The 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City will open with a field session from our Assistant Director of Coaching Education, Doug Williamson, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, in Exhibit Hall D.  He is renowned for his personality with players and coaches and thorough sessions at our Coaching Academies.  The theme of coach Williamson’s session is “Phase of Play: Teaching Attacking with Five in the Midfield.”  Phase of Play methodology is playing from one third of the field to the next third. 

This year, the NSCAA Coaching Academy Staff sessions at the Convention will be based on the theme “Our Favorite Training Sessions.” Each of these sessions will be presented in one of the two Exhibit Halls.

Thursday, Jan. 12, will start with two National staff offering sessions at 9:30 a.m.  Hylton Dayes, a Senior National Staff member who is the men’s coach at the University of Cincinnati. has selected “Fun Finishing Games” as his topic in Exhibit Hall D.  Going to the other end of the field, Tony DiCicco, Director of the NSCAA Goalkeeping Academies, will be presenting “Training Keepers to Play the Space Behind the Defense” in Exhibit Hall E.  Beginning at 12:45 p.m., Theresa Echtermeyer, the Director of Coaching for Highlands Ranch Soccer Association and the boys and girls varsity coach for Mountain Vista High School in Denver, Colo., will present “Speed of Thought and Speed of Play” in Exhibit Hall E.  Her session also will be one of eight options available to coaches seeking the High School Professional Development Certificate. Coach Williamson’s session Wednesday also is part of this Certificate).

On Friday, Jan. 13, in Exhibit Hall E, the day begins at 9 a.m. when Paul Marco, a Senior National Staff member and men’s coach at Binghamton University, will present “How to Train for the Most Important Moment – Transition.” At 1 p.m. Bret Simon, a National Staff coach and former Stanford University men’s coach, will offer a session on “Counterattacking.”

The NSCAA Coaching Academy Staff sessions end on Saturday, Jan. 14, when Senior National Staff coach George Perry, the men’s coach at Monmouth College, will present “Coordinating Backs and Midfielders Defensively” at 9:30 a.m. in Exhibit Hall E. 

At NSCAA Coaching Academy Programs we offer throughout the year, we encourage coaches to take any session and modify it to the age and development level of their players.   This is true for all sessions offered by our Academy Staff.   As you watch their presentations, think about the space the instructor uses, the numbers of players (those they are training and their opponents), the progression to make a realistic activity even more like the “game” and how and when the coach steps in to the session.  Would you do it the same, modify it or not use it at all?  These are all good questions to ask yourself when watching a session.  

You still have time to sign up and join us at the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City. Head over to the registration page and get signed up today!

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