Soccer fever hit Kansas City in a big way with the opening of the newest MLS stadium, Livestrong Sporting Park, last summer. And it continues this week with the Kansas City-based National Soccer Coaches Association of America's annual convention downtown through Sunday. It is expected to draw more than 4,000 coaches and 5,000 more attendees.

Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft, which begins at 11 a.m. (noon ET) in the Kansas City Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom and will be open to the public, will be one of the major events at the 65th annual convention, which is billed as “the world’s largest annual gathering of soccer coaches” as well as “the largest soccer trade show in the U.S." Besides coaching clinics and meetings, the presentation of the yearly NSCAA awards as well as Hall of Fame inductions will be made.

“I like to refer to this week as Christmas for soccer coaches,” said Craig Bohnert, NSCAA assistant executive director for communications. “There will be an opportunity to learn about really anything and everything with regard to soccer.”