2023 LHSCA Coaches Convention Set To Kick Off This Week!
LHSCA CONVENTION SCHEDULE
The 2023 LHSCA Coaches Convention gets underway this week in Baton Rouge with its three-day event – the Golf Scramble on Monday (closed for registration) and its clinic on Tuesday and Wednesday at
The Crowne Plaza Hotel.
High school coaches, athletic directors along with school administrators will convene for sport specific and professional development clinic sessions, network with others in the industry and catch up with old coaching friends. The Louisiana High School Athletic Directors Association will piggyback with the LHSCA for professional development with its members.
We had a chance to catch up with LHSCA Director Eric Held, now in year five in this position, for a few minutes concerning the 2023 LHSCA Coaches Convention.
How does/can a coach register for the LHSCA Convention?
A few days prior to the Convention, each LHSCA member from the 2022-2023 school year will receive an email from American Tradeshow Services (ATS) concerning information for receiving their clinic badge at registration. This will help expedite the registration process at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Tuesday or Wednesday. Registration will take place in the Premier Ballroom III at the Crowne Plaza and begins at 8:00am on both days.
The badge will allow admittance into each session and make each registrant eligible for door prizes at the conclusion of selected sessions. The first 500 to register will receive clinic gifts. There is no registration fee – that is a benefit included in their $50 LHSCA membership paid by each coach’s school for their LHSCA coaches card. Part of that fee pays for the Convention and all the expenses that come along with it. If you are a new coach or have changed schools from last year, go to Premier III and our staff will print a badge with your new school information.
Going into the 2023 event, any important info that Coaches and ADs need to know?
It is great to be at The Crowne Plaza for our third consecutive year since Covid. It is the highlight of every summer for the LHSCA, and it signals that the fall sports seasons are just around the corner. We are back in mid-July after seeing our Convention take place a week earlier in 2022. Planning for this event takes place more than a year in advance and we have a great relationship with The Crowne Plaza. Prior to the event being in Shreveport in 2018 and 2019, it was at the Crowne for close to three decades.
We always strive to put together a great lineup and get the schedule out as soon as possible. Like with every coaches clinic, there are adjustments that need to be made and this year was no different. Because of the transfer portal, recruiting has changed in college athletics. This has trickled down to the LHSCA Clinic with coaches being summoned back on the road or to campus to recruit. Staff meeting schedules change, family vacations are altered. We have had a few changes in the last few days due to this. It is the sign of the times, and we roll with the changes in replacing speakers. We begin releasing speaker names and the sport they represent on social media over a month out. There are so many changes that have taken place within the last two weeks of the clinic that we release the agenda close to the event. Our agenda for July 1st looks different from the one I looked at on July 10th and from where it stood on July 13th.
We always have high school and college coaches who are eager to present at our clinic and give something of value for our coaches to take back to their programs, athletic departments, and schools.
Anything new for the 2023 Convention?
Not necessarily new, but over the last few years we have worked on giving coaches educational opportunities and are big on professional development. Head, Heat, and Heart Education from Ochsner staff on Tuesday afternoon gives attendees the opportunity to stay in compliance with BESE standards with their school or school system. Attendees receive a certificate for attending.
Mental Health is a new session for us and is on the docket on Tuesday morning. It is an area where we can all receive education and awareness. Also new, we have Corey Steele of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes leading a session at 8:00 on Wednesday. Ron Siglar from the NCRA and Ivorye Long of the NCAA speaking on recruiting in all sports at 9:00 on Wednesday is another great addition.
We have added two more Risk Management sessions presented by sports medicine professionals from our LHSAA partner at Ochsner. It is vital for our coaches to have these opportunities that assist their knowledge of risk management. As we saw with the Buffalo Bills’ training staff, being prepared to handle a medical emergency on the athletic field proved to save a life. We need to be invested in risk management.
At 10:00 on Tuesday, there is a football coaches / officials roundtable. 1st year RCO Louis Metevia; veteran Baton Rouge official Mike Rood; the first female official to work on a state championship crew Marcia Cotton; and veteran Lafayette official / state championship winning girls basketball coach Errol Rogers will be on hand to represent football officials in a first of its kind session.
We also have tennis and golf business meetings added as coaches are interested in forming coaches associations in these sports.
Who is the keynote or highlighted speakers on the schedule?
Back in 2021, we decided to focus more on our in-state high school and college coaches, our professional development session leaders, and out-of-state coaches that our high school coaches have existing relationships with or need to build a relationship with. Each individual that leads a session is a keynote speaker and has the floor for 50 minutes to share their expertise with our coaches in attendance. We always have a great roster of speakers with backgrounds that highlight the state of Louisiana.
On court volleyball sessions head to Dutchtown High School on Tuesday afternoon from 4:00-6:00 and our on-court basketball sessions are a short trip away at St. Joseph’s Academy from 3:00-5:00 on Wednesday. These have proven to be coach favorites within these sports.
Clinic attendees are reminded that there will be a Coaches Social on Tuesday night at Tin Roof Brewery at 1624 Wyoming Street in Baton Rouge from 7:00-9:00pm. RedZone Fundraising, 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge, and BSN are the sponsors.