Out-of-Door Academy inks Nike partnership

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Student athletes at The Out-of-Door Academy will be sporting new uniforms and equipment this year thanks to a recent partnership with Nike.

Head of School David Mahler and Athletic Director Noel Beaulieu announced the new three-year partnership during a press conference Aug. 19, in the Petrik Thunderdome. ODA is one of only a handful of small schools across the state to have its athletic programs outfitted in Nike apparel.

“Ours isn’t football-driven; ours is school-driven,” Beaulieu said of the deal. “When they heard we have a 100% matriculation rate, they really liked our academic side. ODA is a school on the rise. We’re not established — we’re clearly evolving in our athletic department.

“Over time, we’ll migrate and all of our sports programs will be equipped by Nike apparel,” Beaulieu said.  “Our hope is that as our teams improve and get more experience, then the (size) of the deal goes up.”
Financial terms were not disclosed.

Seniors Brian Ragone, Zach Hoppe and Sammi Jo Gaeta sported ODA’s new Nike football, baseball and volleyball uniforms during the press conference.

“We’re going to play well no matter what,” Ragone said. “This is just one of the benefits.”

New sport, coaches
In addition to football, baseball, volleyball and soccer, ODA will be sporting its new Nike apparel on the lacrosse field. The Thunder will be joining the Florida High School Athletic Association as an independent in boys and girls lacrosse for the 2011-12 season.

The Thunder will join Cardinal Mooney as the only local programs directly involved in the FHSAA. In addition to the Cougars, the Thunder is likely to play Berkley Prep, Tampa Catholic and teams from Fort Myers and Naples.

Prior to this year, ODA had club lacrosse teams similar to Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School and the Sarasota Military Academy. However, ODA has spent the past few years working to become an official FHSAA-sanctioned team.

“When they hired me five years ago, they knew I was coming from Maryland, which is the hotbed for lacrosse,” said Jamie Carver, director of Middle and Upper School Admissions who also will serve as the boys lacrosse coach.

Amy Whittington, who played defensive point for the University of Delaware from 1995 to 1997, will serve as the girls coach.

“I’m just looking forward to playing the sport again and being with high school kids,” Whittington said. “I’m very excited to get on the field, and show a new school what it’s like to have lacrosse.”
In addition to lacrosse, ODA also welcomed Billy Dietrich as its baseball coach and Keba Phipps as its volleyball coach.

Last year, Dietrich served as an assistant coach for the Thunder. Dietrich replaces coach Mike Verrill, who resigned in June.

“They’re fantastic kids, and it’s been fun watching them grow over the past three years,” he said.

Phipps played on the 1988 and 2004 Olympic volleyball teams and spent 15 years playing professionally in Europe before starting her own club team in the Tampa area. Phipps first learned about the open position at ODA from a team parent who knew her from her club team.

“She asked if I would interested in coaching and developing young girls,” Phipps said. “I was a little worried about them buying into my philosophy of training, but it was definitely the right decision. These girls are working so hard, and I’m very excited about their future.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].