During the last year, a great deal has been revealed about the overall goals and vision of the Wellington Sports Academy, a public-private partnership currently under construction at Village Park in Wellington. While the academy’s mission is to train, teach and coach top-flight athletes in a wide variety of sports, such as baseball, basketball, football, softball, soccer, lacrosse and others, what has not been released are the overall academic goals of the academy.
The Wellington Sports Academy is set to open its doors in September with an initial focus on developing baseball players. Meanwhile, the academy will also be providing an education for its student-athletes.
According to founder and CEO Jon Bostic, this new structure at Village Park will have 12 classrooms and an initial enrollment of roughly 80 students, all of whom will be baseball players. The academy will be fully staffed to educate students from sixth grade to post-graduate, which is the year after their traditional senior year of high school.
In the coming weeks, Bostic plans to hire teachers, academic advisors, an athletic director, and, of course, a principal. A soon-to-be-released web site should be operational in late January or early February. Enrollment for the academy will begin on Friday, Jan. 17.
“When dealing with student-athletes, the student comes first,” said Bostic, a 10-year veteran of the NFL and a 2012 graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in health sciences. “Here, we are committed to holistic athlete development, which is a well-rounded approach to both academics and athletics. We will provide a rigorous education, which will be a flexible, yet challenging academic program designed to prepare students for college and beyond. We will also provide college placement services, academic counseling and a thriving athletic community.”
The core curriculum subjects for the middle school will be English language arts, world languages (Spanish, French, German and Chinese), social studies (world history, U.S. history, civics and world geography), science (world science, life science, space science, earth science, physical science and comprehensive science) and mathematics.
The core curriculum subjects for the high school will be English language arts, mathematics (algebra, geometry, precalculus and more), world languages (Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Latin), social studies (U.S. history, economics/personal finance, world cultural geography, U.S. government, world history and more), science (physics, chemistry, biology, anatomy/physiology and more) and as many as 10 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. In the not-too-distant future, Bostic envisions adding elective classes that provide instruction on podcasts, TV production and culinary/cooking.
According to Bostic, the Wellington Sports Academy will be an academically accredited institution, here in the State of Florida and with the NCAA.
“Student-athletes will not be sacrificing their education by coming here,” Bostic said.
After class, the student-athletes will have access to elite athletic/training facilities and technology. They will also learn from an experienced coaching staff.
“We will provide access to state-of-the-art resources that will help athletes reach their full potential,” Bostic said. “Our experienced coaching staff will feature former professionals and top collegiate coaches who have a proven track record of success. We will provide an environment where student-athletes can develop as leaders, scholars and top-tier athletes. Whether your child is aiming for a collegiate scholarship, a professional career or simply looking to become the best version of themselves, we have the tools, resources and community to help them achieve their goals.”
Again, according to Bostic, the initial athletic focus will be on baseball. He has assembled a group of coaches who have experience at all levels of baseball, led by Devon Travis, who will be the president of baseball operations and general manager. Travis’s key staffers will include Jarrod Saltalamacchia (manager and director of player development), Sean Burnett (manager, assistant director of player development and director of pitching), Brad Peacock (pitching coordinator), Logan Morrison (hitting coordinator), Luis Alicea (infield development coach), Scott Benedict (assistant coach), Tony Gullo (bench coach and infield coordinator), Bryan Alveari (director of hitting), Michael Karpinski (manager and pitching coordinator) and Casey Wagnon (assistant coach).
According to Bostic, the new academy will have an unrivaled commitment to excellence.
“The Wellington Sports Academy thrives on professionalism, commitment and a collaborative spirit, distinguishing itself as one of the leading developmental academies in the country,” Bostic explained. “Our dedicated staff is passionate about nurturing young talent and instilling a culture of excellence. Through teamwork, skill development and a shared commitment to growth, we will provide each athlete with the tools and guidance needed to succeed both on and off the field.”
When the baseball infrastructure is complete, there will be multiple practice infields, eight indoor batting cages, four pitching mounds, two outdoor batting cages, and professional-style locker rooms, coaches’ offices, and meeting rooms for game and practice analysis. There will also be baseball fields for games and tournaments.
Interested families and athletes can contact Bostic and his associates at the Wellington Sports Academy via e-mail contact@wellingtonsportsacademy.com.
