For Austin resident Cyndie Jensen, watching her sons Aksel, 12, and Marshall, 9, transform from restless students to eager learners has been nothing short of remarkable.
"My boys play competitive soccer, but honestly, they're happiest when they're doing anything active," she said. "As parents, we think physical activity is just as important as academics."
The Jensens found their educational home at Texas Sports Academy in Lake Travis, where traditional classroom lectures are replaced with dynamic, sports-integrated learning.
"It's been an absolute game-changer," Jensen said. "We don't have to sacrifice academics just because they love sports and want to be active during the day."
On any given day, you might find students conducting post-game style interviews to hone their public speaking skills. Marshall, who dreams of playing for Real Madrid, could barely contain his excitement about the following night's Texas Stars game.
“We’re going to go into the tunnel, high-five the players, then meet with the marketing director to ask questions," he said.
Texas Sports Academy’s Chief Ambassador Jamal Gross played for the Phoenix Suns and also served as an assistant coach before turning his life focus to elementary education.
“We know these kids are motivated by sports, and we use that as our foundation to teach life skills like strategic thinking, growth mindset, public speaking, leadership, teamwork and grit,” he said. “When they see what a team manager does, what a marketing director does, what a team doctor does and what it’s like to be a player at a press conference answering questions, their faces light up and they get so engaged. Those are incredible teaching moments."
At the academy, kids do academics for only two hours a day. The school creates personalized learning paths for students built around their unique aptitudes, needs and interests. It’s an AI-assisted model that’s been in use at sister school Alpha for a decade.
Beyond traditional sports, students participate in unique challenges such as Spartan races and ninja warrior exercises, building confidence and teamwork skills along the way. Former professional athletes serve as guides, commanding natural respect while nurturing athletic and academic excellence.
“Our students work hard. They play hard and we do it in an environment that promotes mutual respect,” says Gross
Every school day ends with students calling out a classmate for something they did well.
Speaking about a younger student, Marshall shared: “I like how he went up to the climbing wall, even though he didn’t think he could do it. He kept going, and he got to the top. That was great."
Gross added: “Whether or not they become pro athletes, life skills like that will go a long way for these students in the future."