ABCA Convention

I returned home a little earlier than expected tonight after a great couple of days in Nashville at the ABCA Convention.  I'm working a camp tomorrow and wanted to leave early enough so that I didn't fall asleep behind the wheel, after a relatively short night of sleep last night.

In coming home sooner than expected, I did miss out on an opportunity to listen to some more great presentations, especially two from friends Brian Shoop (UAB) and Jay Alexander (Eastern Michigan University).  Hopefully Eric is taking good notes to share with me.

The best reasons for attending our annual convention are to learn more about teaching the great game of baseball, networking with other coaches, and spending some quality time with friends.  As always, I enjoyed the NAIA Hall of Fame Luncheon, as my friend Q.V. Lowe (Auburn University-Montgomery) was inducted into the NAIA Baseball Hall of Fame.  That luncheon again provided some moments of inspiration and tearful moments.  I am always grateful for the opportunities that my profession has given to me.

I also had a great time Friday night, hanging out with my good friend and fellow SHU Saint Scott McClure, along with my fellow AC coaches and Eric, as we helped him celebrate his birthday in downtown Nashville.
Many other coaching friends and acquaintances made the weekend a fabulous one.

Among the speakers who were very good throughout Friday, as well as Saturday morning, were Ray Tanner of the DI National Champion University of South Carolina, a passionate Gary Ward of New Mexico State, John Savage from UCLA, David Price and his Vanderbilt pitching coach Derek Johnson, Mike Bianco of Ole Miss, Dan O'Brian from UCSD, Mike Lees of Oregon State, Howard Johnson of the NY Mets, and Manager Jim Tracy of the Colorado Rockies, among others.

I always like the speakers who discuss the mental part of the game, ethics in coaching, and subjects related to coach-player relationship building, as well as all of the pitching, hitting, and fielding topics.

Though I missed this afternoon's speakers and tomorrow morning's sessions, Eric will come home with some good insights and notes from those, and he will have some more information with which to prepare for his own speaking session next weekend in Mt. Pleasant at the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches' Association annual clinic.

Ultimately, listening to so many quality baseball people helps me to prepare for our season, provides some new ideas to incorporate into my plans, and reinforces some of the things I already do.  Of course, the opportunity to question some of my own philosophies and look in my own mirror (about coaching for the right reasons and treating athletes the way they deserve to be treated) helps make coaching such an enriching way to spend my days.