News: IMG Swimming Academy

By: Ryan Boyd
Bradenton Herald

BRADENTON — Michael Phelps’ recording-breaking summer at the Beijing Olympics has helped breathe new life into the sport of swimming.

For those young swimmers who aspire to repeat Phelps’ accomplishments in the pool, IMG Academies recently unveiled a swimming program.

The leader of the program is Jorge Jaramillo, an unassuming man who also happens to be a former world-class swimmer.

“We have full-time opportunities here, where they can train with us,” Jaramillo said. “They have their own high school here (The Pendleton School). They have their own physical-conditioning program and mental-conditioning program. It’s the style to help (mold) the athletes.”

Jaramillo knows a thing or two about the importance of a focused atmosphere.

Jaramillo, a native of Colombia, swam for his country in the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal Olympics, and he participated in four World Cups for the South American nation. Jaramillo also worked as an adviser for the U.S. Swimming Federation.

“I’ve performed for my country at a high level,” Jaramillo said. “And I know I can teach these kids what they need to know to be successful.”

Jaramillo is the teacher, and IMG provides the atmosphere to excel.

IMG has a litany of world-renowned athletic programs from — tennis, basketball, soccer, golf and baseball among them — and a swimming program seemed like a natural next step, if for no other reason than location. Florida, after all, should have plenty of talented swimmers.

“We want to bring our own brand of how we develop athletes,” IMG public relations assistant Dan Tierney said. “But not just in their sport, but socially and develop them for the future. We thought swimming was the sport to come up with next with the ones we have now.”

Jaramillo’s expertise in aquatics is an invaluable asset for a program that’s been operating for only 12 months. It began as an experiment and only has five students at the current time, but IMG officials hope to expand soon.

The swimming program is for students ages 10-18, and camps will be offered to local swimmers during the summer months. IMG doesn’t have a swimming facility, so the students train at Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex in Sarasota.

Jaramillo said the swimmers will compete in organized club swimming tournaments locally and abroad.

“The best thing IMG can offer to the athletes is a different style of life,” Jaramillo said. “For kids here, there is sport, there is school, and that’s about it. You look around this place and you see happy faces. This is a style of life nobody can offer.”