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Boston-native Jacqueline Simeone first experienced IMG Academy as a 10 year old soccer camper, and she completely thrived in the Bradenton atmosphere. With her sights set on competing at the collegiate level after recognizing her passion for the sport, Simeone followed in her sister's footsteps and enrolled in boarding school at 12 years old. Now, the Simeone family includes three IMG Academy alumni, all of whom propelled their athletic and academic careers to the collegiate level and capitalized on the resources at IMG Academy.
"It just works for us," Simeone said. "We found the environment so contagious."
As an eager camper seeking development, Simeone took advantage of her two week camp that she attended with her sister, Regan, and she and her parents recognized how the coaches and overall training truly impacted her game. As she became more interested in boarding school, Simeone enrolled two years later as a non-boarding student. Her sister had already enrolled in the golf program, and her brother, William, became a baseball student-athlete shortly after as well. The Simeone family relocated to Bradenton, and Gail and Billy Simeone, their parents, recognized how impactful the IMG Academy program was on their children's growth.
"They were all excited to be a part of IMG from an athletics perspective and, as an educator, I was equally excited because of IMG’s high academic standards," Gail said.
After two years, Jacqueline became a boarding student-athlete and immersed completely in the on-campus culture.
"My parents were committed to our education and our happiness, and they saw that IMG gave us the platform to be happy and successful," Jacqueline said. "I felt so much love from the coaches and the team - I felt like I had a lot of older sisters. It was hard to miss home because I fell in love with the community."
The Simeone family initially didn't plan on having Jacqueline graduate from IMG Academy, but, at the end of her second semester, Gail realized that it wasn't the right decision to leave. With the ideal balance of school, sport, social, and rest, Jacqueline continued to excel on the soccer fields and became a leader both on and off the field. She became involved in electives like Bible Study, Student Activities Committee, and National Honor Society, and she thrived in economics and math, crediting teachers like Mr. Russo and Ms. Soshnikova for allowing her to grow in the classroom and recognize her passions.
"My teachers challenged me and sparked newfound interests," she said. "I felt the teachers were on my side."
Gail and Billy also recognized the impact that the IMG Academy teachers were having on their daughter.
"The IMG faculty members were incredible and availed themselves to the students," Gail said. "I would often say to the kids 'Don't tell me you can't get help at school because there is always someone there who is willing to offer guidance and support.' I've Skyped with teachers, had conference calls, and have met them in person. Our experience with soccer and Coach Kim Dean was more of a family experience. She was a mom, coach, and guidance counselor to all of the girls. In baseball, both Dan Simonds and Kit Carlson were always available to offer guidance. Every member of the baseball coaching staff was supportive, honest, and encouraging with William."
On the soccer field, Jacqueline immediately realized the elite level of play on her team when she enrolled. She recognized that she was a natural leader and grew immensely on and off the field because of the competition.
"Jacqueline matured at a rate that we could not have predicted," Gail said. "When she graduated, we knew without a doubt that IMG had prepared her for the life of a college athlete."
Nearing graduation, Jacqueline became interested in Williams College because of the strong academics and solid soccer program. She discussed her opportunities with the coaches, and her leadership skills were immediately recognized as an asset for the program. Following graduation at IMG Academy in 2014, where she received the George Garnett Spirit Award, Jacqueline became a member of the Williams Women's Soccer Program and declared a major in economics.
"IMG Academy definitely helped mold the lifestyle I wanted to have, which translated to Williams," she said. "At Williams, school outweighed soccer, but I felt capable. I had a personal connection with every professor at Williams, and I had already been through high school building similar connections and being comfortable with smaller class ratios."
In her freshman year, Jacqueline competed in 16 total games and aided her team to a league final and NCAA final, where they lost in penalty kicks. Realizing that this level of play and competition was familiar, she felt that she belonged in this position and utilized the final losses to kick start her drive for the seasons to come alongside her team. As a sophomore, Williams won the league championships and earned an NCAA title, marking Jacqueline's first of two collegiate team titles. The program went on to fight for a second trophy during her senior season - a monumental ending to her career. Jacqueline captained this team during her final season which also serves as a testament to her dedication and leadership skills. Her feats came with incredible effort and discipline both in-season and off-season, and she credits her preparation for these moments to her time at IMG Academy.
"IMG Academy was so influential, and the demands for me as a student-athlete definitely translated into college," she said. "Both the physical exertion and the mental toughness had a strong correlation, and I saw no bounds."
As a family, the Simeones value their experiences in Bradenton and feel that Regan, Jacqueline, and William immersed in the culture and were able to excel through the invaluable opportunities both on the field and course and in the classroom. William graduated with the class of 2017 and is enrolled at Trinity College while Regan was an Academic All-American and played golf for Boston College.
"We felt as though we were among like minded people, who were trying to do the right thing by their children," Gail said. "The IMG community was truly a second family to all of us."
Learn more about IMG Academy boarding school.
