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Parents looking to help their rising stars take their tennis games to the next level have often looked to Darling Tennis Center (DTC), USTA’s Certified Regional Training Center in the heart of Las Vegas. Since opening its doors to the public in September of 2005, DTC has been home to many prestigious events and hosted many top players.

Looking for a High Performance comprehensive training program for your young athlete? Check. Certified coaches and private instruction? Check. First-class training facilities? Check. Mental development and state-of-the-art physical fitness rooms? Check.

Something’s got to give, right?

Not so fast.

"In the past, parents looking to enroll their children in elite tennis training have had to run themselves ragged getting them to and from practices, and then deal with home schooling or sacrifice some of their educational goals," said Sandy Foley, Facility Manager at DTC. "As a designated RTC, we had the ability to attract national tennis coaches, but we realized we wanted to offer something more."

In January, 2011, Darling announced a partnership with Nevada Virtual Academy and the University of Nevada Department of Education, offering a full-time College Prep Academy onsite at the largest tennis center in the state of Nevada. Dr. Steven Grubaugh and Dr. Gregory Levitt co-created the curriculum model. Eight students from around the country enrolled in the "DTC Academy" pilot program – a hybrid of online schooling combined with onsite classrooms and individual tutoring.

"We are well into our second year and the Academy is experiencing remarkable growth," said Sandy Foley, whose son, Brian Foley, will graduate from DTC Academy this May, also as the valedictorian for Nevada Virtual Academy Class of 2012.

With 12 students enrolled at DTC Academy this school year, UNLV student teacher Lindsay Douglas keeps plenty busy.

"I like that the school provides an excellent education for students who would otherwise be required to choose between a good education or a high performance tennis program," Douglas explains.

A typical day at DTC Academy begins at 8 a.m. with two hours of on-court tennis training, followed by an hour in Darling’s state-of-the-art gym and a break for lunch. From noon to 3:30 or 4 p.m., kids are in the classroom with Douglas, and then back on court for more tennis until the end of the day.

"The students are a great group of kids," Douglas said. "They are all very disciplined athletes and that definitely translates well into their studies. I like that the environment that we have created is open and honest. We have fun during academic hours but there is also a great deal of learning going on."

"I heard about the academy through the players at DTC, and I wanted to get involved because of the ability to train with multiple players," said Travis Beck, who started with the Academy in January of 2011 and plans to continue until he leaves for college. He credits DTC Academy with helping him get offers to play for multiple college tennis teams. "My long-range goal is to eventually own a tennis academy of my own."

"We have kids come from all over the country to compete at USTA events at Darling, and they see this great program we have to offer," said Sandy Foley. "We are working really hard to create the feel of a ‘real’ school environment for them. This year we’ve even added field trips.

"From a parents’ perspective, it’s extremely beneficial because you can drop your child off in the morning and pick them up around 6, knowing they’ve been well-trained on and off the court and they won’t be up until midnight trying to squeeze in their homework. It feels balanced."

DTC Academy has the capacity to hold about 30 students, according to Foley, which is the long-range goal. Foley also assures that the costs per student are comparatively affordable.

"When you look at the way technology is progressing, we really feel that hybrid training like this is the wave of the future," Foley said.