Convention week: In the air tonight

For the first time in my coaching career, I am attending our sport governing body’s national convention – the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention in Orlando, Florida. The bulk of the convention will be Wednesday through Friday. I am currently on a half-empty Jet Blue flight from Westchester County Airport to Orlando, with a return flight scheduled very early Saturday morning. I am not a frequent flier, but I will give you my opinion: There is no better airline to fly than Jet Blue. The seats are roomy, the flights are generally smooth and on time, and there is on-board Wifi. And, they offer direct flights from relatively small, easy-to-navigate airports to major hubs like Orlando. What’s not to like?

So anyway. It was with great reluctance that I decided to make this trip to the convention. I operate from a feeling of extreme guilt: My job forces me to be away from home and family for many weekends through three seasons, so why should I tack on another few days away from home? I revel in the mundane aspects of life: Going to the deli to get a gallon of milk, transporting my kids to their varying activities, attending their sporting and other events … you get the idea. Jetting off to a convention for a few days has always seemed gratuitous at best. However! For many years, my coaching brethren have urged me to attend. It’s worth it, they said. It’s fun, they said. It’s IMPORTANT, they implored. Finally, I listened, relented and away we go. What spurred me from my usual, home-based inertia into action? Well, this: There is a lot of important, groundbreaking legislation on the table this year, much of which could have a direct impact on our program and our athletes. The only way to vote on this legislation is to attend the convention. Since our interests generally align well with those of our friends and rivals (in many cases, synonymous) in the Northeast region, it’s important to have our collective voices heard and not be drowned out by the Big Fish of our world. And so, I go.

This is a working trip. Other than an occasional early-morning jog or walk, I do not plan to be outside or to go anywhere; I'm not even renting a car! I will be attending sessions, meetings and the like. I will be schmoozing with other coaches. I will not, under ANY circumstances, be taking a side trip to Disney World. No way! I will be avoiding the polar vortex/Arctic blast of the Northeast for a few days, and I will be wearing short-sleeve shirts for the last time in many months. I will post here if there is anything to report, but I suspect the subject matter will be of very narrow interest to those who read this blog. If there is anything worth summarizing, we’ll do it. Otherwise, I’ll do my best to listen, to learn and to cast informed votes on topics of importance to our athletes and our sport. OK!