Whether you are a university, military or fitness facility professional, the Athletic Business Conference & Expo is waiting for you next month in Orlando.

From Dec. 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center, attendees can attend seminars from nine educational tracks, including aquatic programming and management, facility design and construction, facility management and operations, financial and risk management, fitness center management, and others.

Preconference workshops run at various times between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Dec. 2. Tours of the Pro-Health & Fitness Center at Viera run from 7:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 2, the same time as the annual golf tournament. Tours of the Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex run from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 2.

However, attendees should save time at noon on Dec. 4 to listen to the show's keynote presenter, Mitch Albom, columnist at the Detroit Free Press and author of “Tuesdays with Morrie.”

Albom's keynote is based on his new book, “Have a Little Faith.” The book chronicles his eight-year journey moving between two men of different faiths who taught him about life, belief, forgiveness and the fact that people are more alike than different. His keynote will share how that applies to everyday hopes and dreams.

The 2009 Excellence in Youth Sports awards, sponsored by Athletic Business and the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS), will be held prior to the keynote presentation.

From 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 3, attendees can check out the more than 270 exhibitors in the exhibit hall, and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on that day, they are invited to the opening reception, which will be held in the hall. Exhibit hall hours continue from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 4. New to the conference this year is the Fitness Demo Stage, on which various companies will demonstrate equipment and programs. Also on Dec. 4, the conference will host the Facility of Merit Awards reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

This year, three groups are partnering with the Athletic Business conference. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) is hosting its ICAA: Active Aging 2009 conference to educate fitness professionals about the older fitness market. The Medical Fitness Association is hosting its Medical Fitness and Healthcare Conference focusing on medically integrated health and fitness. NAYS also is hosting its NAYS Youth Sports Congress, offering a youth sports track and a program for individuals to earn the certified youth sports administrator credential. Athletic Business attendees can sit in on sessions for these conferences as well.

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