Kobe Bryant, Drew Brees, Vince Carter and Venus and Serena Williams have all attended the academy, and on Saturday August 24th, Southport sophomore Andrew Oliver will join their ranks. IMG Academy is an athletics-oriented boarding school located in Bradenton, Florida. According to its website, the academy is focused on “total player development.” The academy’s goal is to recognize top-notch athletes and give them an opportunity to train in the best environment possible.
Of course, being selected to attend the self-proclaimed “most comprehensive sports program in the nation” does not come lightly. For the past summer, Oliver has rigorously partaken in camps and tournaments designed to move individuals up through state, regional, and national competition. A determined Oliver successfully made his way into the national team’s pool of 100 players.
Three camps designed to cut the national pool size down to 40, took place in Florida, New Jersey, and Germany. Athletes who remain in the national team’s pool have the opportunity to attend the IMG academy.
On Thursday, August 13th Oliver received a phone call from a representative of the Academy who offered a chance to attend the academy, and he accepted. Oliver is the only player representing Indiana this year.
“It all just fell into place for me,” said Oliver. “I’ve been playing the best soccer of my life.”
Oliver will be attending the IMG academy for the next six months, where he will be eating, sleeping, going to school, and training with his new teammates. Members of the school stay in dormitories and attend daily training sessions together.
“It’s sad I’m going to be leaving so many people, but at the same time it’s really exciting,” noted Oliver.
The coaches and officials at the school will be monitoring individual progress over those months, with the goal of making final cuts at the end of the semester. If Oliver makes the cut, he becomes an official member of the U.S. National team.
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