Everyone is ready for that final bell to ring at the end of the day, especially on the last day of the school year. When it rings, school is out for the summer. Students now have more freedom, can relax, and can enjoy the sweet time they now have. Well, mostly everyone. Students who participate in sports over the summer are still at the school. Activities like baseball and softball spend hours every day practicing, then have games a few days later. However, fall sports also practice in the summer. One can find multiple activities happening at the same time at the school, such as football, cheerleading, dance, and cross country all practicing on campus at once.
Trey Franck, senior, deals with a long summer schedule while he participates in baseball. He has played since he was five years old. Franck said, “I absolutely love playing baseball here. Our coach and the whole staff are amazing, don’t hold anything against you, and stick with you through good and bad.” With Franck’s involvement in baseball, he joins a group of students who continue to practice through the summer time.“I’m fine with having those practices. It’s the only thing I’ve ever known, so it doesn’t really affect me,” said Franck. He believes that practice is everything in terms of getting better and finding one’s role in their sport. “To be a winning program like Marion, you have to be willing to do the little things and our coach and staff know this, and it’s shown year after year,” said Franck. Even though the athletes are used to it by now, Iowa is the only state in the country that has baseball and softball beginning when school ends. All of the other states have it take place in fall or spring. While it does mean that athletes can play more sports, it is a hefty commitment.
A program in Bradenton, Florida has caught a lot of attention by many, especially student-athletes. IMG Academy is a school that focuses on sports and making athletes excel greatly in the future, while also allowing students to get the right education. This prestigious boarding school is the world’s leading sports and education brand. It provides great opportunities for student-athletes to continue to grow and become bigger in the future while giving access to a campus with everything they need. Public schools differ from IMG greatly, but is that for the worse or the better? Public school’s main focus is academics, while it seems that IMG focuses mainly on sports. Franck said, “I think IMG Academy is definitely better in terms of being able to focus on strictly baseball, but since we are at a public school, we don’t have the right to do what they’re doing, and what we are doing is best for us.” Attending such a prestigious school like IMG is far different from a public school, and the opportunities could change one’s life. “I would love going there,” said Franck, “But I am completely fine in the area I’m in, and I know my path is paved for success in Marion, Iowa.”
Mike Manderscheid, activities director, has worked with many different students and athletes who participate in summer sports. He said, “In the state of Iowa, it’s the only time coaches can have time with their kids, so I think it’s very important to have practices in the summertime. It can also help kids develop skills and continue knowledge from the coaches directly.”
Students’ perspective is always important while looking at such a big place like IMG, but educators and coaches have opinions on this academy. “IMG is geared towards being able to do education and working to get towards a collegiate level. Kids who have aspirations to get there and have that ability would excel there, but it’s not for everyone,” said Manderscheid. “It all depends on what the kids want. Not every kid is going to want or need to do an IMG level. For the kids who do that schedule, [it] is probably most efficient for them, but for the vast majority of kids, what we offer at Marion is very efficient and perfectly fine.”
Some athletes work hard in their small towns for a winning season at their public school, while others are working in an advanced level of athletics at a bigger boarding school. No matter what, athleticism is so important, and it truly shows that student-athletes can advance so far. Whether an athlete is practicing in the summertime at school for a nice season and hopefully a future in it, or working eight hours a day at such a high experience level, every person is different and learns at different paces, so having options like IMG Academy is great for those at that level.
