are homes, not dorms. This is their home away from home. With over 100 years of educational experience, Montverde
We replicate what living at home brings – balancing the Academy
necessary discipline with down time to bring out the best preparatory school that offers considerable advantages to
in our students. Our approach has been tested over many BGGA student-athletes seeking the highest quality education.
years. Discipline and rigor in our academic curriculum are a feature
is
an
international,
co-educational,
college
of life here. The majority of students will be here because
BGGA was founded on the belief that every young athlete they seek to play golf at a leading college. In order to do
should be given the best opportunity for success in sport this, they will not only need to excel on the golf course, but
and in education. Our executive team, who has nearly 200 also demonstrate a track record of academic achievement in
years of combined sport academy experience, constantly their school work. Starting in the ninth grade, students build
emphasizes the importance of holding ourselves to those their GPA for college acceptance. Focus and success is an
standards when managing the business and each child’s important part of college preparation.
development.
BGGA has a Learning Center on campus headed by the
Director of Academics, with specialist tutors for most
subjects and also for ESL, SAT and ACT, as well as supervised
Study Hall.
2. What is the size of the student body? Many boarding
schools look and sound impressive, but one must dig
deeper.
Small academies generally end up with 10 to 30 students. If
you are considering a full-time immersive learning academy, 4. How is your child’s mental side of the game? How does
is that sufficient enough for real interaction and sociability, he/she manage competition? There are many good golf
or to support good college placement, mental and physical instructors but an excellent coaching program flexible to
programs, character and leadership work? And how do you the needs of youth which develops the mental side and
avoid becoming another sport academy factory when the guides them to being competitors and has the experts and
student body is over 150, which doesn’t ultimately serve the programs to support these things is critical. How often will
student-athlete once they are in college (and possibly have my child receive mental conditioning and by whom? What
to quit the golf team to focus on studies as a result of being background and experience does this mental coach have?
academically unprepared)?
BGGA places a strong emphasis on building mental skills.
3. How important is education to you and to your child? From creating clear and compelling process goals, learning
To prepare a child for college, grades are important, to focus on the things they cannot control, and developing
but learning to study and creating a love of learning is on course skills to promote grit and perseverance, the mental
imperative for success. What programs are in place after performance program helps each athlete manage their own
school hours to mentor and provide quiet study time? tendencies and become mentally stronger.
THE GATE | APRIL 2019
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