Sports Performance

Track Your Career Health

Sports therapists, athletic trainers and entrepreneurs in fitness and health can all find success in Sarasota-Manatee Counties. Several professional teams train and compete at facilities throughout the area, including the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park in North Port. Bradenton is also home to the world’s largest education and training institution, IMG Academy, which includes Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s first satellite lab. And Florida’s West Coast isn’t stopping there. The sports performance industry is expected to grow by 14% over the next five years throughout the region.

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CareerSource Suncoast

CareerSource Suncoast is the premier resource for job opportunities and professional development in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Find out what the current job openings are in the sports performance industry and beyond.

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#1 Largest and most advanced multi-sports training institution in the world (IMG Academy) Bradenton Area EDC

14% Expected growth of sports performance industry over the next 5 years (Bradenton Area) Bradenton Area EDC

8,500 Square-foot training facility (Lakewood Ranch) Bradenton Area EDC

600 Acre Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota Bradenton Area EDC

Featured Employers

Pittsburgh Pirates & Bradenton Marauders

C&H Baseball

Atlanta Braves Spring Training

IMG Academy

Nathan Benderson Park and Conservancy

FELD Entertainment

Sports Facilities
Sports Performance Curriculum

Sports Facilities

A Growing Ecosystem for Athletes and Athletic Trainers

Did you know that IMG Academy in Bradenton has had 1,400+ D1 placements since 2011? That’s just the tip of the iceberg for sports training opportunities in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. The industry is projected to grow 14% over the next five years, with new fitness businesses and manufacturing companies opening every year. Sarasota County also bolsters several athletic facilities that are open to the public, including Nathan Benderson Park‘s rowing venues and Sarasota BMX — the oldest continuously running BMX track in America and home to the UCI World Cup races.

Sports Performance Curriculum

Get Fit for the Role

If you’re looking to gain skills as an athletic trainer, Sarasota and Manatee Counties provide a host of institutions to help you get fit for the job. The State College of Florida offers a physical therapy assistant program as well as several continuing education courses that allow career paths into fitness business management or can guide you to becoming a Nationally Certified Personal trainer or nutritionist. The University of South Florida also has an accredited program in athletic training — one of the few in the nation located within a medical college.

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