Bringing coaches together in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University’s Sport Coaching Leadership program, in the School of Education, will host its third Philadelphia Coaches Conference on Tuesday, May 16 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. This year’s conference, organized “for coaches by coaches” will bring together aspiring coaches of all levels in a variety of sports for the purpose of professional development and growth through a series of education sessions led by a diverse group of experienced and knowledgeable coaches.
“Philadelphia will always be a sport-obsessed city,” said Amy Giddings, PhD, conference organizer and associate clinical professor in Sport Management and program director of Sport Coaching Leadership. “The city just wrapped up hosting the NFL Draft – what better time than now to address how the leadership of our regional coaches affects and inspires athletes across the nation?”
Last year’s conference hosted over 200 coaches and this year it will be hosted at the historic Palestra on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, to accommodate the rapid growth and interest in the conference.
The conference will kick off with an opening reception for invited guests and sponsors at the Center for Hospitality and Sport Management’s Academic Bistro (101 N. 33rd Street, 6th floor) on Monday, May 15. The second day is dedicated to coaching professionals and students, addressing current issues in coaching, industry-led panel discussions and multiple breakout sessions.
The keynote address will be delivered by Courtney Banghart, head coach of the women’s basketball team at Princeton University. Banghart enters her 10th season as head coach of the women’s team and is also the winningest coach in the programs history. She will talk about building and sustaining a culture of winning – addressing values-based leadership and communicating authentically as some of the most advantageous ways to manage.
Awards to honor the region’s coaches will be presented to “The Philadelphia Coach of the Year” in four categories – youth, scholastic, collegiate and professional. The “Youth Coach of the Year Award” will be presented to Dhaamin Stukes, deputy program director and coach for Philadelphia Youth Basketball; “Scholastic Coach of the Year” will go to Gabe Infante, head coach for football at St. Joseph’s Prep High School; “Collegiate Coach of the Year” will go to Jackie Hartzell, head coach for women’s basketball at the University of the Sciences; and “Professional Coach of the Year” will go to Banghart.
“It’s amazing, seeing coaches from all over the region – youth, collegiate to professional sport, all connecting on a level of shared experiences, and truly learning from each other’s specific hurdles and accomplishments,” said Giddings.
The conference is open to all coaches, aspiring coaches, teams and leagues. Registration includes access to all keynotes, presentations and panels on Tuesday, continental breakfast, lunch and the concluding reception. To register, click here.
For more information on Drexel's master of science degree in sport coaching leadership, click here.