2018 AHCA Convention Opens This Week in Naples
Wednesday "Celebration of Men's Hockey" Launches Annual Event
Meetings, Trade Show Follow Through Saturday
The annual meeting of the nation's men's and women's college hockey coaches — along with other amateur coaches and other stakeholders in amateur hockey— will begin this Wednesday at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club in Naples, FL. It marks the 27th consecutive years for the coaches at this site.
The agenda (Download Convention Agenda) begins Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 when women's hockey coaches hold the first meeting of the four-day event, followed by the annual "Celebration of Men's Ice Hockey," the men's Coach of the Year Dinner.
"We look forward to our return to Naples each year," said AHCA Executive Director Joe Bertagna. "It has proven to provide the right atmosphere for coaches to address issues raised from the recently concluded season and to look ahead to 2018-19."
The Convention is a mix of meetings, keynote speakers and social events. Among the agenda items:
• NCAA-related discussion meetings on rules, legislation and post-season tournaments.
• An impressive line-up of keynote speakers, featuring two members of the NHL's Florida Panthers staff, Paul Vincent and Jack Capuano, and Jay Woodcroft from the Edmonton Oilders. All three speakers have been provided through "The Coaches Site."
• Coach of the Year banquets for men's and women's ice hockey, sponsored by USA Hockey.
• The annual meeting of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), the governing body for college hockey's non-varsity programs.
Providing leadership for this undertaking is AHCA President Rico Blasi, head coach at Miami University, who works closely with a Board of 15 to roll out these meetings. With a new NCAA Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules Book slated for production at summer's end, the coaches will be discussing potential rules changes, among them an attempt to come up with a single, common overtime format for all of college hockey.
The four NCAA Coach of the Year recipients are: Jeff jackson, Notre Dame (D1 Men); Blaise MacDonald, Colby (D3 Men); Greg Fargo, Colgate (D1 Women); Mark Bolding, Norwich (D3 Women). The annual "Celebration of Women's Hockey" is scheduled for Friday evening. The Convention wraps up Saturday at noon.
