LTFCA Clinic

Everyone who knows me knows that I love to go to clinics to learn from some of the top names in the sport.  Luckily, once a year I find myself able to go to the state coaches conference held by our state coaches association in tandem with the USTFCCCA.  While there is a social element, there are always great speakers, especially in distance.  Last year I listened to nationally renowned head coach for Stillwater High school, Scott Christensen, who has had four of his athletes go on to break 4 minutes for the mile in college.  This year the head coach of John Curtis has been invited to speak on sprints, so that should make for a good talk as well. Here is a little preview I have written for Louisiana Running, our milesplit affiliate, to show what the event has to offer:

This Thursday and Friday the Louisiana Track and Field Coaches Association will be putting on their annual coaches convention where training ideas are discussed, new LHSAA and NFHS rules are presented, and a social atmosphere is a focal point.  

Held at the Ramada Lafayette Conference Center (formerly a Holiday Inn) in Lafayette, the two day event kicks off Thursday evening at 6:00 PM with a great cast of speakers.  Heather Van Norman, former LSU All-American and current coach at Nicholls State University is the main sprints speaker; Calvin Robinson of Louisiana Tech is the main jumps speaker.  Calvin has coached such athletes as recent long jump bronze medalist at the Olympics, Blessing Okagbare; Bob Nihells of Lake Park High School in Illinois is the main throws speaker and has won the Gill Coach of the Year award in 2011.  And lastly, the dynamo of the conference is two time Olympian and current LSU distance coach Khadevis Robinson.  

There is a coaching social at the end of the evening on Thursday, then a full schedule of rules clinics, awards, and more speakers the next day.  There are four slots for speakers on Friday and they are all set up at the same time, allowing coaches to listen to different speakers who focus on different events if they should want to.  And lastly, with registration you receive a year membership in the LTFCA.  New coaches, this is the perfect opportunity to find out much more about your sport, and old coaches this is a way to keep in touch with newer training methods etc.  Hope to see you guys out there!