During the final week of the Christmas break, eight A.B. Paterson College students from the NFL Academy Program experienced an incredible opportunity to travel to Florida, USA. Since Term 4, 2024, these students have been learning the game of American Football and exploring the opportunities that sport can offer them in further education in the United States. During this trip, they trained alongside a national champion high school NFL team at the IMG Academy, visited local universities, and connected with college athletes and recruiters.
Georgia McLean, an intern at the Academy, also joined the group, immersing herself in industry knowledge to further her ambition of becoming an athletic trainer in an American professional sporting environment. Her reflections underscored the wide-reaching benefits of this unique partnership for all students.
See below a student collaboration, reflecting on each day of the trip.
Following a long day of travel, the students rose before dawn, heading out at 4:30am for a walk around the vast IMG campus. They explored the outdoor gym, field house, and other world-class facilities, gaining an early appreciation of what their week of training would entail. After a 6:00am group breakfast—where a full buffet of fruits, eggs, meats, yogurts, and oats offered something different from home—they spent time in the recreation centre’s game room, discovering a PlayStation 5, arcade games, table tennis, and a charging station.
Later in the day, Matt Lane (Head of Football Operations) led an extensive tour of the IMG grounds, guiding them through training spaces with other students from IMG and the UK NFL Academy. It was exceptional to see with world class facilities that students at IMG experience.
“It is pretty incredible, the resources and services they offer… even at a high school. It sets them up for success, unlike anywhere else in the world that I have seen.” Lead Physiotherapist – Caite Brown
The students continued their orientation at IMG and took part in their first organized training sessions. The focus for the Monday gym session was a whole body work out, where they focused on our quality of movement in each of the movements and working on the feedback provided.
“It was impressive to see how well the boys moved in the gym session and how they had refined the basics. You can see they are really being set up well for their future training and long-term development.” Matt Stopel – Head Coach Track and Field
Their eagerness to learn and improve did not go unnoticed; the IMG coaches commended their commitment and skill having just settled into their own programs at home late in 2024.
Following the gym session, the team travelled to the University of Florida, which gave the students a great opportunity to see firsthand the facilities and hospitality. The culture, recognition of achievement and belief in the team was amazing to experience. The group also got to see ‘The Swamp’, the home ground of the Florida Gators football team, which hosts over 80,000 attendees at every home game. The students walked away from this session with their eyes opened to the opportunities that existed for football, and sport in general in the American College system.
“Our students really impressed when they first arrived, you forget how young they really are, but I think coming over here and going to IMG Academy and the experiences of the trip have taken it to a new level.” Content Creator NFL SAP – Rhys Duke
The day at IMG Academy began with an early wake-up call. Despite the less-than-ideal weather, the students remained focused and motivated. Breakfast started at 6:00am and wrapped up by 9:00am, after which everyone headed to the gym for a recovery session—complete with rollers and massage guns—before their first field session of the day.
'Movement', as IMG Academy calls it, was an intense warm-up that set the tone for the football skills and drills beginning at 9:00am At 10:00am, the students attended their first IMG meeting, gaining new insights and practical advice from the coaches and staff. A film session with Coach Winslow proved especially valuable, as they reviewed the morning’s training footage and received constructive feedback.
Lunch was served at 11:00am, followed by a pre-practice alongside the IPP squad. Training with older, more experienced players challenged the students to push themselves even further, but the group supported one another and got through the demanding drills. By the end of the day, the students focused on recovery and took time to reflect and take notes on the day’s lessons.
“I’ve enjoyed training with the IMG Academy students and meeting all the college coaches on our visits.” Kayden Green – Tight End, Year 8 Student
“Just improving my knowledge of football, learning how intense it is … and the pathway to keep being successful.” Zion Marsden – Offensive Lineman, Year 9 Student
The morning gym session focused on building lower-body strength through trap bar squats and related exercises—critical for football players. Later, the students visited the University of South Florida, exploring athletic training areas, football fields, academic buildings, and the wider campus. Coach Warsaw the NIL General Manager at USF, offered insights into life as a college football athlete. This visit underscored potential opportunities available to dedicated student-athletes from Australia.
“There was a lot of intrigue and excitement… purely at their physical profiles—height, frame, how they are built… A lot of colleges wanting them to come back later.” Will Bryce - Head of NFL Academy
Despite cold and rainy weather, the students took to the field for a dedicated practice session. The continued to work in their position specific groups and continued to gain valuable feedback and coaching to bring home.
Afterwards, they began a four-hour drive to the University of Miami. Upon arrival, they toured the facilities, captured memorable photos, and met university staff who shared invaluable advice on transitioning from high school to collegiate sports. A late-night drive back offered them some much-needed rest. The University of Miami has an immense sporting culture and history, and the facilities encompassed these, creating a truly amazing experience.
“Coming to college in America has always been a real dream of mine … This trip really helped me figure out what pathway I might want to go. My dream career is an Athletic Trainer for hopefully an NFL or a college football team… It is a six-year process to get the degree and the connections to progress along my chosen path.”
“This trip has been a really good eye-opener for me and the other students to see what the facilities are like in Florida … It gives us an idea of what we need to do to achieve our goals.” Nikau Hepi – Offensive Lineman, NFL Academy Intern
“My favourite thing about the trip was probably training on the fields with the IMG boys—getting around the spirit and the culture.” Riki Siaoloa – Defensive Lineman, Year 10 Student
Friday served as a recovery day following several lengthy drives to visit Florida State, South Florida, and the University of Miami.
Early on the Friday, the students were treated to an exceptional session, run by the Head of Leadership & Character Development at IMG Academy, Dr Peter Paciorek and Olympic gold and silver Medallist, Richard Thompson. The session provided great context and learnings from these great leaders, specifically them finding their ‘why’, to make personal growth in everything they do. This resonated with the students, and they were also very fortunate to see Richard’s medals from the 2008 Olympics.
“My focus, that the coaches talked about, was to find a ‘why’—a better ‘why.’ Now I want to dig deeper on my own why.” Hamza El-Ghobashy – Offensive Lineman, Year 11 Student
Following the leadership workshop, the students engaged in a gym session, another opportunity to refine lifting techniques and athletic development.
In the afternoon, they visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facilities, which provided a fascinating contrast to the colleges they had already seen. The facility’s nod to the team’s pirate heritage, especially in its locker rooms and décor, left a unique impression. They even enjoyed a playful press conference in the media room.
“It was a good way to bond with other nationalities … good to learn what my technique should be like.” Tarquin Schwalger – Tight End, Year 10 Student
Saturday began at 7:00 a.m. with stair runs at the football stadium—an intense workout designed to test endurance and mental toughness. The students pushed through, fuelled by coaches reminding them this challenge would prepare them for the long flights back to Australia.
“Given I am new to the sport, the coaching and environment gave me a great head start into my future development, I am very grateful for the opportunity.” Zarius Matavao – Defensive Lineman, Year 11 Student
The group then began their journey home, facing a two-hour flight followed by a gruelling 16-hour flight. By the time they boarded, most were ready to sleep, reflecting on the high-level training and college visits that had filled their week.
“We did everything we wanted to do and more … in five days in the US, we got through an elite high school program, three universities, and an NFL facility—I wouldn’t have believed it!” Head Coach – James Cook
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