The 39th National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics opens on Friday, Dec. 12, and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 16, at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina and the San Diego Convention Center. Sponsored by the NFHS and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), the convention is the premier annual event for athletic administrators.
Convention highlights include an orientation for first-time attendees, workshops, leadership training and coaching education courses, and rules updates. There will also be group discussions, committee meetings, general sessions, award ceremonies, a golf tournament, and an exhibition hall with 300 displays.
Dan Clark, author of the best-selling Chicken Soup for the College Soul and Soul Food, will deliver the keynote speech at the first general session on Sunday afternoon. Rocky Bleier, a Vietnam veteran and member of four Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl championship teams, will speak at the second general session on Tuesday afternoon.
For family members, San Diego offers a wide range of attractions, including Sea World, Coronado Beach, and the San Diego Zoo. Spouses and guests are also welcome to attend the banquets and general sessions.
Dr. David Hoch, Director of Athletics at Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County, Md., and a contributor to Athletic Management, will be covering the event for AthleticManagement.com. Look for his blog entry on this site on Monday, Dec. 22 (the week after the convention).
Click here to download Athletic Management's 2008 NFHS/NIAAA Convention Exhibitor Directory.
The following companies are among those exhibiting at the National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics: