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Nolan Dodge ’24 is one of three UTampa students working with Gatorade this summer, hydrating some of the most talented up-and-coming athletes in the nation in internships at the famous IMG Sports Academy.

IMG Academy is part boarding school, part training destination founded by legendary tennis Coach Nick Bollettieri.

Dodge, a sport management major, started the internship in June. He’s part of a team that provides over 1,500 student-athletes Gatorade drinks, snacks and recovery supplements and appliances that haven’t hit the market yet.

“We’re pretty much the test bunnies,” Dodge said.

“Higher-ups” at Gatorade’s headquarters in Chicago supply Dodge’s team with new coolers and products and then listen to the feedback of the IMG athletes.

For Dodge, it’s his biggest résumé-builder yet.

“When people see Gatorade at IMG, they know it's a huge thing,” Dodge said.

But if earning an internship at a famous, billion-dollar company didn’t do enough for Dodge’s résumé, mingling with NFL players and Olympic stars like Kelsey Plum at events could.

IMG, whose notable alums include Venus and Serena Williams, J.J. McCarthy, Josh Green, Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova, puts on showcases with big brands like Under Armor, where their celebrity clientele often show up to the event.

“IMG Academy is the sports complex of the world. I mean, they've got great, crazy facilities. So seeing how they operate, working for Gatorade, you can also see different things that staff there do, between coaches and trainers and everybody in between. You just learn more about the sports world,” Dodge said.

Dodge’s hard work has paid off. After he graduates at the end of this summer, he’ll continue with Gatorade and work full-time at IMG Academy.

Dodge previously interned at USF, but he never imagined anything the size of IMG. “IMG’s got two, four times the amenities that D1 schools have,” he said.

At IMG, Dodge has helped supply and stock Gatorade products at nearly 60 tennis courts, over 20 soccer fields, four basketball courts, a lacrosse field, six baseball fields and a 5,000-capacity football stadium.

He’s had to learn the etiquette, too.

Like in the All-American football game — Under Armor put on an exhibition with the top 50 high school recruits in the nation. The NFL’s Zay Flowers was one of the celebrities in attendance. Dodge’s event team was in all black, strictly not initiating conversations with any of the stars. A wrong word could kick Dodge off campus, but Dodge says he feels no pressure — he’s a professional now.

“Everybody's watching you, no matter what you do, but you should always do your best work, even when somebody isn’t watching. I don't really think it's that much pressure or unsettling. You just have to be professional in the workplace.”