An in-depth look at IMG Academy from the Baton Rouge Advocate
February 15th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
Most people who stretch a little to send their kids to private schools (roughly $25-$30K tuition per year, in Houston) justify it as an investment in their future. The idea is the kids will grow up with the kids from the upper echelons of the city and that would give them a boost come job search time. Networking.
February 15th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
I don't doubt that at very elite schools maybe networking is a part of it, but this is still high school. 20k-30k is the range for the private secular schools in metro-Detroit (DCD: 27k; Liggett in Grosse Pointe: 25k; Roeper in Birmingham: 24k). I'd guess networking comes into play at the $45-55k elite east coast schools and then a few elite schools in other major cities (e.g. The Latin School in Chicago).
Kids at these schools aren't really networking and parents aren't sending them there to network (disclaimer: I work at a Michigan private school). There are many reasons kids select private school, the biggest of which boils down to "good fit." The second biggest is "graduate profile" aka "What colleges are you sending kids to." Networking, honestly, is not really thought of much, at least in my slightly traveled experience.
February 15th, 2016 at 6:21 PM ^
February 15th, 2016 at 7:40 PM ^
That's interesting. I quickly looked through Detroit Country Day's website and didn't really find anything that was overtly (or subtlely) promoting the networking benefits, other than your typical Alumni Association type stuff.
I also looked at Philips Exeter's website and their ALumni page is much more developed and there's some stuff like a full directory, but mostly "Join the Alum Assoc" and "Join the Alum Asoc Linkd In page" and "This event is coming."
I still don't know how much that kind of stuff is really promoted for new students - there are currently bigger checkboxes to hit - but you're right, at some schools it is a benefit.
February 18th, 2016 at 3:51 PM ^
I am not saying that they are holding mixers for kids every thursday evening. But if one knew tommy from school who's father is the head of the city council or the most famous partner of the biggest law firm in town, one might be able to tap that connection if needed. Tommy would be happy to help Dick from his 5th grade class than a stranger he met last week at the club.
It's about making connections and then being able to use that in the future.
You obviously have more experience in the private school system. I am dealing in anecdotes. I would be happy to know how you see the system from inside. However, having been through two great institutes with strong alumni bases, I think parents do think of the connections their kids would make while choosing a school. And they ought to, if they are not now.
February 15th, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^
The other difference is that a STEM school would be a, well . . . school. A place like IMG may (may--I really don't feel qualified to judge) just be a football development program with a peripheral school attached just to serve some non-educational purposes (e.g., so they can enroll kids, play other schools, etc.).
February 15th, 2016 at 2:19 PM ^
My opinion on that is you need to convince the NFL owners to invest in an actual minor/developmental league. As of right now they are using the NCAA as their talent development and farm system at no cost.
IMG isn't the only school out there like this. What about Freddy Canteen's and Brandon Watson's high school Eastern Christian Academy? That is basically a football team with a high school.
February 15th, 2016 at 1:24 PM ^
Back in the 70s my public high school in western PA (Penn Hills) was dominating the WPIAL AAA division in football (AAA was the largest designation). We won 3 titles my freshman through junior years and tied the for the championship my senior year. We also beat Central Catholic led by Dan Marino that year in the playoffs.
After I graduated and went to Michigan, Penn Hills started the next season playing Cincinnati Moeller. Best team in western Pennsylvania plays the best team in Ohio. Sounds like it should be a good game. They crushed Penn Hills. It's hard to compete with a school that can draw from an entire region as opposed to a school that is limited by school district boundries.
As an aside, our coach was Andy Urbanic. He went on to be a position coach/offensive coordinator at Akron and also a position coach at Pitt and then went to FSU and was their AD for football for decades. I bet he had many best friends on the Tallahassee police force.
And a final note...one of Urbanic's teams at Penn Hills had their season wins vacated because they had a kid on the team who didn't live in Penn Hills...imagine that from the guy who would end up as AD for football at FSU.
February 15th, 2016 at 8:57 AM ^
Well I'll be a cocksucker from Dallas before I believe that shit. There is only one reason, and one reason only that parents pay this kind of money and I believe them to be idiots. The kids that enroll their of their own volition, paid for by mommy and daddy and the ones IMG actively recruits, with enticements of almost all inclusive financial aid package, minus minimum expenditures or some such bullshit.
Tthe motivation for opening such a school, as they say as an "for profit" school - without coming right out and calling it a business becasue by so doing would make it illegal I am guessing, is obvious and wrong. It's a slap in the face to high school coaches who have worked their asses off for three years on these individuals to lose them to a business of this nature is costing high school coaches possible employment at the collegiate level because the majority that go directly from high school to P5 schools is based, in large measure, by their track record of developing young men that go to P5 schools on a regular basis, and then on to the NFL, also on a regular basis.
Their is no doubt in my mind that the SEC commissioner will move quickly to invoke immediate termination of these type of businesses that more than likely will lead many colleges toward future NCAA sanctions due to prohibited angent/student contact, but an actual marketing tool used by this company to attrack "almost certain" future professionals in a variety of sports.
February 15th, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^
I know a guy who sent his son to prep school - 1 year at $50k - so he could get bigger to play Division 2 or 3 baseball. Parents do crazy shit for their kids.
February 15th, 2016 at 2:13 PM ^
I'd understand paying $50K for a chance at a full D1 scholarship. There you have a chance at coming out ahead since most tuition and room and board at a D1 school is going to be more than $50K for four years. But for D2 and D3 those returns have to dimish some. Especially since D3 doesn't even offer athletic scholarships
February 15th, 2016 at 9:02 AM ^
Catholic schools have recruited for years. In the 60's and 70's, Catholic schools recruited and then told players, "If you're really good, you might play at Notre Dame someday." Now, they just recruit and aren't as adamant about Notre Dame as they once were.
Sorry, but it's not like IMG is the only school that recruits. If players who have the goal of playing as professionals, IMG is a great place to go to get a head start on that goal. If their alums want to sign with the parent company when they need agents, why not?
The kids get superior facilities, superior training, superior academic help and they aren't obligated to sign with IMG if they make it big. I don't see any problem here.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:33 AM ^
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February 15th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^
I had a friend in Canada who send his son to Oak Hill to play football. He got enough exposure to get a scholarship from a D1 Power 5 school. Unique case but I don't think an offensive lineman in Canada gets that scholarship without the prep year time.
February 15th, 2016 at 2:27 PM ^
But it does increase exposure, especially in football. If the scouts are there to watch your teammates or watch film of your teammates, you absolutely get more exposure. Plus there is the benefit (or not) of playing better competition.
Basketball is not an apples to apples comparison because 1 Lebron can absolutely dominate a high school game even with a bad cast around him, whereas a stud LT or WR isn't going to have the same impact on a football game. A 5* caliber WR isn't going to look very good with a bad high school QB or OL, and there's no chance he becomes a 5* if they can't get him the ball.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:59 AM ^
They are just doing next level what a lot of private schools (usually religious) have been doing for years. There are a lot of kids from "out of district" that go to big religious private schools even here in Michigan and of course if you ask anyone they "don't recruit" (wink wink).
This is what the the school Jabrill and Gary go to, do as well - and locally the school Morris went to and I am sure Catholic Central does the same.
IMG is just a whole different level but their origins were not football - I remember a lot of tennis players went there as a way to focus on sports.
They must also give out a lot of scholarships because 72k tuition is not an amount most will be paying based on where a lot of these football kids come from. In fact that is not an amount even a typical middle class family could ever afford. So I wonder how they truly fund themselves.
But I agree with your general premise but that's sports right now. I think Freddy Canteen's school was basically the same thing only smaller and less successful. I think the dad who started the school basically did it for his son if I recall and wanted to surround him with talent and showcase him...
February 15th, 2016 at 10:40 AM ^
There's a HUGE difference between this, a sports training facility masquerading as a high school, and a Catholic school powerhouse that's a school with a great football program that recruits talent.
Poaching a kid from Warren to go play across town at Catholic Central is far different than getting a kid from New Jersey to drop everything, move to Florida, and train to be a blue-chip football recruit.
February 15th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
Everything about this place seems totally off to me. $73,000 a year. Treating high school kids like pampered professionals. "National schedule."
This whole thing seems like a cesspool for overeager adults and 'crootin' freaks.
February 16th, 2016 at 2:51 PM ^
What's the most watched televised event in America?
More people view it every year than vote in the presedential elections every four years. (by a lot)
February 15th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^
February 15th, 2016 at 8:24 AM ^
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February 15th, 2016 at 8:35 AM ^
So while IMG technically got out of the Agent business, in actuality they got significantly deeper into the business. Only now with a very thin firewall.
Having done a lot of work with WME over the last couple of years, I can tell you that the firewall is more like a laser pointer with the sole purpose of distracting a cat.
February 15th, 2016 at 8:53 AM ^
That's Ari Emanuel, brother of Rahm (no politics!). Their other brother is a very prominent doctor. Interesting article--definitely worth a read. IMG officials "vehemently denied" the possiblity that the school and marketing agency are intertwined:
The two entities — the academy and the sports marketing agency — have “no connection,” Frey said. “There’s a very strict firewall that exists because of the integrity.”
February 15th, 2016 at 3:41 PM ^
Well of course there is, still doesn't mean that IMG is not established as a positive figure in a potential clients head for one of several positive benefits even if they aren't stretching the firewall to the point of meaninglessness(which they are totally doing).
February 15th, 2016 at 8:25 AM ^
“The day that I was there, the Chinese track team walked across the track,” Les Miles said. “I can see that there are a lot of experiences that somebody that would go to IMG would have over what would be an experience that I had in my simple high school.”
February 15th, 2016 at 8:28 AM ^
As part of its agreement with the FHSAA, IMG Academy cannot actively recruit Florida high school players. Those players must approach the school. The school can’t approach them, as it does with players in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and, of course, Louisiana.
I have to wonder if the absence of such an agreement would mean that you could hear the sucking noise as Florida's talent swelled the ranks at IMG Academy for accessibility reasons alone.
The dimensions of the campus seem ridiculous though, at least in comparison to what I remember from high school. Pretty sure the weight room was an old storage area off the hallway leading from the gym to the south parking lot, and I don't think the usable square footage of the old Saline High School would have gotten anywhere near 72,000 square feet. Very impressive indeed.
February 15th, 2016 at 8:33 AM ^
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February 15th, 2016 at 8:46 AM ^
February 15th, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
“It’s no secret: We give a limited amount of financial aid,” Kevin Wright said. “At the same time, we are a for-profit, private school. People are paying money to come here. It’s just how much. That’s no different than any other private school.”No, most private schools are not-for-profit or non-profit. This place is scary and the fact that the FHSAA allows them membership based on restraints like "Can't recruit Florida athletes" is quite the sign. No regulations on places like this result in little people getting hurt - the kid you tell we be a sure-fire D1 recruit if they come to IMG but hey we don't quite have enough financial aid, that'll be $50k please.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:02 AM ^
This place does seem to raise a lot of red flags, and it is not clear that there is much (if any) oversight. (Though, to be fair, it seems to be accredited.)
It sounds an awful lot like a college athletic program--the classes, training/practice, study hall, etc. But instead of college students it is high schoolers, and there doesn't really seem to be much of a "regular" student body. The whole thing just seems . . . weird.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:06 AM ^
Yeah, and you just got that comment in before I hit save on an edit. Essentially what I was going to add was this:
Everything seems on the up-and-up from an academic side. In theory, I'd have little problem with this
My issues, though, come from this idea of poaching kids away from their home for their final year (or half-year) of school. That football director then says "All schools do it," which is false. MAYBE the top 0.01% of private schools do this. It's way less than he is making out and most people think. And just because some other schools do it doesn't make it right.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:11 AM ^
February 15th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
Well, I'm not super-OK with that either... Though, slightly different w.r.t. Olympic athletes since they aren't really going to be playing for a school at any point - they're entire sports world is unattached to school,
For hockey, I'd wonder how many bolt for one year? I'd be uncool about that too. However, at least they aren't there for a for-profit company who's goal it is to sign them as clients once they "make it."
February 15th, 2016 at 9:41 AM ^
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February 15th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
February 15th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^
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February 15th, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^
And just to clarify: I am trying to be fair to IMG in my comments because I really don't know much about what they are doing (basically, just what I read in the posted article). And yet I can't help but be deeply skeptical of this model.
I guess my discomfort comes from the fact that this is a school, but clearly the overwhelming priority is to prepare kids for DI athletics and an athletic career. There is nothing *wrong* with that per se, but when it is the ultimate objective you can see how other things (e.g., the educational goals) could be sacrificed in the interest of athletic preparation. Obviously that can happen anywhere, but in this case the imbalance seems so mcuh greater than most other schools.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:59 AM ^
I get your discomfort. I went to DLS in suburban Detroit in the 90s. I definitely thought that "moral imperative" existed there. Not perform in a class, the Christian Brothers would flunk you, no matter WHO you were.
But at IMG --- do they have the guts to say to parents "yes, you paid us $73K, yes, we got your son into a position where he got offers from Power 5 schools. But he still flunked these NCAA Core classes."?
I tend to doubt it. That's the big difference, as I see it, between a Catholic School that recruits (I'm not blind, all the big Catholic Schools do recruit) and IMG (who also recruits).
February 15th, 2016 at 10:37 AM ^
And public and other private schools generally have some degree of oversight that can serve as a check on the system. Sometimes it is an accrediting body, or the school board, or the parents. But it might also just be that some of the teachers and administrators understand that their purpose, first and foremost, is to educate the kids. In this case, I can imagine that the teachers and administrators see their role differently.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:06 AM ^
I see your point, but I have to tell you, if I was a great athlete (and at 5ft 6in and 170 lbs today, who's to say I wasn't!!?!) back when I was in HS and IMG had approached me w/ the caveat that I'd have to pay 50k to attend, my parents would have told me, "50k? Where do you think that money is coming from? You want me to cut it out of my leg?"
So yeah, it's unfortunate that some kids will miss out on this opportunity b/c they can't pay, but the same could be said for any other private school experience. Barrier to entry my friend. Not fair, but it's the way the world works.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
I see your point, but mine was slightly different (and not written well).
My point was that this school is going to be "selling the dream" to many kids. Yes, some of them go to D1 schools. Not all. Yet, they'll gladly take your $72K while telling you about all these D1 players they have.
Sure, they'll point out "not everyone gets a scholarship... but we see something special in YOU." Parents and kids are obsessed with the idea of a D1 scholarship and will fork over that money.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:29 AM ^
I got you now. That, I think, is very true. The potential is the sell, right? Huge price tag, but what parent isn't going to look across the table at their 6ft 3in son who weights 250lbs and think, oh yeah he'll fill out, get even bigger. He's such a good player too. He'll make it for sure. This is just the thing he needs to get an edge.
No guarantees though.
Personally, I don't like the idea of an IMG Academy. It's a business, and to me that's distasteful. I went to private school on scholarship (not b/c I'm great at sports or particularly smart; it was a wealthy school with some people willing to pay my way for a Christian Education) and I can say unequivocally that I wish like crazy I could have stayed in public school. The entitlement around me was insane and it sounds like it's probably even worse at a place like IMG.
February 15th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
You're right, it IS scary that these types of schools even exist. But they do, and they create a very fertile recruiting ground so lets be sure to recruit the heck out of them!
February 15th, 2016 at 9:02 AM ^
They are an athletics factory who covers up for it by having what sounds like very good academics. They are sending guys to some of the more challenging Universities in the country: Notre Dame, Northwestern, Purdue (if you're an engineer anyway), Ole Miss (lolol).
For a kid who has a chance to make it pro I can see how this would be appealing. My fear would be that the kid loses the chance to be a kid though. IMG says they aren't for everybody so at least they are upfront about that.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:37 AM ^
I guess I would rather have an athletics factory that is very good at academics than an athletics job shop that is bad at academics, which is where a lot of D1 athletes essentially come from.
February 15th, 2016 at 9:12 AM ^
I doubt any of those football players are paying a dime. Not gonna apologize for this - I sincerely doubt that a motor home salesman can afford a $72K tuition, plus expenses. So he sells a lot of vehicles this year, makes a $ couple hundred K. What did he do the previous years - sell that many? If he did, then his household expenses are set for that amount. If not, he suddenly became an all-star salesman? BS. His kid apparently earned a scholly for play on the field, and the chance for him to make IMG money when he turns pro - good for him! I'm good with that, just call it what it is - they are paying his tuition. I'm good with that, too, just don't lie about it. Of course, he has to, or the FHSAA would kick them all out...
Someone said it earlier - UM is going there for exposure to top talent, to get in the door and in front of players that otherwise would never give them the time of day. Which is why the SEC is whining like stuck pigs...
February 15th, 2016 at 9:28 AM ^
The guy is a motor home salesman in the hottest motor home market in the country. Further, you have no idea what kind of savings and investments he has. For all you know he just inherited $300k when his Mom passed and that's all he needs.
He could have taken out a mortgage, a private loan from a credit union, a loan from his 401(k). Maybe he is one of those Americans who just lives well within his means with a higher income and paid the tuition out of cash and earnings.
It's fine to be suspicious IMG but you really don't know the guys situation at all just because he chose not to disclose it in his quote. IMG doesn't need to lie and break their rule for a FL kid when they can just go get another out of state kid.
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February 15th, 2016 at 9:44 AM ^
As a parent, you "invest" in IMG in the hopes of a future payout in terms of pro-athletics.
Likewise, IMG "invests" in selected students in the hope of a future payout in terms of exposure and fulure agency clients.
I doubt that the top D1 prospects at IMG are paying a dime.
You can be sure all the other football wanna-be's at IMG are paying full boat, however.
February 15th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^
Good points! I hope that's how it is. I might be too jaded in that I see hypocrisy in most things sports related. The thought of so many kids of modest (humble, poor, pick your own choice of words here) means attending a rich man's private boarding school without a HUGE amount of financial aid seems a stretch to me. Yes, some can do it - maybe motor home guy can. I don't think IMG needs to lie about anything, but maybe they don't talk about possible exceptions for some, ahem, creative use of student aid for in-state kids. We all know you can make a number look like anything you want it to be...
February 15th, 2016 at 9:19 AM ^
The biggest negative I could find was the persistent rumor that Nick Bollettieri - the creator of the original tennis school, was known for having the wealthiest country clubs scouted where really rich kids would be told they had "raw talent" and if their parents were willing to pay the fees Nick could mold them into future STARS!
I honestly didn't see too many kids who didn't belong though and we weren't paying anywhere near $72k for a summer. I think the league/group I was in charged $1200 maybe $2,000 which amounted to about $150 a week for lodging and meals and everything else.
The coolest parts was using what was then a state of the art weight room with strength coaches who taught me a lot more than even the Big Ten strength coaches could teach. It didn't hurt that during our workouts NBA players such as Jermaine O'Neal and Al Harrington were doing the same lifts getting coached the same way by the same coach. It's powerful for an 18-19 yo kid to see that he is getting identical treatment to those who have already "made it". The other great thing was the chance to connect with lots of other talented athletes either pro or future pros and really spend time training together in the absurd FL humidity. Friendships were made.
The food was so-so. Compared to a college dining hall it was a bit lacking. I bet they upgraded that in 15 years.
If I had a child as serious about a sport as I was I would not hesitate to send him/her there for a summer and a spring break. Given that there was no school there when I attended 15 years ago I would be concerned about the academics. Do they have AP classes? Can kids earn National Merit stuff? Would more than one season burn my kid out or set my kid up to burn out sooner in college or the pros?
I would have no real concerns about the quality of coaching received or the individual attention paid.
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