NFCA CONVENTION

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association, celebrating its 20^th anniversary, opened its annual convention today at the Del Lago Resort in Montgomery , TX (north of Houston ).

Beyond its annual business meeting, where coaches will consider a variety of resolutions relating to every division of college ball, as well as highschool and travel ball, NFCA devotes a portion of each annual meeting to a rewards program.

On Friday, NFCA will induct three standout veterans of college ball into its Hall of Fame:  Dr. JoAnne Graqf; Margo Jonker, and Celeste Knierim.

A substantial part of the program recognizes individual and team achievements.

Speedline National Coaching Staffs of the Year:

Highschool: Keller HS, TX

Travel Ball: Case Batbusters , CA

NWAACC: Wentachee Valley CC

Cal JC: College of the Sequoias

NJCAA 1: Blinn College , TX

NJCAA 2: Lansing CCC, Michigan

NJCAA 3: Anne Arundel CC, MD

NAIA: Simon Fraser University

NCAA 1: University of Texas

NCAA 2: University of California , Davis

NCAA 3: Central College , Iowa

NFCA also recognizes staffs in each of these divisions, by region.

In cooperation with Diamond Sports, NFCA named 2003 Catchers of the Year:

Division 1: Kristen Rivera, University of Washington

Division II: Jami Ingram, Texas Women’s University

Division III: Gina Utecht, University of St Thomas , MN

NAIA: Jill Vaughn, Oklahoma City University

NJCAA 1: Kim Woodson, Johnson County KS CC

NJCAA 2: Leigh Farina, Kankakee

NJCAA 3: Jessica Griffin, Anne Arundel CC

Cal JC: Danni Caldwell, San Joaquin Delta CC

NWAACC: Sherry Lewis, Blue Mountain CC

Highschool: Nichole Willis, Clovis CA

A highlight of this year’s convention comes Saturday night when the National Pro Fastpitch organizers will conduct their draft.  SPY is attempting to acquire complete rosters for each team.

(Tough transportation.  Landed at Houston/Bush; learned that del Lago is an hour north – most of Texas is north of Houston – and that the shuttle runs about once an hour.  Went to Hertz; no cars.  Then, a bomb scare emptied out the place.  Finally, back at Hertz, I went to see Miss Ghandi, the manager; figuring her for a Pakistani, we talked about the old days in Rawalpindi , after which she got Advantage to let us take one of their cars.  Beautiful resort in the big middle of nowhere.  Keeps all these young minds on business.  My cell phone interrupted the guest speaker; people thought it must be Washington; nah, my 22-year old in Michigan had her car fixed and needed for Daddy to pay the bill.)

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