January 5th through the 8th the Fike Coaching Staff will attend the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) convention in Anaheim CA.  This is “Continuing Education” for Baseball Coaches.  Jim Moran, Doug Lohman, Dave Benson Matt Hagerty and Robert Smith will be in attendance this year representing Fike Post 499 Baseball.

Four days of non-stop baseball are on deck once again in the first week of January!

The 2016 convention in Nashville was the largest ever with over 5,600 coaches registered and more than 330 companies in the ABCA Trade Show. We’re expecting a great crowd once again in Southern California.

Meetings, clinics, the ABCA Trade Show as well as several awards presentations and honors will highlight the 2017 Convention. Activities begin in full force on Thursday, Jan. 5, including committee and divisional meetings as well as the first day of the ABCA Trade Show and the all-new Expo Theater.

Second Vice President Rich Maloney (Ball State University) and Third Vice President John Kolasinski (Siena Heights University) have arranged an outstanding lineup of clinic speakers beginning Friday morning.

At the ABCA Trade Show, over 300 companies will be on hand to display state-of-the-art equipment and products, including coaching aids, apparel, field equipment, pitching machines and software. We have already heard about many new products that will be released at the ABCA Trade Show.

Two of the most prestigious events are the ABCA/Diamond Hall of Fame/Coach of the Year Banquet, which will be held on Friday at 6 p.m., and the ABCA Honors Luncheon, which will be held Saturday at 12:00 p.m.

Ten great coaches will be inducted to the ABCA Hall of Fame this year, along with the presentation of the ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award and the ABCA/Diamond National Coaches of the Year on Friday. The Honors Luncheon features several other presentations on Saturday.

Committee chairs will contact members regarding time and place of meetings, mostly held on Thursday afternoon. All divisional business meetings will take place on Thursday evening. ABCA members may contact their division’s chair regarding legislation. The ABCA Executive Committee and Board of Directors each meet twice at the convention.

For those who bring families or extend your stay for some vacation time, Disneyland is just a hop, skip and a jump from the Anaheim Convention Center and there is a discount for ABCA Convention attendees, which you will receive in your confirmation email. We have family activities listed at ABCA.org/VisitAnaheim.

Now is the time to make plans for Anaheim! Register quickly and easily online, by phone or by mailing in the form. The Advanced Registration rate of $90 runs through Jan. 4!

LINKS:

• Professional Development Documentation: ABCA.org/education
• Exhibitor Information
• Clinic Speaker Schedule
• Expo Theater Schedule
• Banquet/Luncheon Information
• Future Conventions

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