RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
The following summation of the 2022 NFCA Convention was published by the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association)…
The 2022 NFCA Convention concluded an exhilarating four days of learning, collaborating, celebrating, networking and transforming as 1,625 attendees descended on the JW Marriott San Antonio Resort & Spa.
It marked the third-highest attendee total in Association history.
Here, NFCA President & Executive Director Carol Bruggeman highlights some of the key moments from the final full day of the 2022 convention:
🥎👏🏽 Last day, best day! Here is what happened on Day 4 in San Antonio.#NFCA2022 pic.twitter.com/Ynq8jY7M1q
— NFCA (@NFCAorg) December 11, 2022
On Saturday, members were celebrated for their accomplishments on and off the field, absorbed three more Drills, Drills, Drills sessions and participated in three educational tracks.
After the NFCA’s respective All-America committees conducted business, Drills, Drills, Drills opened with the Texas Bombers’ Scott Smith on hitting, Texas A&M assistant Joe Guthrie on outfield defense and Ole Miss assistant Ryker Chason covering pitching.
Following drills, the membership recognized their peers, while enjoying a breakfast at the Awards Brunch.
Coaches earned Victory Club milestones, which included four lifetime honorees in NFCA Hall of Famers Patty Gasso, Oklahoma (1,500), Heinz Mueller, Phoenix College (1,500), retired Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins (1,700) and Oklahoma City’s Phil McSpadden (1,800).
Additionally, each 2022 National Coaching Staff of the Year winner addressed their peers, along with Humanitarian Award recipient Janae Shirley of East Texas Baptist via video.
The brunch closed out with a heartfelt speech from 2022 Donna Newberry “Perseverance” award recipient Sharon Panske, who touched on her life, friends, family and the support she has received during her fight against stage four carcinosarcoma of the uterus.
The Convention concluded with the education tracks, a specialty program broken into three 45-minute sessions for Assistant Coaches and Instructors, along with a brand-new Playing Rules Education track on obstruction, pitching rules and instant replay. Attendees followed one track or mixed and matched the three to fit their educational needs.
Other highlights of the weekend included Mike Candrea, the retired title-winning coach at Arizona, being the Keynote Speaker on Wednesday (Dec. 7), the Hall of Fame Inductees being honored on Friday with four new ones announced for the Class of 2023 and the Exhibit Hall being open on Thursday and Friday with 110 vendors showcasing their products and/or services.
The NFCA Convention returns in 2023 in the Association’s home city of Louisville, Ky., when the NFCA will celebrate in 40th anniversary.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining its lineup of coaches today. Note that in November 2022, for the first time in Association history, the NFCA surpassed 6,500 members.