York City was a convenient convention location. Most of the membership surrounded the Big Apple. Those members coached college and high school teams from Pennsylvania to Ohio through New York state and New England.
In time, the membership grew nationally and became more diverse. Today that membership has been enriched by the attraction of various minority coaching groups.
The explosion in soccer for women over the last two decades at all levels in the U.S. has brought women into the coaching ranks in unprecedented numbers.
As Ralph Polson ends his year as NSCAA president at this convention, Jack Huckle becomes the NSCAA’s 65th president.
The NSCAA convention is America’s annual gathering of soccer coaches at all levels of the game, meetings, clinics, lectures, receptions and awards presentations at breakfast meetings, luncheons and banquets.
It is a place where new products are shown and demonstrated at the largest soccer-only vendor show in the USA, that will attract over 300 companies from all over the world.
It is the place where business is done and dreams are realized for young men and women who take the next step towards professional careers through the professional drafts.
The convention has been called by some “the world’s largest fraternity party.” This is a fraternity of coaches, who come from many different backgrounds, and coach at many different levels, but are all bound by at least one common thread — a love for the sport of soccer.
It’s soccer’s annual reunion, the place to see old friends, and the place to make new ones.
So welcome to Indianapolis and to the convention. We’ve been here before, and we’re glad to be back again.