SPIRE Institute and Academy Offers Robust Post Grad Program for High School Athletes

GENEVA, Ohio, Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Post grad programs, also known as a "fifth year" or "gap year" programs, allow high school graduates to optimize their athletic, academic and life skills while pursuing admission to the college or university that is best suited for them.

In response to the growing demand for post grad programs created by today's challenging environment, SPIRE has launched customized basketball, track & field, swimming, esports and mechatronic engineering training and competition post grad programs directed by top coaches and industry experts.

According to SPIRE Co-Managing Director Ted Meekma, there are many reasons for high school graduates to opt for a post grad program. Some graduating seniors may not be ready to compete at their desired level in college sports, says Meekma, while others may need time to improve technically and/or mature athletically to get the right offer. Some players have academic reasons for taking this year between high school and college, while others need an additional year to build the independence needed to succeed in college.

"SPIRE's post grad programs allow these athletes to improve both as players and as people," said Meekma. "These programs allow athletes to finish growing, increase their speed and strength and improve their sport specific skills. Just as importantly, our post grad programs expose players to superior competition and coaching. Our post grad staffs understand that they have two equally important goals: improving their players' games, and working to expose them to the right level of college programs."

Advantages for players who opt into SPIRE's post grad program include having an additional summer to attend NCAA certified camps--a decided advantage, given the cancellation of much of the Spring 2020 season and events--and competing in the showcases where many players receive prime exposure to college coaches and recruiting scouts. And according to Meekma, one of the biggest benefits of opting for a post grad year is that it does not count against a player's NCAA eligibility like playing at the junior or community college level does.

SPIRE Post Grad players who choose to can also take course up to two courses for credit at nearby Kent State-Ashtabula. Onsite academic counselors oversee this aspect of. the PG experience at SPIRE.

SOURCE SPIRE IA (Institute and Academy)