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A Must-Attend Event for Field Hockey Coaches – 2026 NFHCA Annual Convention

Aug 24, 2025 | 2025-2026, News

Annual Convention R2C

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – The 2026 NFHCA Annual Convention, sponsored by Astroturf®, returns January 13–16, 2026, at the Orlando Marriott Lake Mary in Lake Mary, Florida. Early Bird registration is now open! Each year, the Convention brings together field hockey coaches from every level of the game for days filled with connection, celebration, and inspiration.

What To Expect in 2026

The 2026 event will feature hands-on tactical education, thought-provoking classroom sessions, keynote insights, membership meetings, and countless opportunities to connect with fellow coaches and leaders.  Highlights include:

  • Hall of Fame Celebration: Honor the newest class at the 26th Annual NFHCA Hall of Fame & Lifetime Achievement Reception & Awards Dinner.

  • Ready2Coach Sessions: Sharpen your coaching edge with on-the-field tactical and technical instruction from Phil Edwards, a coaching and development expert with 20 years of international and collegiate experience. Edwards will be joined on the field by other coaching experts.

  • Coaches for Coaches Roundtables: Join energizing discussions designed to swap ideas, tackle challenges, and strengthen community across all coaching levels.

  • Coaches Appreciation & Awards Lunch, sponsored by FieldTurf®: Celebrate the 2025 NFHCA coaching award honorees, retirees, and your fellow coaches!

  • Collegiate Membership Meetings: Participate in sessions tailored to your membership group to address key issues shaping the college game and the profession.

  • Classroom Learning: Learn from tactical and technical experts in sessions built to expand your coaching toolkit.

  • Exhibitor Hall: Explore the latest innovations from more than 25 exhibitors who are committed to supporting coaches and the field hockey community.

  • Winter Escape Showcase: Experience the energy and talent of this premier recruiting event, beginning January 16 with 108 teams competing.

Keynote Speaker: Sarah Derrenbacher

This year’s keynote will be delivered by Leadership and Performance Strategist Sarah Derrenbacher of Evolveability®. Her keynote, Fulfillment-Driven High Performance, will introduce a performance system framework that unites personal, relational, and tactical performance to unlock a team’s full potential. Coaches will explore how leadership, resilience, and personal ownership can reduce friction, foster consistency, and create alignment across teams and staff.  Sarah has helped NCAA teams, professional athletes, and Fortune 500 companies break through limits and achieve success in new ways. Her performance system has guided teams to championships, sparked individual breakthroughs, and inspired organizations to thrive by shifting how they think about performance and leadership. Coaches can expect to leave with actionable tools to bring back to their teams and programs.

Join Us In January

The NFHCA Annual Convention is the ultimate destination to connect, learn, and grow with your coaching peers. The Convention will officially begin with the Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening, January 13, with collegiate membership meetings starting the morning of January 14. Club, Scholastic, and Affiliate member sessions begin the afternoon of Wednesday, January 14. Early Bird registration is now open! Don’t miss out on your registration savings!

The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) champions, strengthens, and celebrates field hockey coaches and the game. With more than 1,600 members across all levels, the NFHCA provides community, recognition, education, and a unified voice to advance our sport in the U.S. Learn more at nfhca.org.

About the Sponsor

AstroTurf® is one of the most iconic brands in American sports. Field hockey was first played on AstroTurf® at the 1976 Montreal Olympics — since then, AstroTurf® has continued to evolve their synthetic turf to provide fast-playing, non-directional, uniform products that are demanded by programs across the world. AstroTurf® is also committed to growing the game of field hockey and providing access to more high-quality pitches at all levels of the sport.