To All Members
Following these few suggestions will make planning for the 2010 AFCA Convention easier:
• The dates for the next AFCA annual convention are January 10-13, 2010 in Orlando, Florida.
• Convention packets have been mailed to all 2009 members. 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. 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 procession fee.
Tickets
The following events require a ticket:
• President’s Breakfast: Monday, January 11 – 7:00 a.m. Tickets are $15 each (limit one).
• Kickoff Luncheon: Monday, January 11 – 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 each (limit one).
• Awards Luncheon: Tuesday, January 12 – 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 each (limit one).
• Coach of the Year Dinner: Tuesday, January 12 – 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, 2009, deadline. Any tickets not sold by the deadline will be offered for sale at the convention site beginning Sunday, January 10 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets purchased on-site are $5 more per ticket, while supplies last.
Discount Theme Park Tickets – Hello Florida! has partnered with AFCA to offer discount tickets to all major attractions, including: Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, Arabian Nights, Medieval Times, Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Show. Tickets can be ordered on-line: www.hello-usa.com/tickets/afca.
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 10, 2010, in the Exhibits Hall of the Orlando World Center Marriott. 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 11 or Tuesday, January 12.
Registration and Exhibit Hours
Sunday, January 10 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, January 11 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, January 12 – 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 Orlando World Center Marriott is the headquarters hotel. Overflow hotels also included in the block are Hilton Bonnet Creek, Sheraton Safari & Suites, Courtyard Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Fairfield Inn and Suites, Springhill Suites Orlando, and Marriot Royal Palms (Vacation Villas – Availability Limited).
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. Wyndham Jade can assist with securing upgraded rooms and suites, if needed.
The deadline for making hotel reservations is December 9, 2009. 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 1-20, 2010. Provide CV#04G70001 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 click on the link below for these rates.
Ground Transportation
AFCA has partnered with Mears Motor Shuttle to extend a $3.00 discount off roundtrip shuttle service to/from the Orlando International Airport and your hotel. See the link on the bottom of the page for details, or visit Mears Motor Shuttle website at https://secure.mearstransportation.com/default.asp?referrer=362465537.
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, Ethics, Exhibits, Football Operations Directors, High School, Luncheon, Meeting Room, Minority Issues, Nominating, Professional Development (PDS), Program, Public Relations, Registration, Rules and Summer Manual.
Committee members unable to attend the convention should contact Todd Bell at the AFCA (254-754-9900 or todd@afca.com). This will allow another coach the opportunity to serve the Association.
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.
President’s Breakfast
Dick Tomey, head football coach at San Jose State University and 2009 AFCA President, will officially open the 2010 convention at the President’s Breakfast. He will also introduce the guest speaker.
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.
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 2009 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
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 12, 2010. Coaches on all four-year 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 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 2010 convention is December 10, 2009. Save $10 on membership and $5 on each ticket by meeting this deadline.
Exhibitors
Exhibitors at the AFCA convention make it financially possible for the Association to continue hosting the annual convention without charging members a registration fee. In Orlando, we anticipate over 200 exhibiting companies will be on hand to showcase their products and services.
Show your appreciation to the exhibitors by visiting exhibits, meeting and talking with the exhibitors, and letting them know they are a valued part of the annual convention.
For information on securing exhibit space, contact Butch Gardner, AFCA Exhibits Manager at (903) 613-2046 or butch.afca@yahoo.com. We recommend you make plans to exhibit as soon as possible, as space is extremely limited at this time.
