Laguna Sports Academy, a program funded by Laguna Development Corporation, is kicking off its 11th year in 2019. LDC has some big plans for the youth in Laguna who are accepted into the program. LSA has now contracted with Moya Strategic Solutions that provides the LSA student athletes some unique educational opportunities. Laguna Sports Academy has had tremendous success in its first 10 years of existence producing college athletes, graduates, and some have moved back to Laguna with a degree in hand and are giving back to their community.
Sandy Moya-James the founder of Moya Strategic Solutions is leading the charge and has developed her own system of tracking progress in a student’s education journey.
Sandy and Kyle James have been instrumental in strengthening Laguna Sports Academy.
Sandy was a teacher for over 13 years before deciding to launch her own full-time education firm dedicated to changing the way the education process is thought about, conducted, and helping students and their families have a say in their education journey. Sandy now resides in Fishers, Indiana a suburb of Indianapolis, as her husband Kyle James is a sports marketing executive and also very involved with the Laguna Sports Academy.
Sandy has created the Individualized Education Goal Plan (IEGP) and Laguna Sports Academy will have the unique opportunity to take part in her IEGP’s for the upcoming season.
A new strategy will be implemented where all the student-athletes accepted into the program will take part in the Individualized Education Goal Plan, created by Moya Strategic Solutions. Sandy will be providing students with a pivotal piece of what she feels is lacking in the education system today. Sandy states, “What we are doing is providing students with what’s missing in the education system today. It’s the human connection. Our school systems are designed to teach curriculum and not designed to teach students. How do we possibly teach the youth, if we don’t know anything about them? How can we affectively prepare our students for the future, if we don’t take the time to show them all of the possibilities that are available to them and help them find the best path?”
How does the IEGP process work? Sandy will sit down with each student athlete and their family for a one on one session discussing their educational goals. She reviews state test scores in order to help her better understand each students’ strengths and weaknesses. For LSA, the most important objective is to get students thinking about their life after high school. It also gives the student and their families a voice in the education process. Whether it’s college, vocational schooling or a branch of the military she wants to help offer the LSA students and families a variety of resources to help students achieve success after graduation. This is a new and innovative way to approach education and Laguna Sports Academy is on the ground floor of building a stronger bond between athletics and education.