桃瘾社区

Nolan Dodge 鈥�24 is one of three 桃瘾社区ampa students working with Gatorade this summer, hydrating some of the most talented up-and-coming athletes in the nation in internships at the famous IMG Sports Academy.

IMG Academy is part boarding school, part training destination founded by legendary tennis Coach Nick Bollettieri.

Dodge, a sport management major, started the internship in June. He鈥檚 part of a team that provides over 1,500 student-athletes Gatorade drinks, snacks and recovery supplements and appliances that haven鈥檛 hit the market yet.

鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty much the test bunnies,鈥� Dodge said.

鈥淗igher-ups鈥� at Gatorade鈥檚 headquarters in Chicago supply Dodge鈥檚 team with new coolers and products and then listen to the feedback of the IMG athletes.

For Dodge, it鈥檚 his biggest r茅sum茅-builder yet.

鈥淲hen people see Gatorade at IMG, they know it's a huge thing,鈥� Dodge said.

But if earning an internship at a famous, billion-dollar company didn鈥檛 do enough for Dodge鈥檚 r茅sum茅, mingling with NFL players and Olympic stars like Kelsey Plum at events could.

IMG, whose notable alums include Venus and Serena Williams, J.J. McCarthy, Josh Green, Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova, puts on showcases with big brands like Under Armor, where their celebrity clientele often show up to the event.

鈥淚MG Academy is the sports complex of the world. I mean, they've got great, crazy facilities. So seeing how they operate, working for Gatorade, you can also see different things that staff there do, between coaches and trainers and everybody in between. You just learn more about the sports world,鈥� Dodge said.

Dodge鈥檚 hard work has paid off. After he graduates at the end of this summer, he鈥檒l听continue with Gatorade and work full-time at IMG Academy.

Dodge previously interned at USF, but he never imagined anything the size of IMG. 鈥淚MG鈥檚 got two, four times the amenities that D1 schools have,鈥� he said.

At IMG, Dodge has helped supply and stock Gatorade products at nearly 60 tennis courts, over 20 soccer fields, four basketball courts, a lacrosse field, six baseball fields and a 5,000-capacity football stadium.

He鈥檚 had to learn the etiquette, too.

Like in the All-American football game 鈥� Under Armor put on an exhibition with the top 50 high school recruits in the nation. The NFL鈥檚 Zay Flowers was one of the celebrities in attendance. Dodge鈥檚 event team was in all black, strictly not initiating conversations with any of the stars. A wrong word could kick Dodge off campus, but Dodge says he feels no pressure 鈥� he鈥檚 a professional now.

鈥淓verybody's watching you, no matter what you do, but you should always do your best work, even when somebody isn鈥檛 watching. I don't really think it's that much pressure or unsettling. You just have to be professional in the workplace.鈥�