ASSISTANT COACHES SYMPOSIUM

Wow I don't even know where to start! This past weekend was incredible at the Assistant Coaches Symposium in Atlanta. I don't know if I have had a more valuable weekend in my career in terms of gaining knowledge and really talking and listening to other coaches to get better. Felicia Hall did an amazing job of bringing speakers that had a clear message for us and really were tuned into the development of assistant coaches. I will be posting various notes from this weekend as the week goes along, but I just wanted to spend today recapping what we actually did at the symposium. If you were not able to attend don't miss it next year! Feel free to email or call me and I will be glad to send over the notes and any materials I have that may help you. sguillory1@mcneese.edu or 337-475-5477

Coach Mincy (one of our asst. coaches here at McNeese and former Ole Miss great) left late Thursday afternoon for the drive to Atlanta. We stopped in Mobile and spent the night then got up early on Friday to complete the 10 hour drive to Atlanta. We drove straight into the Atlanta Dream practice. Coach Mincy surprised her old college coach Carol Ross at practice. We watched them practice and then got to watch then scrimmage at the end. Coach Ross also spoke to the crowd for a little while after the practice. I have had the opportunity to spend some time with her before and she is truly the most inspiring coach I have ever known. That night we got to enjoy dinner at Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro with two Dream players Armintie Price and Shalee Lehning. Coach Mincy played at Ole Miss with Armintie. Both players are also assistant coaches at Ole Miss and Kansas State, respectively. They were both awesome! True competitors, hard workers and are both obvioulsy great coaches as well.

Saturday and Sunday were filled with great speakers and great conversation. We also got to enjoy some very good restaurants in downtown Atlanta. Most of the sessions had 1 or 2 coaches sitting in the front and each taking turns discussing and giving their thoughts and ideas on the current topic. Then we had a chance to ask any questions that we wanted. Some of the coaches in the crowd also shared some ideas which was nice. On Saturday night there was a social in the courtyard where we had an opportunity to talk to toehr coaches and learn even more. On Sunday morning there was a great FCA service out on by Charlotte Smith, assitant coach at University of North Carolina and Courtney Locke, assistant coach at University of Central Florida. The symposium ended Sunday around noon and we hopped in the car and drove straight back to Lake Charles arriving around 11 pm last night. Long drive, but it was so worth it! I will post some of my notes from the clinic during the week.