About DME Academy Sarasota
You Win Because Of It.
DME Academy Sarasota exists because we saw a hole in the market and had a dream of keeping the talent in our area — well, in our area. It started in a gap between practices. It is now 500 club families and growing.
Why We Exist
A Gap In Sarasota Soccer.
Nobody Was Filling It.
Large gaps in game and practice schedules forced us to create additional soccer training for committed and passionate players here in Sarasota. We simply wanted more than we were getting from our local youth soccer clubs — and we found out there are a lot of like-minded families across Sarasota and Southwest Florida who wanted the same thing.
Our commitment is to the player. That has not changed from the first session we ran on a small Sarasota practice field to the MLS NEXT rosters we field today, or the international stages we play on.
“Just Good Enough” Soccer
Is Not Good Enough For Us.
The Story
From One Extra Session
To A Full Academy.
Six years, and none of it was the plan on day one.
Aggression Academy
It starts as extra training for players who were not getting enough of it anywhere else.
Word Travels
Fifty to a hundred athletes per session. A tournament team model is added for athletes who wanted more soccer, and DME Nationals begins.
The Academy Is Formed
A tri-venture ownership group purchases Next Generation Soccer Academy. DME Academy Sarasota exists, and we launch with 15 competitive teams.
The Reputation Grows
The club grows by thirty percent and dominates Elite Academy on the boys side. People start to notice.
Promoted, Then Promoted Again
We enter the National Academy League on the boys side, dominate it, and earn promotion to MLS NEXT. The girls program goes from two teams to eight, with three ranked inside the top twenty in the state. MLS GO launches on the recreational side and grows to a hundred rec families, and our first school opens at GSI.
38 Teams And Rising
We open the year with thirty-eight teams, many of them the top side in their age group locally, and a winning culture that keeps growing. A second school opens at LWR Prep, taking us to 38 student-athletes across the two.
Who Is Behind It
A Tri-Venture Ownership Group.
Three partners, each bringing something the club would otherwise have to buy in — a national training campus, sports business expertise, and local ownership that lives here.
DME Academy, Daytona
A boarding school and elite training campus serving more than 350 athletes across multiple sports. Our mothership, and the reason our pathway does not stop at the county line.
IOI Ventures
A youth sports marketing, sales and investment company — the commercial engine behind how the club is built and how it grows.
Antista Enterprises
Local ownership. The people running the club are the people whose own children play in it, on the same fields, in the same age groups.
National Academy League · 2025/26 Champions
National Champions.Our 2010 boys went and won it — the whole league, in year one of the program.
Our Philosophy
Committed & Passionate
Players Only.
We demand focused, competitive and committed participation from our players and their families. This does not mean your athlete has to be the best. It does mean they are willing to work to be the best version of themselves.
We Practice To Win.
We Play To Win.
- We expect our players and their families to share that vision when it comes to development.
- We are committed to growth, to the game, and to each other. No exceptions.
- We hold ourselves to the same line we hold our players to.
Coaches & Staff
The People In Your Athlete’s Corner.
From licensed and top coaches who have been in your athlete’s shoes to successful business leaders, seasoned administrators and sport industry experts — every one of them SafeSport verified. We are the A team.
From Our Families
In Their Words.
The landscape of youth soccer, and especially young girls’ soccer, is full of mediocrity. Players are not challenged or held accountable… This is not DME. Players are empowered with the technical details to play at speed and are held accountable to each other. DME coaches don’t coach to who the players are, they coach to who the players can be.
DME is a wonderful program run by coaches who truly love what they do. It has strengthened both my son’s and daughter’s physical capabilities, including endurance and technical training. It also increased their soccer IQ and passion for the sport. DME has been great for our soccer family.
Whether it is Maine, Orlando or Lakewood Ranch, DME has established a culture of winning. I find that the kids’ feedback is one of the best barometers of success. My report back to DME is to keep up the good work.
The coaches are all in — not only when it comes to competing, but also when striking the perfect balance of fun, with things like team outings and even customized warm-up music that each player hand selected. You feel part of something pretty special.
Although we are part of a competitive club, DME has allowed our players the opportunity to train and play at a higher level. The coaches are dedicated to player development both on and off the field. We feel very fortunate to be part of the DME family.
DME has been instrumental in allowing athletes to shine while still teaching them every aspect of the game. The coaches push players to be their very best while motivating them along the way. Very unique academy.
DME creates teams with the right mix of talent to maximize winning potential. It has been a great program to be a part of — coaches are always motivating players and provide detailed post-game recaps.
Jared and DME have shown dedication to our team that goes above and beyond. Bianca has learned so much more than with a regular coach in a regular season. Just tough enough to excel to maximum potential — which is such an art in coaching youth.
Having you both as coaches is a matter of privilege for us. You are unique motivators and we are proud to say that thanks to you, every girl on our team is a true team player.
Part Of The DME Academy Family
IgniteThe Dream.
With more than 300 full-time student-athletes and growing, across multiple sports, the mothership DME Academy campus in Daytona is where our pathway keeps going — a boarding school and elite training environment for aspiring student-athletes.
Start Here
Come And See It For Yourself.
Every program is open, and evaluations run all year. Find the room your athlete belongs in.
Competitive
MLS NEXT, National Academy League, GA Aspire. 38 teams, league and showcase play.
See The Program Rolling AdmissionsTrials & Evaluations
Open year round. Get seen, get an honest assessment, get placed in the right group.
Get Evaluated Ages 3–12Recreational
Little Legends, Early Development and MLS GO — first touches through first seasons.
See Rec Programs Venice & Lakewood RanchOur Schools
Commuter school options for aspiring student-athletes, built around the training day.
See The Schools The Whole ClubEvery Team
All 38 squads, every age group, every league — see where your athlete would land.
See Every Team Talk To UsContact
Questions about placement, fees or the schools? Ask us directly.
Get In TouchWe Are The Future OfYouth Sports In Florida.
Come and make your own assessment. As we always say — find your fit.