What do you hope to achieve when you bring together coaches for a convention or conference? This paper reports on a new design process to promote learning as central to such a “meeting of minds”. By blending the best of cognitive science research with an in-depth understanding of coach learning, Eade, Edwards and their team created a “Connecting Coaches Convention” that delivered on many levels. The design elements, processes used, impact and feedback, are shared to highlight innovative ways of approaching such a learning challenge. Designing to New Zealand Sport’s Core Coaching Principles provided essential alignment to every decision made. Using Learning Challenge Teams meant that every delegate had a forum for socially constructing their learning and applying this to their own context. This also ensured delegates were challenged rather than comfortable. Having theme weavers who embodied a way of working true to Indigenous New Zealand Culture added an element of innovation fit to the particular “big picture” context of these delegates. This linked every Convention element back to Core Principles and cultural roots.