One of the nation’s premier high school athletic programs is jumping into the water on a new venture, literally and figuratively.
On Thursday, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., announced the groundbreaking of a brand- new, state-of-the-art aquatic center that will house a newly created swimming and diving program at the academy.
Swimming and diving is the third new sport launched by IMG Academy this year, joining wrestling and boys’ volleyball.
However, the swimming and diving program won’t officially begin competition until construction of the aquatic center is finished, which is expected to be in March 2027.
The program plans to begin competition in the fall of 2027.
IMG also announced it is actively searching for a Director of Swimming to lead the new program.
Of course, there are bigger plans for the gleaming new, 9,345-square- foot facility when it opens beyond just being the home of the IMG program.
The academy also aims for it to be a top-tier destination to “provide an Olympic-caliber training experience,” according to a release.
The new aquatic center plans to have 10 lanes measuring 54 by 25 meters, which is larger than an Olympic-sized pool.
“This expansion represents a one-of-one opportunity to enhance our unrivaled student-athlete experience only found at IMG Academy,” said Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer, IMG Academy Campus. “The addition of our Aquatic Center and swimming program not only addresses the growing demand for aquatic sports but also strengthens our commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. This investment reinforces our purpose of empowering student-athletes to win their future through unmatched training, education, and personal growth opportunities.”
Official construction on the aquatic center is scheduled to start on Dec. 1.
A popular destination for young athletes around the world, IMG has a holistic education model that mixes an academic curriculum with athletic training/coaching for students in grades 6-12 and post-graduate students.
The campus has dorms for students out of state or the country and offers extensive sports camps.
Throwing money money at it will never compete with Bolles
I’m all for it! The more the merrier
Any idea what the cost to build is going to be?
A lot
It’s always cool to see money being invested into swimming and diving.
I feel like it might be difficult to market to elite swimmers at first. In my experience, swimmers are very loyal to their coaches. And it’s less like basketball where on the AAU “circuit” you seem to be changing teams every year.
True, but there are lots of swimmers who move to places like Carmel, Sarasota, etc. for an upgraded experience. Sometimes that creates strain on the local community, so having a community more centered on that experience might make sense, given IMG’s expertise in this kind of “superteam” environment.
All comes down to the execution, I guess, and swimming has a really different culture than a lot of sports IMG is used to dealing with.
It would be cool if this pool also hosted club and masters meets.
Would love to swim in the pool!
If Bolle’s is the example, they are likely to host many events.