DALLAS – The 2024 NFCA Convention kicked off on Wednesday evening at the Hyatt Regency Dallas as NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman and NFCA President Larissa Anderson (Missouri, head coach) welcomed the attendees and Kim Ng touched on her professional journey in her keynote address.
Anderson welcomed attendees and focused on “Leadership through her eyes.” She touched on coaches being leaders in the right way and what is best for our student-athletes moving forward.
Bruggeman, who challenged the membership to “say yes” last year, opened her address by thanking those in attendance for accepting the challenge as the Association had a record-breaking year in membership, sponsorship and Convention attendance, while sport set records for TV ratings and more. With the rapid pace of adjustments surrounding the sport, she emphasized to everyone to fight the urge to isolate and “protect” our own programs over protecting the entire sport. She urged everyone to unite as the “Team of Softball” and navigate and move forward together.
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Bruggeman capped off her remarks by challenging coaches to compete within the white lines, but to remember they are all on the same team outside the white lines and to enjoy time at the Convention to think big, work together and take the sport to new heights.
Ng, senior advisor for Athletes Unlimited and former Florida Marlins general manager, focused on her professional journey and talked out the “growth, opportunity and impact,” and the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is one of those moments. Stating that if it succeeds it will benefit all of us.
“I wore many hats, but those two letters before my name “Ms.” was a great novelty at first , but it became an obstacle,” said Ng. “While I was the first (female GM), I didn’t want to be the last. Pressure went from one shoulder getting the opportunity to the other shoulder keeping that spot.”
Along with the previously-mentioned “First Pitch” Opening Welcome, first-time attendees were treated to a Rookie Orientation presented by Triple Crown Sports in which a panel of veteran coaches took attendees through the jam-packed schedule and highlighted must-attend events. Several of the NFCA’s committees met in the afternoon and evening to discuss current and future business, while preparing for the premier business event (Divisional Caucuses) on Thursday.
The evening was capped off with an evening of socializing at the NFCA Opening Reception presented by NFCA Official Sponsor TruMedia, along with a reception celebrating the recent announcement of AUSL general managers, head coaches and player advisors and an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the league.
Prior to the official opening, NFCC 403 (Position Play & Individual Defensive Skills) and 405 (Explosive Team Offense & Strategy) classes concluded with coaches completing their course work en route to obtaining certification to be a Four-Star Master Coach. Those were followed by two three-hour Pre-Convention seminars – “Paying Attention to YOUR Mental Game: Building a coach’s toolbox for success” with Julie Jones and “The Next Level of Pitching” panel featuring technology, player development, biomechanics and strength & conditioning.
Up next on Thursday are business meetings in the morning, followed by the first educational sessions in the afternoon and the PGF Social to cap off the evening.
The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded National Convention, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards to the National Fastpitch Coaches College (NFCC) to other in-person events such as Coaches Clinics and Leadoff Classics.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 7,000 coaches today!
