Texas high school coaches convention going online due to COVID-19
Coronavirus has taken away one of the biggest events in the state.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas High School Coaches Association canceled its 2020 in-person coaching school and convention in San Antonio and moved it all virtual for the first time in its 88-year history.
The three-day conference, which averages an attendance of 13,000 coaches, athletic administrators and exhibitors, offers a wide range of education sessions on both boys and girls sports, athletic administration, as well as health and safety topics.
“We had hoped for a decrease in the spread of the coronavirus as we neared the convention date, but the situation has evolved rapidly and we are committed to do our part to protect our attendees, sponsors, vendors and staff,” the THSCA stated in a press release.
“This is an enormous disappointment and not a decision we have taken lightly. It’s our favorite way to celebrate high school coaches from all over the state. It was a tough call to make, but in our efforts to support the preventative protocols set forth by our Texas school administrators, the UIL executive staff and governing authorities at both state and local levels, we are choosing to prioritize health and safety first.”
The virtual convention will be July 19-21 with live broadcasts available, including six weeks of free on-demand replay access up until Aug. 31. It will provide lectures in skills and techniques in 15 different sports, professional development health, safety and character curriculum.
It will also include mandatory UIL coaches certification program courses that will be replayed to the UIL and Register My Athlete platforms.
“We appreciate the Texas High School Coaches Association working for as long as they did to try to hold their conference in San Antonio” said Casandra Matej, President and CEO of Visit San Antonio. “This was not an easy decision for the association and its leadership, and we know from our decades-long relationship with THSCA how much they enjoy coming to our destination. While we feel we had gone above and beyond to ensure a very safe conference, we are in uncharted territory that is requiring difficult decisions for everyone.”
While working with the UIL, the THSCA will hold its virtual convention to allow coaches to resume regularly scheduled strength and conditioning and skill workouts.
Those workouts began on June 8 and majority of the schools in the state have taken a break from July 3-12, which was recommended by the UIL, due to the potential of July 4th gatherings.
Those who register for coaching school will be granted access to all sport-specific and professional development lectures, all mandatory UIL CCP courses, panel discussions, the THSCA head coaching academy and THSCA regional and general meeting broadcasts.
The THSCA will also offer all registrants unlimited access to its virtual trade show platform that allows attendees to shop its exhibit hall, network with other coaches, visit the career center, attend a Hudl training session and hold virtual team meetings all from home.
