5th Year, Best Year: Post-Graduate Opportunities Provided by Under Armour & IMG Academy

We all have goals. Compete in the Olympics. Become a collegiate athlete. Obtain a law degree. Make the varsity or JV team in high school. There's no right or wrong goal, as long as you have one.

The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” - Bill Copeland, American poet/writer

Many senior student-athletes seem to share similar aspirations. They've trained tirelessly and studied endlessly while pursuing that next level. Each of their "next levels" may be different, but they're all striving to be at their best and to sign that NLI or commitment paperwork.

In 2020, senior student-athletes shared a new, unique challenge. Not only were they striving to gain exposure and to finalize their college decision, but they were also navigating COVID-19. A global pandemic that put the world on pause also completely halted and deterred the college recruitment process. From NCAA eligibility changes to shifted contact with college coaches to cancelled competitive showcase events, college seniors were faced with unprecedented adjustments to a rather clear path. Student-athletes, as well as their families, simply couldn't fathom how their final months of recruitment could take such as drastic detour.

That's where Under Armour and IMG Academy came in.

In mid-summer 2020, two student-athletes were selected to receive scholarships to IMG Academy to continue their development as a part of IMG's post-graduate program. Though the program has always been an avenue for student-athletes to take a gap year, in 2020, it was seemingly a saving grace. Amidst a halted track season and lost baseball schedule, Liseana and Khaden opted in for a 5th year at IMG Academy.

Check out their journey from their hometowns to Bradenton, Florida, including that life changing moment when IMG's track and field and baseball directors contacted each student-athlete directly to offer them this opportunity.

IMG Academy's post-graduate program is available annually or simply for a semester. Depending on if you're interested in gaining college course credit, earning increased exposure to college coaches, or enhancing your current transcript and GPA, IMG's post-graduate program is an optimal selection for seniors. With dedicated advisement staff as well as college advisors supporting each individual, this college-preparatory program features a unique option that can oftentimes make the difference in a student-athlete's next steps. Several of IMG's sport programs also include post-grad specific competition schedules as well.