To All Members
Following these few suggestions will make planning for the 2011 AFCA Convention easier:
• The dates for the next AFCA annual convention are January 9-12, 2011, in Dallas, Texas.
• Convention packets will be mailed to all 2010 members by September 1, 2010. Read the entire convention packet before making any decisions. If you have not received your packet, email membership@afca.com for a packet.
• Hotel arrangements should be made as soon as possible.
• All reservations must go through the AFCA housing agent, Wyndham Jade, by visiting www.wynjade.com/afca11, or by calling 1-877-557-5338. This information can be found in the convention packet.
• Do not contact the hotels directly, as you will not be able to book rooms at the AFCA rate and reservations cannot be transferred to the AFCA rate later.
• Do not contact the AFCA regarding your reservations.
• Retain all confirmation numbers for hotel, airline and rental car agreements for future reference.
• Contact Wyndham Jade with any changes to a reservation or any questions concerning hotel arrangements.
• For convention questions – unrelated to housing or travel – call the AFCA (254-754-9900). You will be connected to an automated “Convention Information Line” that answers the most frequently asked questions. At the end of that message, you will be given the option to speak to an AFCA staff member.
• December 10 is the deadline to prepay membership and tickets for the convention. Payments received after that date will incur a $10 on-site processing fee.
Tickets
The following events require a ticket:
• AstroTurf President’s Kickoff Luncheon: Monday, January 10 – 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 each (limit one).
• Schutt Sports Awards Luncheon: Tuesday, January 11 – 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 each (limit one).
• Coach of the Year Dinner: Tuesday, January 11 – 6 p.m. Reception. 7:30 p.m. Dinner. Tickets are $30 each (limit two).
There is limited seating for all events. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis until all tickets are sold, or until the December 10, 2010, deadline. Any tickets not sold by the deadline will be offered for sale at the convention site beginning Sunday, January 9 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets purchased on-site are $5 more per ticket, while supplies last.
Convention Registration
Registration is required for members who attend the annual convention. Name badges, necessary for admission to all events, and pre-paid tickets to all food functions are distributed at registration.
Registration and Exhibits open Sunday, January 9, 2011, in the Trinity Exhibits Hall of the Hilton Anatole Hotel. All pre-paid members, regardless of coaching affiliation can pick up their badges any time registration is open. Only those NAIA members, Active II members, Allied members and Foreign Allied members who did not prepay may register on Sunday. All other NCAA coaches who did not prepay must register on Monday, January 10 or Tuesday, January 11.
Registration and Exhibit Hours
Sunday, January 9 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, January 10 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, January 11 – 9 a.m. to Noon
Dues payments received after December 10, will incur a $10 on-site processing fee. All institutional business offices should be advised of the December 10 deadline!
Hotel Reservations
The Hilton Anatole Hotel is the headquarter hotel. Overflow hotels also included in the block are Renaissance Dallas, Courtyard Market Center, Doubletree Market Center, Fairfield Inn & Suites Market Center, Marriott Suites Market Center and Sheraton Suites Market Center.
Please do not call the AFCA regarding your hotel arrangements. Do not call the hotels directly. All reservations must go through the AFCA’s official housing agent, Wyndham Jade, in order to receive the greatly-discounted AFCA room rate. See the hotel reservation form in the convention packet for details on the hotels, as well as rates, or you can call Wyndham Jade at 1-877-557-5338, or visit www.wynjade.com/afca11 to make reservations. Wyndham Jade can assist with securing upgraded rooms and suites, if needed.
The deadline for making hotel reservations is December 8, 2010. Rooms booked after that date will be on a space-available basis and rates may increase.
Air and Rental Car Reservations
American Airlines and Continental Airlines are offering discount airfares for AFCA attendees. Please contact Wyndham Jade at 1-877-557-5338 to book your airline and rental car reservations.
AFCA has partnered with Hertz® for special meeting rates from January 2-19, 2011. Provide CV#04G70002 to school travel departments or travel agent when making reservations. Reservations can also be made directly at www.Hertz.com or by calling: 1-800-654-2240. At the time of reservation, the meeting rates will be automatically compared to other Hertz rates for the best comparable rate. Please see the Hertz link below for more details.
Ground Transportation
SuperShuttle® is offering a $26 round-trip shuttle service to/from the DFW International Airport or Love Field and your hotel. Reservations can be made directly at https://www.supershuttle.com/GroupRez/TripDetails.aspx?GC=WM3AY, or by calling 1-800-258-3826. Provide AFCA's group code WM3AY. Click here for the SuperShuttle® coupon.
Committee Meetings
The following committees meet during the annual convention and many of the committee members will have assigned duties during the convention: Assistant Coaches, Coach of the Year, Convention Services, Director of Football Operations, Ethics, Exhibits, High School, Luncheon, Meeting Room, Minority Issues, Nominating, Professional Development (PDS), Program, Public Relations, Registration, Rules and Summer Manual.
NEW THIS YEAR! In the past, prepaid committee members received their badge and prepaid meal tickets at their committee meeting. To better serve all committee members, AFCA Registration has opened a special registration line for prepaid committee members (except Chairmen and Co-Chairmen) to pick up their badge and tickets. All those who do not prepay will go through the join/renew registration lines. Committee members will not receive their badge and tickets at the committee meeting. Committee Chairmen and Co-Chairmen will pick up their badge, tickets, and committee information at the Information Booth.
Committee members unable to attend the convention should contact Vince Thompson at the AFCA (254-754-9900 or vince@afca.com). This will allow another coach the opportunity to serve the Association. Please click here to view the AFCA Committee schedule at the 2011 Convention.
Professional Development Series (PDS)
The Professional Development Series (PDS) is a select number of lectures and seminars, featured at the AFCA convention, aimed at promoting professional and personal growth among football coaches.
At each AFCA convention, PDS participants receive a PDS verification card. After each PDS-designated seminar, a committee member will stamp the verification card to confirm attendance. Participants must attend a specified number of PDS-designated seminars in order to complete the series. After the convention, the verification cards are processed at the AFCA headquarters and an AFCA/NCAA Professional Development Series Certificate of Completion is mailed to the participant.
For the past two years, the American Football Coaches Association has partnered with Summer Institutes, an extended education company, to provide an opportunity for AFCA members to earn college credit while attending the AFCA national convention.
Summer Institutes has been providing extended education (college credit, CEU’s, etc.) for over 20 years. In 2008, AFCA and Summer Institutes partnered to create additional value for AFCA members who attend the AFCA national convention and participated in the AFCA’s Professional Development Series (PDS).
All non-meal lectures, featured at the AFCA convention, are classified as Professional Development Series. Each PDS participant receives a verification card upon arrival to the convention. After each seminar, a PDS committee member will be available to provide a stamp which verifies attendance. The Professional Development Series is completed by attending 10 out of a possible 25 PDS lectures at the convention.
When the series is completed, the verification cards are processed at the AFCA headquarters and an AFCA/NCAA/AFCF Professional Development Series Certificate of Completion is mailed to the participant. In some states, PDS credit can be used as professional development hours towards salary points and recertification.
With Summer Institutes on board, convention attendees can earn one college credit hour by attending 15 PDS hours. AFCA members who want to take advantage of this opportunity can do so for only $130 by visiting www.summerinstitutes.com/sections/afca to pre-register. Please see the Summer Institutes flyer at the bottom of the page.
President's Breakfast: This event has been cancelled.
AstroTurf President’s Kickoff Luncheon: Recipients of the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year, Outstanding Achievement Award, Academic Achievement Award and Trailblazer Award, as well as the presentation of the National Football Foundation championship trophies, will all be announced. A guest speaker will be announced on the AFCA website prior to the annual convention.
Schutt Sports Awards Luncheon: This event recognizes head coaches whose teams win conference and/or national championships and coaches of independent schools ranked in the final Top 15 in the AFCA, NAIA or USA Today Coaches’ Poll during the 2010 season. Also recognized at this event is the recipient of the AFCA’s most prestigious coaching honor, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, and the newest Honorary and 35-Year Members.
Coach of the Year Dinner: Highlighting the annual AFCA convention will be recognition of the national Coaches of the Year at the Coach of the Year Dinner on Tuesday, January 11, 2011. Coaches on all five college levels are honored, as well as the American Community College Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year. The Power of Influence Award is given to a deserving high school coach and the Executive Director’s Spirit of Giving Award (not given every year) recipient is named. If the AFCA Board of Trustees chooses to bestow the Tuss McLaughry Award (not given every year), it will also be presented at this event.
Prepayment
The deadline for prepayment of dues and purchasing tickets to the food functions at the 2011 convention is December 10, 2010. Save $10 on membership and $5 on each ticket by meeting this deadline.
