Why Attend the US Youth Soccer Workshop and the NSCAA Convention?
The US Youth Soccer Workshop and the NSCAA Convention is the Greatest Soccer Gathering in America – Also home of the MLS and NWSL Drafts.
Sam Snow is Coaching Director for US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in America and our newest soccer expert columnist. A United States Soccer Federation “A” Licensee, Snow is a passionate coach who has worked in national, collegiate and youth soccer. Here Snow has shared his thoughts on why attending the US Youth Soccer Workshop and the NSCAA Convention is so smart.
The US Youth Soccer Workshop and the NSCAA Convention brings together youth coaches from all across America and beyond to share ideas and learn from one another. With an amazing offering of workshops with outstanding speakers and panelists, this is the one time of year when soccer coaches come together to rejoice in the beautiful of the game.
These two wonderful events – the US Youth Soccer Workshop and the NSCAA Convention – will take place in Philadelphia from January 14 to 18, 2015. If you have never attended this joint event with over 9000 people in attendance then you need to get there. If you’ve not been back for a few years then it’s time to show up again.
This is one of the greatest soccer gatherings around. Still there is an expense for you of time and money.
Is it worth it? Yes! Here’s why.
- Broaden one’s horizons – few, if any, events in the world replicate what a coach, or an administrator or a referee, gets by being at the Convention and Workshop.
For many years now I’ve referred to it as a ‘soccer love in’. At the Workshop you’ll reconnect with your soccer friends and colleagues from around the nation. Some of those folks you may only see once a year – at the Workshop. For anyone who hasn’t been to the Convention before it is amazing.
We sometimes don’t realize how big a deal that soccer is in the USA until you sit at a sold out National Team match or attend this Convention. You will meet people from around the world at this event. Where else could the local U6 coach rub elbows with professional coaches? Where else could a National Team coach rub elbows with a high school coach? That happens at the Workshop.
- Get first hand awareness of how big soccer is in our nation – there will be over 7000 coaches, administrators, referees, vendors, media and players in attendance.
- Networking with coaches, administrators, referees and vendors from around the country and indeed from around the world is a highlight of the experience. Take advantage of the job board, sit down with a vendor to make a good deal for your club, attend a few of the many meetings for a large variety of groups that will take place or take time to sightsee for a bit in historic Philly. The professional connections that you make here could serve you throughout your soccer career.
- Volunteer – Get connected with committees and other soccer organizations in order to grow professionally. Part of moving up the ladder in soccer, whether it be at the youth, high school or college level, is to participate on committees.
What is Trending @ The US Youth Soccer Workshop?The importance of non-cognitive functions and memory during a soccer learning process – Dr. Michel BruyninckxProject Play – reimaging youth sports in America with an 8 point plan – Tom Farrey, Director Sports & Society Program – The Aspen InstituteSpeed of Play: Coaching Behaviors – Dr. Lew Atkinson, National Instructor – U. S. SoccerPhiladelphia Union Player Development Methodology – Tommy Wilson – Philadelphia UnionThe Technical Role of a Club D.O.C. – John Ellinger, Technical Director – Soccer Association of Columbia
The Human Development in Player Development – Dr. Andrew Guest, Professor – University of Portland
Play and the NYL – Dr. Marianne Torbert, Professor Emeritus – Temple University
Possession Out of the Back – Tony DiCicco
Update of USSF Technical Activities – Rick Eddy, USSF Referee Technical Committee
The Five Secrets of Success for Efficient and Sustainable Volunteer Programs – Ruth Nicholson, Founding Partner, Club Development Network
Working Professional League Matches in a Foreign Land – Chris Penso, FIFA Referee
Your time and talent is needed to help improve the quality of soccer at many levels of the game in the USA. The odds are that if you are reading this column then you are a doer, not a bystander. Be an agent of change by participating in the leadership process.
- Knowledge – Fantastic classroom and demo sessions on coaching from U6 to college age players – wow is that ever true! I’ve been to symposiums, conventions and seminars in other countries and nothing compares to the range of topics from which an attendee can choose as you’ll find at the US Youth Soccer Workshop and the NSCAA Convention.
Nowhere else could you in one hour be at the draft for professional soccer, the next hour attend a session on coaching U8 players and that afternoon attend a session on risk management for a soccer club and then a session on how to get referees for your tournament.
You’ll have demonstration sessions with great players and coaches as well as meeting room presentations on various topics. Between the Workshop and the Convention there will be over 100 education sessions. Only in America!
- The Power of Meeting New People – Meetings with professional colleagues and friends from around the soccer world – it may be over a coffee, a scheduled meeting room time or bump into one another in a hallway, but this is THE place to meet.
Do plan it out though, because finding that one person you want to see in the crowd of 10,000 will be a challenge.
- What is New in Soccer? Check out the Vendors – with over 300 exhibitors you will find virtually all things under the sun related to soccer. The exhibit hall is the ideal place to meet and conduct your soccer business.
- Make deals for your soccer organization
- See what’s new in the market
- Recharge your Batteries with thousands of other soccer junkies. I saved this best part for last. It’s a wonderful reality of us humans that when we gather together we energize one another.
There certainly is a lot that one can learn about any aspect of soccer over the internet, in books, on videos, etc., but nothing artificial can give you the buzz you’ll feel when you are surrounded by soccer folks just like you.
Unless you’re standing with Sam’s Army cheering on the USA to victory you’ll not experience the energy of soccer in America like you will in Philadelphia next January.
Here’s where you can find out much more and register today.
I look forward to seeing you there!
US Youth Soccer and the NSCAA, two of the nation’s soccer leaders, merged their respective annual gatherings in January 2013, creating what is now the game’s most influential event of the year. The combined convention appeals to the entire soccer community as US Youth Soccer brings the annual US Youth Soccer Workshop to the NSCAA Convention.