LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wrapping up our pre and post-convention features, we take a look at the NFCC courses offered in New Orleans. Whether it’s in the classroom or on the field, you have an opportunity to learn from some of the top coaches and instructors in their profession. A total of four courses will be offered and they will bookend this year’s convention, Dec. 7-10 at the New Orleans Marriott.

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Prior to the convention on Dec. 5-6 coaches have their choice of two courses – 404 (Solid Team Defense and Strategy) and 405 (Explosive Team Offense and Strategy). From Dec. 10-12, coaches can choose from either Course 402 (Advanced Analysis of Hitting, Pitching and Short-Game Skills) or 406 (Coaching Dynamic Team Practices).

The first day of each course will be classroom instruction* at the hotel. On the following day/s, coaches will head over to LSU’s Tiger Park in Baton Rouge for on-field demonstrations and more classroom instruction.

*NFCC Post-Convention classes will INCLUDE attendance to both USA Softball Olympian game and classroom time on Dec. 10.

Course  404, taught by Notre Dame’s Deanna Gumpf , Washington’s Heather Tarr and Hofstra’s Larissa Anderson, has coaches learn how to put your individual players together to build a defensive team, which includes studying various defensive sets and how to use the DP/Flex rule to your advantage.

Instructed by Utah’s Amy Hogue, Nebraska’s Diane Miller and LSU’s Howard Dobson, Course 405 focuses on how to read your opponent and coordinate the actions of your individual players in order to score and manufacture runs. You will have the opportunity to practice and evaluate your play calling and discuss how to put together a batting order as well as the offensive advantages of the DP/Flex rule.

In Course 402, enhance your ability to analyze and teach selected fundamental individual skills. Headlined by LSU’s Beth Torina, President of Rightview Pro and former Major Leaguer Don Slaught and UCLA’s Kirk Walker, students will study the mechanics of hitting, pitching, bunting and slapping as well as evaluate faults and fixes with live batters and pitchers.

Lastly, Course 406 examines the factors that must be considered when teaching softball skills and taking those skills to the next level. Some aspects of the course, taught by Softball Excellence founder Cindy Bristow, Florida State’s Lonni Alameda and James Madison’s Mickey Dean, include attendees taking an in-depth look at planning, organizing and conducting practices from the ground up, actively participating in drills designed to improve personal coaching skills and learning the differences between, pre-season, pre-game and off-season plans.

Courses are open to everyone and cost $225 for members and $250 for non-members. When two or more coaches from the same staff or travel ball organization register for ANY class, the first coach pays the advertised fee and all additional coaches from that staff receive a $100 discount.