With Summer coming to an end, and a new school year already in session, we recently caught up with our Xceed DME Academy’s Head of School, Anna Gonzalez to learn her best tips for a successful school year.
Anna’s top 4 tips were:
The beginning of the school year is a wonderful time. It’s an opportunity to learn new things, grow and even reinvent yourself. Focusing on these key habits can set you up for short and long-term success.
Learn more about the DME Academy's academic program here.
DME Academy to Host Back to School Bash
***This event has been postponed due to Covid-19. We are hoping to reschedule for late 2021***
Youth Sports Academy to Partner with Boys & Girls Club, Local Police and Sheriff’s Departments, and Daytona Businesses to Host End-of-Summer Party for Local Youth
Daytona, FL, August 6th, 2021- DME Academy, one of the nation’s leading youth athletics and academic preparatory schools, will partner with local charity powerhouse- Jeep Beach, the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD), Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the local Boys and Girls Club of Volusia and Flagler Counties to host basketball games and contests unlike any other. On September 11th, from 10am-1pm, members of the DBPD and sheriff’s office will partner with some of DME Academy’s student-athletes to take on local youth from the Boys & Girls Club of Volusia and Flagler Counties. In addition, officers will lead a discussion with the kids on the significance of the event’s date.
“When DME Academy got started, we did it because we wanted to make an impact on student-athletes everywhere,” said Dan Panaggio, co-owner of DME Academy. “That said, our home is Daytona Beach, and we’re proud members of this community and always look for ways we can make an impact here at home. We’re looking forward to bringing everyone together for a great day of basketball and fun.”
To fuel the players in the variety of basketball games & contests, Buffalo Wild Wings will provide lunch for everyone at the event. Additionally, as part of their Driven to Give initiative, Gary Yeomans Ford of Daytona Beach will be donating up to $8,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Volusia and Flagler Counties for anyone who test drives a Lincoln or Ford that weekend in person or virtually.
“This is going to be a special day for everyone involved,” said Laura Stegall, Athletic Director of DME Academy. “It’s been really inspiring to see how our partners in the community have stepped up, and everyone at DME Academy has responded just as enthusiastically. I couldn’t be more proud of everyone’s effort in supporting these great causes.”
For additional information visit: https://dmeacademy.com/back-to-school-bash/ Please contact Laura Stegall with questions and inquiries at laura.stegall@dmesports.com
Laura Stegall Brings More than 20 Years of Athletic, Education, & Coaching Experience to DME Academy
DME Academy is excited to welcome Laura Stegall as our brand-new athletic director. She will oversee every aspect of our student-athlete programs, including academic development, collegiate pathways, and continuing DME Academy’s commitment to helping young athletes excel on and off the field.
"It has always been a professional goal of mine to serve as an athletic director,” Stegall said. “I love athletics and the important role they serve in making a difference in the lives of our budding youth. To be able to lead a team as part of a growing organization [like DME] is the ultimate pleasure. I look forward to working alongside our exceptional coaches to make a difference in the lives of our athletes.”
Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Stegall attended Purdue University Fort Wayne (PUFW), where she excelled as a two-sport athlete in basketball and volleyball. During her volleyball career at PUFW, Stegall was recognized as 2000’s Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year, named an All-American, and set multiple school records. She was named PUFW’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2001, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2006.
After graduating college with a degree in elementary education, she built Indiana Tech’s Women’s Volleyball program from the ground up, earning a collegiate tournament appearance in just their second season. She then joined Daytona State College in Daytona, Florida, where she launched an all-new volleyball program, leading them to seven straight winning seasons and numerous tournament appearances. Worth noting is that her teams had a 98% graduation rate and 3.4 average GPA during her tenure.
In addition to successfully coaching their women’s volleyball program, she also served as adjunct instructor at Daytona State College, and earned her Master’s in Athletic Administration from Northcentral University. She also held numerous leadership roles as a representative of the college in and around the volleyball and Daytona-area college sports community.
For the past five years, Stegall has been a part of the DME Volleyball Academy, serving as a coach to numerous teams within the program, as well as providing individual training, skills clinics, and camp instructions.
“We are so excited that Laura is going to be leading the DME Academy athletics programs,” Dan Panaggio, co-owner of DME Academy, said. “She brings a wealth of experience as a player, coach, educator, and leader. She and her family have sports in their blood, and we can’t wait to see the impact she has on the young men and women of DME Academy.”
Senior, Daytona State College Commit, Brooke Kornegay was awarded the Doing More Everyday "DME Player Of the Year" last week! Being the first year to give this award out, this was a special moment the whole volleyball staff and program witnessed. We talked with Brooke and Coach Lilly, Brooke's coach, to see what an honor this meant to them as well. Check out some of their thoughts.
In your eyes, what is the Doing More Everyday DME Player Of The Year?
Brooke: In my eyes, doing more every day means being selfless and being willing to put your team, coaches, and club before you. You train hard, require your teammates to train hard and get 1% better every day while giving 1% more every day.
What were your expectations going into the "Doing More Everyday" DME Player Of The Year Awards?
Brooke: I had no idea that this award even existed and when I heard Coach Dawn listing all of the qualities about the selected player I got excited but I honestly did not think that it would be me out of the hundreds of athletes at DME. I felt super honored.
How do you think younger players look up to you and this reward?
Brooke: I think the younger players see me as someone who lets their passion for the sport determine my attitude and effort. I sacrifice so much of myself, physically and mentally, for this sport, but I am happy to do it because I love to play this sport.
What does the Doing More Everyday "DME Player of the Year Award mean to you?
Brooke: This award means the world to me, because I have always been the player that walks the whole gym to make sure there’s no trash or who picks up any loose balls, but I never did any of those things expecting a reward or any recognition from anyone; I was just doing it for the better of my club but the fact that Coach Dawn did recognize my actions feels really good.
For someone striving to get this award next year, what would your advice be to them?
Brooke: I feel like it is easy to do more every day if your heart is in the right spot. If you are just looking for your name on a plaque, then you aren’t doing more every day for the right reasons. Let your love for the sport and club guide you.
If you can put it into words, who all would you thank for helping you, molding you into the player you are that received this award?
Brooke:I have to thank my mom, dad, and sister, along with Coach Dawn and Coach Alvaro, and all of my other past coaches. They have all affected me in different ways and made me the type of player that I am today, a player that does more every day.
How proud were you when Brooke was announced as DME Player of The Year and why?
Coach Lilly: When Brooke was announced as the player of the year I was super proud! I wasn’t really surprised that she was selected given her hard work and dedication this club season as well as all her past club seasons. Brooke is an amazing athlete and person in general.
How is she a leader on and off the court?
Coach Lilly: She leads on and off the court just by being Brooke. She shows up to every practice ready to work, she speaks up when necessary, she holds herself and her teammates accountable and when it comes to volleyball; she has a winning mentality. Brooke is the kind of person every coach wishes they had a whole team of.
We want to wish Brooke the best of luck on her new journey at Daytona State College next year. If you’d like to learn more about the DME volleyball programs click here.
Student-athletes and their families choose DME Academy because we put them in a position to reach their ultimate potential. In addition to our roster of amazing coaches and educators, we are firm believers that our student-athletes should have access to the best facilities imaginable. As we continue to grow and make a name for ourselves on the global stage, our facilities continue to push the envelope for what an elite, multi-sport training and educational institution can be.
First things first, we’ve begun construction on a second dormitory. As we’ve grown in popularity, the demand for residential housing has increased too, (it’s not exactly ‘feasible’ for our students to commute from places like Russia, Switzerland, Turks & Caicos...you get the deal). We’re proud to share that we’re ramping things up with a new 2 story dorm that can house 84 more student-athletes bringing our total number of potential residents to 164.
Next up, we’ve started to expand our world-class field house. The 47,000 square foot structure is home to 2 full NBA courts, 5 youth courts, 7 regulation volleyball courts, a performance center, athletic training rooms and a spa...what else could we possibly want? We want more. We’re giving the fieldhouse another 25,000 square feet so we can add 2 brand new NBA regulation courts, locker rooms, meeting spaces, classrooms and study centers.
We didn’t forget about the outdoor facilities. We’re adding in a full size tuft/grass field that meets regulations for lacrosse and soccer. We recently installed outdoor lighting at our sand volleyball courts, and turf training field, to ensure that our student-athletes always have the opportunity to get their reps in, even if the sun has decided it needs some down time. Speaking of downtime, we’re adding in a new promenade with outdoor dining and recreation spaces so our student-athletes could soak up that beautiful Florida weather, while they take a break from studying and training.
“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished to date but we are not done yet.. It’s been a pleasure helping develop so many talented student-athletes through the years. Watching the DME Academy family grow and find success has left my brother and I inspired to keep investing in our on site experience, said Dan Panaggio, CEO of the DME Academy
Want to explore campus? Click HERE to get in contact with our admissions department.
Daytona Beach, Florida, May 4, 2021 - DME Academy, one of the nation’s top multi-sport training and educational institutions for aspiring student- athletes, announced it was expanding its sports focus to include soccer. The new soccer division will offer athletes a variety of program options including personal and group training, camps & clinics, tournament teams, academy programs and even club services including operation optimization efforts, coaching development and more.
“At DME we’re in the business of helping student-athletes reach their own personal levels of excellence and we’re excited to extend our impact into the soccer community ,” said Dan Panaggio, co-owner of DME Academy.”
Leading the charge in developing the soccer division is Director of Soccer Todd Eason and Assistant Director of Soccer Kioki Hutching. Their goal is to develop all areas of an individual player’s game: technical, tactical, physical and psychological. Built on Coach Hutching’s international playing experience in England and Spain and Coach Eason’s success in developing USL League Two into a top-level league, DME’s soccer division is poised to have long-lasting effects on the soccer world at-large. Coach Eason is looking forward to the challenge of shaping the future of the sport in America, on and off the field.
“When I had the opportunity to work with DME to build this program, I didn’t hesitate for a second,” Eason said. “Their commitment to making an impact in the youth soccer community is contagious, and I’m looking forward to providing the platform for soccer athletes at DME.”
The DME campus features access to professional-level fields and facilities, and on-site soccer camps beginning this June. Learn more about all the upcoming soccer programs, including the dates, times, locations here.
DME Academy
DME Academy is an elite multisport training and educational institution designed for the student-athlete who is looking to reach their ultimate potential. Founded by brothers Mike and Dan Panaggio and located in picturesque Daytona Beach, Florida, DME Academy offers a wide variety of programming, from our 6th-12th grade co-ed boarding school and post-grad programs, to year-round camps, tournaments, team events, and collegiate and professional training. DME Academy offers professional-level facilities, coaches, staff, scouting, and more. More information is available at DMESportsacademy.com.
Meet Hannah Meyer, the Daytona native who stars on DME Academy’s indoor and outdoor volleyball squads. When she’s not training, she’s pursuing her goal of becoming a pediatric physician assistant. The 18 year old student-athlete has her work cut out for her, juggling 4 practices, 1 high school class, and 5 college classes each week.
Hannah developed a passion for the game of volleyball in 6th grade when she became an immediate stand-out on her middle school team. After falling in love with the sport, she was determined to take her game to the next level, and that’s when her teammates introduced her to DME Academy. Hannah has never looked back.
So what’s her favorite part about DME Academy? That’s easy, it’s the family atmosphere. Everyone on campus is friendly and welcoming, including athletes and coaches that she’s never met. On top of that, Hannah says that it’s evident that the staff cares about the student-athletes' success in life even more than they care about success on the court.
When Hannah’s father was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, her DME family was there for her every step of the way. Her teammates went the extra mile to support her, making sure to regularly check in on Hannah and her family, and to letting her know how much they cared about her. Hannah's dad is doing much better now, but this memory of DME Academy will stick with her forever. She has created long lasting friendships and has found an incredible support system. She has never been closer to any team before, and considers her DME teammates to be family.
To this day, Hannah is still inspired by her incredible DME Academy family, and she plans to coach volleyball so she can mentor girls and help them create the same bonds that she has. When she looks back on her experience, she knows that 6th grade girl trying out for her first ever volleyball team would be proud of who she has become and the relationships she’s developed along the way.
Have we helped to Ignite Your Dreams at DME? Share your story with us here.
In September 2017, straight on the heels of Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria further devasted the island nation of Puerto Rico. Amidst great tragedy, a mother made the very difficult decision to send her son to Daytona Beach to live with family. When Derrick arrived as a high school sophomore, he didn’t speak a word of English but had a true passion for the game of basketball.
That is how he found DME Sports Academy.
As a commuter student, Derrick worked diligently on his English language skills and soon added other courses to his personalized learning plan. Outside the classroom, he took his raw yet very athletic basketball skills to the court and became a favorite of his teammates and coaches for his love of the game.
As his junior year began last August, Derrick became a full time Academy student athlete. As of now, his English skills have blossomed, and he is proud to be studying chemistry in English. On the court, his game is steadily improving, and he is hopes to earn a college scholarship.
In his own words, Derrick said that “I love the school, the social atmosphere, the workload, the interaction with the teachers and the students, and the flexibility to also focus on basketball.”
Dear DME Parents,
I am excited to announce that DME Sports Academy is partnering with Xceed Preparatory Academy (www.xceedprep.org), to be our exclusive school and curriculum provider for our academy students beginning in August 2019. Xceed, based in South Florida, currently has three schools in Broward and Miami-Dade County and its unique educational beliefs and approach has it poised for significant growth.
The Xceed mission is designed to meet the unique needs of elite middle and high school athletes. The Xceed educational model provides personalization, online curriculum, flexible schedules and attentive in-person academic staff preparing students for college and beyond.
Xceed was started in 2017 and based on CEO Dr. Brent Goldman’s past as a pioneer in the development of distance and internet-based education and his desire to better perfect online learning. Xceed is accredited by AdvancEd which is the most prestigious accrediting agency for K-12 and post-secondary schools. The Xceed DME location will open fully accredited and is expected to be NCAA approved in the early fall 2019 and SEVIS approved (the ability to issue visas to international students) by early 2020.
Our new school will be located at Daytona Field House, home of DME Sports Academy, and we are busy sprucing up the new classroom space with new flooring and furniture. Students will no longer have to leave campus for classes! Xceed will hire a Head of School and subject certified teachers to work with our students. They will be trained by Xceed prior to the beginning of the school year and will work with the existing Xceed employees throughout the school year.
More specific details regarding our partnership with Xceed Preparatory Academy will be sent to you in the next few weeks. We believe the addition of Xceed to DME Sports Academy will transform our academy for many years to come.
Best Regards,
Dan Panaggio
DME Sports Academy
DME is offering an exciting and unique soccer program in a state-of-the-art setting, where children can express themselves and develop through play. Sport has a positive impact on learning, boosts the metabolism and inspires kids to lead a healthier lifestyle.
This elite soccer program gives players all the benefits of home schooling but with the added engagement of a physical activity.
It is designed to improve soccer techniques, tactical awareness, psychology of sport and physical improvement. The program has been designed and will be delivered by an English UEFA ‘A’ License Soccer Coach with over 32 years experience in the English soccer leagues.
The coaching is geared around complimenting the students’ outside club training and game schedule as well as building confidence within the sport. Players will receive information regarding nutrition, hydration, rest and recovery and will take part in strength and conditioning exercises.
This pre-academy soccer program runs for forty weeks of the year and offers two options:
Option 1: Three day pre-academy (8:00am-10:00am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays)
Option 2: Five day pre-academy (8:00am-10:00am Monday through to Friday)
Why not come along to one of our no obligation FREE taster drop in sessions? This will give you the opportunity to meet the coaches, look around our incredible stadium and talk to the staff about any inquiries you may have. Children should arrive in sports kit and trainers so they can take part in the activities.
When: Saturday June 16th 2018 and Saturday 30th June 2018
Time: 9:30am – 10:30am
Where: Municipal Stadium, 3917 LPGA Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32124
Age Group: 11 – 18
To find out more about our program and to take advantage of our introductory offers, come along to one of our open days above.
To express your interest of if you have any questions, please contact Karen: karen.crichton@dmesports.com