This year’s NSCAA convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland.  I will have many memories from this convention for many years to come.  First thing I would like to do is just list some of the coaches/celebrities that I saw/met in Baltimore – and this is only naming a few.

I saw Steve McClaren, the recently axed England National Team Coach on Thursday.  I saw him walking through the convention center a couple of times bright and early Thursday morning.  Then I watched him run a coaching session in a very crowded exhibit hall.  He declined to comment about the England Euro 08 qualifying blunder.

I saw the legendary Tony DiCicco, the NSCAA Goalkeeping Institute Director and recently hired U-20 Women’s National Team Coach.   He was 103-8-8 in his only stint as Head USA Women’s Soccer Coach – and was the coach when the U.S. women won the 1999 World Cup (yes, that was the year of the infamous Brandy Chastain sports bra controversy).

Coming back from Lunch on Friday afternoon, Alexi Lalas, the General Manager of the LA Galaxy, was waiting to cross the street at the same corner we were.  I wished him good luck in this weekend’s MLS SuperDraft and I also thanked him for helping get David Beckham to come play in the USA.  In my opinion, Lalas may be one of the top 5 most influential American born soccer players/executives ever.  I know people will think I am crazy saying that – he wasn’t the best player – but he was a part of US Soccer getting on the world map back in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  And the Beckham signing, if the MLS can keep attendance up, may go down as the biggest and best signing that the USA has ever seen.  Lalas was a very nice guy for the 2 minutes we were able to talk walking a block or two to the convention center.

I also met a gentleman by the name of Taj, he is a big part of the youth academy at Everton FC.  He helped oversee the training of Wayne Rooney for many years and when I told him I had a 21-month-old son named Rooney – the guy almost flipped.  He gave me a big hug and told me “all of the UK thinks you are a God now son!!”  You just can’t get a better moment.  He was a great guy and even came over to our table (we were at the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Reception) and introduced himself to my friends and talked with us for about 5 minutes or so.

I met Declan McIntyre, the National Goalkeeping Co-ordinator for FAIreland.  We met at an Irish Pub and I was wearing my new Manchester United Line Up Jacket – and that definitely did not sit well with Coach McIntyre.  And just for fun, I decided to put the cherry on top and let him know that my son’s name was Rooney – the reaction was priceless.  Basically he said, in so many words, my son is now guaranteed to be a failure.  Obviously, it was just ribbing and he was a pleasure to spend those 15 minutes with.

Honorable Mentions:  Dominic Kinnear, Eric Wynalda, Jason Kries, Heather Mitts (maybe the hottest female soccer player ever produced in the world), Andrew Wallace (first and former www.soccerpro.com manager) and Nate Houser (legendary NPSL player).

The nightlife was brilliant.  We ate at a place called M&S Grille, a brilliant seafood restaurant.  We hung out at the ESPNZone, as well as many pubs.  We had many late nights and met many different coaches/celebrities at all hours of the night and that is what makes the NSCAA convention the best week/weekend of the year.

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