Name: Portland Coaches Clinic
Start: 2027-01-15
End: 2027-01-16

When Portland looks in the mirror, it sees more than just makers and craftspeople; it sees the forefront of the Global Sports Industry and the rising Epicenter of Women's Sports. It sees a city both firmly established and on the rise, defined by its relentless passion, creative grit, and a personality that welcomes everyone.

Portland’s unique zip code holds an unrivaled connection to the global sports market that few other cities can match. This concentration of power has created an innovation hub, as we are home to the locally-established giants that lead the industry: Nike (Global HQ), adidas (North American HQ), ON (U.S. HQ), and Columbia Sportswear (Global HQ), alongside an influential presence from Under Armour (Corporate Office). This density of industry leadership has cultivated a deep talent pool in design, technology, and performance, cementing Portland as the global hub for athletic and outdoor footwear and apparel innovation.

Our sporting spirit has transcended the competition, making Portland the gold standard for professional women's athletics. We are the home of the Portland Thorns FC (NWSL), one of the most successful women's sports franchises in the world, which consistently boasts record-setting attendance and a uniquely passionate, diverse, and loyal fanbase. Solidifying this status, Portland will soon welcome the Portland Fire, its new WNBA expansion team launching in 2026. Both franchises are united under a shared ownership group that is further cementing Portland's role by investing over $150 million in a first-of-its-kind, dual-sport Women's Performance Center designed specifically for elite female athletes. This community belief proves that in Portland, sports are truly for everyone.

This is a true Renaissance City, where the thriving arts, culinary, and outdoor scenes are uniquely intertwined with its athletes. We celebrate the well-rounded competitor, supporting figures like beloved Trail Blazers All-Star point guard, Damian Lillard, who is equally respected as a recording artist, or local Olympians whose ventures range from world-renowned dining partnerships to New York Times bestselling cookbooks. It's one of the few places where you can surf and ski in the same day, with spare time to grab a cup of coffee and show off your new sneakers—designed just a few miles away—before catching a game. When your event lands in Portland, it will be about the competition, the athletes, and the experience. Hosting in this city will be anything but typical, because we welcome every championship with our whole personality and our unparalleled sports heritage.&#x20;

Portland, powered by Sport Oregon

The Portland Coaches Clinic, presented by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and GameChanger, takes place January 15–16, 2027, at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Designed for softball coaches, the clinic features dynamic presentations, video sessions, demonstrations, practical drills, innovative coaching methods, and opportunities to connect with fellow coaches and clinicians. Registration begins Friday at 11:30 a.m., speakers start at 1:00 p.m., and the clinic concludes Saturday at 4:00 p.m.; attendees do not need to be NFCA members.

Portland Coaches Clinic

To educate softball coaches and the public in the game of softball, including coordinating the relationship between softball team membership and other educational endeavors through the development of softball in all its aspects as an amateur sport, including maintaining communication of new ideas and discussion of issues involving softball and education.

1.To stimulate the development of quality leadership for fastpitch softball programs, and to recognize professional contributions to the sport by:a.Keeping members informed of current coaching techniques and trends.b.Providing national and international educational training for fastpitch softball coaches.c.Encouraging, supporting, and providing guidance in the development and conduct of fastpitch softball programs whose purposes correlate with the general objectives of education.d.Instilling within coaches a deep sense of responsibility for developing and conducting programs that will enrich the lives of the participants.2.To encourage the playing of fastpitch softball in accordance with the highest traditions of competition.3.To foster national and international amateur fastpitch softball competition.4.To facilitate public and professional understanding and appreciation of the importance and value of the sport of fastpitch softball.5.To identify and pursue issues relevant to fastpitch softball coaches and to the sport of fastpitch softball; and to provide a forum for the discussion of matters of interest to members of the Association.6.To provide a channel of direct communication among fastpitch softball coaches at all educational levels.7.To maintain a membership group representative of all sections of the United States, and all levels of fastpitch softball competition.8.To organize the coaches as a group interested in formulating and promoting guiding principles, standards, and policies for conducting competitive fastpitch softball programs for girls and women; and to provide a united body for positive action relative to the sport of fastpitch softball.9.To promote cooperative efforts with other professional organizations similarly interested in the ultimate development of fastpitch softball programs and opportunities for fastpitch softball players.10.To promote cooperative efforts with other professional organizations interested in girls' and women's athletics (programs, coaches, and players).
