Spend a day with Air Force Head Football Coach Fisher DeBerry and you will quickly find out what makes the man tick. His priorities are firmly in place and very apparent: faith, family and Falcon football. He dedicated his life to all three.

DeBerry spent 23 seasons as the head coach at Air Force (27 overall including four as an assistant) and he certainly left his mark on the program. The South Carolina native and his Air Force program were the epitome of what is right and good in collegiate athletics.

His record stands alone at Air Force and stands up against the best in the nation. He led 17 of his 23 teams to winning records and 12 captured a bowl bid since taking over as head coach in 1984. His career record of 169-107-1 is the best in school history in terms of games won and winning percentage. He guided the Academy to three conference championships. Air Force won the Western Athletic Conference title in 1985 and again in 1995. In 1998, DeBerry guided the team to its first outright title and a championship game win over Brigham Young. His 1998 team matched the school record with a 12-1 season while earning him his third coach of the year award. The 1998 squad finished the season ranked 10th nationally.

DeBerry dominated service academy football. In 1999, DeBerry became the winningest coach in service academy football history when AFA knocked off Washington in Seattle. He was an amazing 35-11 against Army and Navy in his career and led the Academy to 14 of its 17 Commander-in-Chief's trophy titles.

DeBerry is a 1960 graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., where he lettered in football and baseball. He is a member of the Wofford Hall of Fame.  After six years of coaching and teaching in the South Carolina high school ranks, DeBerry returned to Wofford, where he stayed two years as an assistant when the school won 21 consecutive games and was ranked No. 1 nationally. It was during a nine-year stop at Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., where his work with the option offense began to blossom. Appalachian State ranked in the top 10 nationally three times (1975, `78, `79) in rushing, total offense or scoring offense under DeBerry.

After six years of coaching and teaching in the South Carolina high school ranks, DeBerry returned to Wofford, where he stayed two years as an assistant when Wofford won 21 consecutive games and was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. However, it was during a nine-year stop at Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., where his work with the wishbone began to blossom.

Three times (1975, ‘78, ‘79) Appalachian State was ranked in the top 10 nationally in either rushing, total or scoring offense under DeBerry. In 1974, the team ranked sixth nationally in pass defense when he was defensive coordinator. The 1979 team featured quarterback Steve Brown, who ranked third in the NCAA in total offense.

In 1996, DeBerry served as president of the powerful and prestigious American Football Coaches Association. DeBerry has received other impressive awards recently for his efforts on and off the field during his brilliant career. He received the State Farm Coach of Distinction award in 2001. He was also inducted into the South Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. DeBerry also received an honorary doctorate of humanities from Wofford during its graduation ceremony in 2003

DeBerry was born June 9, 1938. His wife, LuAnn, grew up just around the corner from the DeBerry home in Cheraw. They have a son (Joe) and daughter (Michelle) and seven grandchildren.

Who: Hosted by Concordia University Irvine's Master of Coaching and Athletic Administration (MCAA) department. Keynote speakers Rod Olson (coach, motivational speaker, author), Fisher DeBerry (college football hall of fame coach), Laird Hayes (NFL official), Sue Enquist (11-time NCAA National Champion and Olympic Gold Medal-winning softball coach, UCLA), Jody Conradt (Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach, University of Texas) and Mark Speckman (head football coach, Menlo College).

FULL SCHEDULE

What: California Coaches Conference is a five-day long conference focused on developing excellence in coaching and athletics. Sport-specific classes offered in advanced theories and strategies for coaching: soccer, basketball, softball, baseball, wrestling, track and field, football, volleyball, swimming as well as speed, strength and conditioning. The MCAA vision is to develop the skills of athletic leaders, strengthen teaching, coaching and administrative abilities to achieve the highest professional standards in coaching and athletics.

When:     Monday, June 25 – Friday, June 29, 2012

Where: Concordia University Irvine, 1530 Concordia West, Irvine, CA 92612

Additional Info:

California Coaches Conference Website -http://www.cui.edu/academicprograms/graduate/coaching/ccc/index.aspx?id=22767

Register for the 2012 California Coaches Conference -http://www.cui.edu/academicprograms/graduate/coaching/ccc/index.aspx?id=20884

Conference participation options: 

    Current MCAA student for credit (4 graduate units): $1,760

    Non-degree seeking students for academic credit (4 graduate units): $1,760

    Conference registration (no credits): $500

    School participation rate: $1,000

    Concordia University/MCAA Alumni: Complimentary