Rick Pauly returns for a no-holds-barred breakdown of the 2025 NFCA Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada—the largest in convention history.

As both attendees and presenters, Rob and Rick share their unfiltered observations about what they saw, what surprised them, and what concerns them about the current state of softball coaching and player development.

Topics covered:

• The record-setting attendance and what it reveals about travel ball coaching
• New technology and products showcased by exhibitors
• The tension between education and product endorsement in presentations
• Whether technology is becoming prohibitively expensive for smaller schools and programs
• Should travel ball coaches have a voice in college recruiting calendar decisions?
• Rob introduces his new concept: "egosystem" and its implications for competitive sports
• Does softball genuinely want to embrace data-driven coaching, or is it performative?
• Their favorite speakers and sessions from the convention

If you're a coach, administrator, or parent trying to navigate the evolving landscape of softball, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and give you plenty to think about.