First day of school for Sons of Thunder Athletic Academy
Schools are starting up in the area, including a new athletic academy. Sons of Thunder is a sports-based school in Blackfoot.
“Most kids are maybe yawning falling asleep at a desk and that. We’re up, we’re being active, getting a workout in,” school co-founder Jeff Anderson said.
The Sons of Thunder Athletic Academy began in Colorado, but after meeting Anderson and Kevin Summers at a wrestling tournament in Utah they decided to bring SOT to southeastern Idaho.
“We wanted to give the kids a better opportunity academically and athletically as well,” Anderson said.
The students get their education through a variety of programs, including the Idaho Connections Academy where some of the schools students are enrolled in grades K-12.
“When it promised for a better education and better wrestling it seemed like this is what I should do,” student Trevor Monson said. “With public school it’s so hard to get the one-on-one you need with the teacher to help make sure you’re getting the knowledge you need to pass the class.”
Amy Martin, a nutritionist and parent, said, “I think the coaches are great at supporting all the academics because that comes first, and then it’s going to build great athletes on top of that.”
The school brings in a nutritionist to complement the intense athletic program.
“Well you know you just have to think of it like a health class in a general brick-and-mortar public school,” Martin said.
But school staff also throw in a little bit of fun.
“It’s been a lot of fun and there’s a lot of people that I don’t know that I hope I can get acquainted to over the next year that we have together,” Monson said.
Though it may be called Sons of Thunder; it’s open to everyone.
“Anybody that wants to come get help, whether its academically or athletically we are here to push them and help them reach the goals they want to achieve,” Anderson said.
The Sons of Thunder will be holding a “haunted river bottoms” fundraiser in October.
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