Sport Movement Skill Conference 2026

Dear Friend in Sport Movement Skill,

The Emergence Team would like to invite you to lock arms with us on Friday, June 5th and Saturday, June 6th for the 9th Annual Sport Movement Skill Conference (SMSC)!

With nearly a decade of fantastic SMSC events now in the books, and with tremendous growth realized in that time for all involved, we feel like there are huge opportunities that still await us at this very moment—a big elephant in the room—an obvious gap that still exists, and even sometimes divides, for those within the field.

Thus, as we did back in 2019, at the 2nd SMSC, we will aim to unite and bring people together from the various perspectives and areas of the skill acquisition community to lean on their shared passions, reflect on their similarities, and defend the differences in their perspective and approach.

That is why our collective theme for SMSC 2026 will be: CHALLENGE POINT.

That’s right—SMSC 2026 will bring us all to that place where the very nature of the event may not be comfortable at all times but, instead, will offer the opportunities to hear individuals discuss important topics related to skill acquisition in sport from differing vantage points directly with one another (in debate format!).

This will bring everyone in attendance—presenters, thought leaders, and every practitioner—to a place where they are required to deeply think about what it is that they believe and why it is that it truly makes a difference in their craft.

Now, if you’ve been to any past SMSCevents,you already know that your craft and practice comes outhighlyevolved as a result ofyour authentic immersion in theexperience—the depth of the information, the thought-provoking interactions, the genuine connections.

However, I believe that this year, we will further raise the bar on all of that! For that reason, coaches and skill acquisition specialists simply cannot afford to miss SMSC 2026!

Within the midst of spirited debates, you will witness differing perspectives clash while seasoned skill acquisition specialists and thought leaders converge upon a topic that is at the heart of their craft but they approach it in distinct and authentic ways.

Within the range of practical hands-on sessions, you will learn directly (by doing and being) from those who have been applying the ideas in their work with athletes from a variety of sports and across levels.

Within the community building and networking sessions, you get ample opportunities to connect with other like-minded practitioners as well as the various speakers from across the event, creating enhanced community and sincere dialogue among those who are passionate about the ideas within our field.

Within the emergent discussions, you will get a chance to engage in a highly interactive way, contributing to the group by asking your own questions and/or presenting your own thoughts in a more public forum.

Though we are currently solidifying the entirety of the line-up, we are extremely excited about what this year’s SMSC holds. Please continue to check back here as the group of thought leading guests for SMSC 2026 continues to be announced.

Ultimately, we hope that you decide to lock arms alongside us at the 2026 Sport Movement Skill Conference in Minnesota on June 5 and June 6, 2026. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly (shawn@emergentmvmt.com) or our team at Emergence (info@emergentmvmt.com).

Be attuned, adaptable, and dexterous!

Shawn Myszka

SMSC Conference President & Co-Director of Education of Emergence

#SMSC2026

Conference Dates & Times

Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6, 2026

From 8am to 6pm on each day with the various debates, practical sessions, and community networking and emergent discussions in each time slot period (AM and PM)

Note: The hour-by-hour session schedule (with topics and themes) will be released soon.

Conference Venue

The venue for the Sport Movement Skill Conference 2026 will once again be held in the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, in the United States of America.

Specifically, the event will take place at:

Veteran’s Memorial Community Center

Turf Area and Gymnasium

8150 Barbara Avenue

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, 55077

Debate Session Line-up (Tentative)

Debate #1: The Nature of Repetition

Tyler Yearby of Emergence and Brown University

versus

Jeff Moyer of DC Sports Training

Debate #2:

Rob Gray of The Perception and Action Podcast, Arizona State University, and the Chicago Cubs

versus

TBA

Debate #3: Approaches to Gamespeed

Shawn Myszka of Emergence

versus

Tony Villani of XPE Sports

Debate #4:

Javier Miller-Estrada of Emergence, The Adaptable Athlete Podcast and Ignite Performance

versus

TBA

Additional featured debate participants will be announced soon!

Practical Session Line-Up (Tentative)

Tyler Yearby, Skill Acquisition Specialist from Emergence and Brown University

Shawn Myszka, Skill Acquisition Specialist of Emergence

Adam Singer, Mixed Martial Arts Coach of SBG Athens

Kyle Dupic, Pitching Coach of Wartburg College

More practical session presenters will be announced soon – stay tuned for more information!

Conference Registration & Pricing

NOTE: There will only be 100 total registration tickets available across all types of registrations! Thus, be sure to register ASAP...once they are gone, they are gone!

Event Registration Packages

SUPER Early Bird Conference Registration (between 12/1 and 1/16/26): $299 + taxes/fees

Early Bird Conference Registration (between 1/17 and 4/3/26): $419 + taxes/fees

Regular Conference Registration (between 4/4 and 6/4/26): $549 + taxes/fees

VIP Skill Acquisition Social on Friday, June 5 from 7pm until ?? (only 10 available spots): $149 + taxes/fees. Venue for this is TBD but will be located in Inver Grove Heights, MN close to the event and will include the speakers and team at Emergence for exclusive one-on-one interactions in a more casual setting

One Day Event Conference Registration (for either day; purchased at anytime): $299 + taxes/fees

Students: If you are currently an undergraduate or master’s student, please reach out to us before registering and we will personally assist you in your registration.

Organization/Team Staff Discounts: For groups of 4 or more individuals, please reach out directly to Shawn, shawn@emergentmvmt.com) for special registration rates.

All cancellation & refund requests must be presented via email 30 days prior to the event; they will be considered on a case-by-case basis but are not guaranteed.

In the event of the complete Conference cancellation, all paid registration money will be fully refunded to each delegate.

Sponsorship Opportunities

If you own a business and have an interest in potentially becoming a sponsor for SMSC 2026, please reach out to shawn@emergentmvmt.com to discuss the various sponsorship opportunities available.

Conference Hotel Specials

We are currently working on potentially securing hotel room blocks at various hotels in the St. Paul area. Stay tuned here for more details as these should be announced soon.