NewsNation Now: How IMG Is Playing Football Safely in 2020

IMG Academy has always been a destination sought out globally by aspiring student-athletes. Providing a world-class setting and unwavering support system in addition to challenging academics and unquestionable competition, IMG continues to see tomorrow's champions developing on its Bradenton, Florida campus. In 2020, IMG Academy is still that same world-renowned destination, but the COVID-19 pandemic has created an even greater need for an all-inclusive, secure college-preparatory campus.

For many student-athletes around the world, the global pandemic put a pause on training and competition for several months. Now, with the commencement of the 2020-2021 academic year and the implementation of the Safer Campus Initiative, IMG is seeing an even greater emphasis on health and safety as well as new enrollments due to these protocols and regulations.

NewsNation Now headed to the Gulf Coast to feature the new landscape in sport as well as the ways that IMG Academy is providing a safe environment for student-athletes to train and compete in 2020. One of the student-athletes interviewed in the story is J.J. McCarthy, a senior football student-athlete and Michigan commit who is originally from Illinois. The pandemic indefinitely paused his final season at his previous school, so McCarthy recognized that one of the only chances he had to put in reps before graduating would be to enroll at IMG Academy. As seen in several of the Brotherhood videos this season, McCarthy has quickly grown to embrace his leadership role as a senior QB at IMG, and he's certainly enjoying his time on the field as well.

With everything here, I almost feel overly safe…I’m having a great time because we are playing football. I have the greatest time when I am playing this awesome game,” - McCarthy said

Press play on the video in this link so learn more about this story and to see how IMG Academy's new health and safety guidelines established in tandem with Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital are providing a safe playing field and learning hub for student-athletes from around the world.