The OSA Soccer Development Conference, held at RIM Park in Waterloo over the weekend, was an overwhelming success in its first showing under the new format.

Over 400 coaches, referees and students spent the weekend taking in workshops, classroom sessions and on and off field talks from some of the best in the business at what they do.

Hope Powell, Vanessa Martinez-Lagunas and Joe Fletcher and Carol Anne Chenard were the biggest draws of the weekend but sessions from John O'Sullivan, Luis Fernado Paes De Barros, Dr. Nick Reed and Dr. Colin Higgs also drew standing room only crowds.

"This conference has already exceeded our expectations," Mark Marshall, OSA's Coaching Development Manager, said. "To see crowds like this, in just our first year in this new venue and format, is hugely encouraging and speaks to how much of a demand for this kind of development work there is."

Hope Powell, former England head coach and the first woman to ever earn a UEFA Pro-License, echoed Marshall's sentiments.

"Conference's like these are fantastic for continuing the development of our skills and something that we all need to do," Powell said. "For coaches and referees who are on the fence about attending something like this, I would say to them that this is an investment in your future and is well worth the time, energy and money you put into it."

The weekend saw a number of other events away from the conference as well. The OSA put on a futsal festival for U-12 boys and girls in the area.

And Saturday night included a social event, hosted by Sportsnet's James Sharman, with the weekend's speakers and provided an opportunity for conference attendees to ask questions and mingle with the faces on the flyer.

Up next for the OSA Coaching Department will be a coaching conference, held in Ottawa on April 11. Guest speakers will include: Rob Gale, head coach of Canada's U-20 Men's squad, Bev Priestman, head coach of Canada's U-17 Women's squad and Michael Findlay, assistant coach of the Senior Men's Canadian National team.