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BRADENTON, Fla. (June 20, 2024) - IMG Academy, the world's leading sports education brand, has announced the appointment of Juan Herrera as the new Tennis Director. Herrera will be taking over from Jimmy Arias, who will transition into the role of Director of Player Development.
Herrera, currently serving as the Director of Tennis Day-to-Day Operations at IMG Academy, has been a cornerstone of the tennis program. In his current role, he oversees the daily delivery of the student-athlete, professional, junior, adult, and virtual camp offerings, while also spearheading the planning and implementation of the program's philosophy and methodology.
“We are incredibly luck to have both Juan and Jimmy in these two leadership positions within our tennis program serving in these capacities,” said Brian Nash, Vice President of Athletics at IMG Academy. “Juan’s decades of experience with IMG Academy and the tennis program will serve him well as he leads our coaches, trainers, staff, student-athletes and professional athletes into their tennis futures.”
Herrera has been part of the IMG Academy family since the age of 10. His extensive playing career as a junior and collegiate student-athlete laid a solid foundation for his coaching career. Since joining the IMG Academy coaching staff in 2004, he has excelled in multiple roles, including Hitting Partner, Traveling Coach, Video Analyst, World Clinician, Head Coach, Director of Camp, and Head of Male Tennis.
“IMG Academy has been my home since I was 10 years old, and I could not be more honored to follow in the footsteps of Nick Bollettieri and Jimmy Arias as the leader of the tennis program,” said Juan Herrera, Tennis Director at IMG Academy. “I look forward to working closely with Jimmy in his new role and helping our student-athletes and professional athletes win their futures alongside our amazing staff of coaches and trainers.”
Arias, one of the original student-athletes at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (now IMG Academy), will now focus on his passion of player and student-athlete development. Arias turned pro at the age of 16 and quickly rose to prominence, reaching the U.S. Open singles semifinals, winning the 1981 French Open mixed doubles, claiming four professional singles titles, and reaching a career-high of ATP world No. 5 in 1984. Arias will remain as a professional tennis commentator for major sports networks, including being a part of the NBC Sports broadcast for the 2024 Olympics.
“I am so proud of Juan’s promotion to tennis director at IMG Academy as he is the perfect fit to lead the tennis program into the future,” said Jimmy Arias, Director of Player Development. “My true passion has always been teaching the game of tennis and in this new role, I look forward to working closely with our student-athletes and professional athletes to help them be the best they can.”
The transition will take place immediately, with both Herrera and Arias bringing their unique strengths to their new roles.
About IMG Academy
IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing a holistic education model that empowers student-athletes to win their future, preparing them for college and for life. IMG Academy provides growth opportunities for all student-athletes through an innovative suite of on-campus and online experiences:
- Boarding school and camps, via a state-of-the-art campus in Bradenton, Fla.
- Online coaching via the IMG Academy+ brand, with a focus on personal development through the lens of sport and performance
- Online college recruiting, via the NCSA brand, providing content, tools, coaching and access to a network of 40,000 college coaches
To learn more about IMG Academy and its on-campus and online experiences, visit www.imgacademy.com.
